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Why Is It Called ‘Black Friday’? The Surprising Theories, History and Rise to Popularity of Retail’s Big Discount Day After Thanksgiving

《为何被称为 “黑色星期五”？—— 零售业感恩节后大折扣日令人惊讶的起源理论、历史及其人气飙升之路》

Everything to know about the shopping event on the day after Thanksgiving, including its origins and best deals.

了解感恩节后这一购物盛事的方方面面，包括它的起源以及最佳优惠活动。

By Renan BotelhoPlus Icon

November 22, 2024, 4:01pm

The day after Thanksgiving, which falls on Nov. 23 this year, is marked by one of the most significant retail events of the year: Black Friday.

Last year, in 2023, retailers and brands, including Nordstrom, Amazon, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Everlane, Skims and more, started Black Friday discounts weeks in advance.

According to a report released by Coveo, a Quebec-based SaaS search engine powered by artificial intelligence, earlier in November, 58 percent of retailers began focusing on Black Friday and Cyber Monday/Cyber Week to drive revenues in the fourth quarter.

感恩节后的那一天，也就是今年（2024 年）的 11 月 23 日，是每年最重要的零售活动之一 ——“黑色星期五” 举办的日子。

去年（2023 年），包括诺德斯特龙、亚马逊、萨克斯第五大道、布鲁明戴尔百货、 Everlane、金?卡戴珊创立的塑身衣品牌 Skims 等在内的众多零售商和品牌，提前数周就开启了 “黑色星期五” 的折扣活动。

根据由魁北克一家人工智能驱动的软件即服务（SaaS）搜索引擎科维奥（Coveo）在 11 月早些时候发布的一份报告，58% 的零售商在第四季度开始着重利用 “黑色星期五” 以及 “网络星期一”/“网络周” 来拉动营收。

Optimism Prevails for Black Friday and Holiday Season but Gains Will Be Minimal

Now, in 2024, retailers are looking to do more than just provide shoppers with a great deal. “Retailers hoping to stand out against their competition need to think beyond price and promotion and keep their eye on the ball across the whole shopping experience,” Jill Standish, global lead for Accenture’s Retail industry group, told WWD. “From the stock room to the shop floor, the whole retail operation needs to show up. Whether they do or not could make or break the retailer’s holiday shopping season.”

“黑色星期五” 和假日季前景乐观，但收益增幅将很微小

如今到了 2024 年，零售商们期望做的不仅仅是为购物者提供超值优惠。“希望在竞争中脱颖而出的零售商需要跳出价格和促销的局限，着眼于整个购物体验的方方面面，” 埃森哲零售行业集团全球负责人吉尔?斯坦迪什向《女装日报》（WWD）表示，“从库房到店铺，整个零售运营环节都要做到位。做得到与否可能决定零售商这个假日购物季的成败。”

Black Friday’s impact

Over the years, retailers have needed to find ways to stand out in the sea of deals. In 2022, RetailNext Inc., a retail intelligence firm tracking traffic at brick-and-mortar stores, said store traffic rose 2.5 percent for Black Friday through Sunday over 2021. According to The NPD Group, Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Small Business Saturday sales came in 5 percent lower in 2022 than the same week in 2021, while unit sales fell 8 percent.

“黑色星期五” 的影响

多年来，零售商们需要想方设法在众多优惠活动中脱颖而出。2022 年，一家追踪实体店客流量的零售情报公司 RetailNext Inc. 称，与 2021 年相比，“黑色星期五” 至周日期间的店铺客流量增长了 2.5%。据美国市场研究机构 NPD 集团的数据，2022 年感恩节、“黑色星期五” 以及 “小企业星期六” 的销售额相较于 2021 年同一周下降了 5%，而商品销量则下降了 8%。

Why is it called Black Friday?

A day associated with bargain hunting and frantic shopping, Black Friday became a well-established tradition in the U.St. in the late ’80s. However, its origins trace back to long before that.

To some, Black Friday symbolized the moment when retailers, traditionally operating “in the red” (indicating losses), finally moved “in the black” (signifying profits) thanks to all of the sales happening after Thanksgiving.

In the ’50s, managers reportedly used “Black Friday” to describe the day many workers would call in sick after Thanksgiving, making a comparison with the bubonic plague. In the early ’60s, police officers in Philadelphia started using the term to depict the chaos created by the large numbers of tourists who came into the city for both holiday shopping and to attend Saturday’s annual Army-Navy football game, causing the police officers to work longer shifts.

为何被称为 “黑色星期五”？

“黑色星期五” 是一个与淘便宜货和疯狂购物紧密相连的日子，它在 20 世纪 80 年代末成为美国一项根深蒂固的传统。不过，它的起源可以追溯到更早之前。

对一些人来说，“黑色星期五” 象征着零售商们传统上处于 “亏损”（用红色账目表示）状态，却终于因感恩节后的大量销售而转为 “盈利”（用黑色账目表示）的时刻。

在 20 世纪 50 年代，据报道，管理人员曾用 “黑色星期五” 来形容感恩节后许多员工会请病假的那一天，将其与黑死病相类比。在 20 世纪 60 年代初期，费城的警察开始使用这个词来描述大量游客涌入该市进行假日购物以及观看周六举行的年度陆海军橄榄球比赛所造成的混乱局面，这使得警察们不得不延长工作时间。

When did Black Friday become popular?

By the end of the ’70s, newspapers in Philadelphia had adopted “Black Friday” to describe the start of holiday shopping. In the ’80s, companies fully embraced the term to promote product deals and sales. Over the years, Black Friday has grown as retailers intensify efforts to attract shoppers. The adoption of online shopping further fueled Black Friday’s popularity, enabling consumers to partake in the frenzy from the comfort of their homes.

“黑色星期五” 何时开始流行？

到 20 世纪 70 年代末，费城的报纸已经采用 “黑色星期五” 一词来描述假日购物季的开端。在 80 年代，各公司完全接纳了这个词，用它来推广产品优惠和销售活动。多年来，随着零售商们加大吸引购物者的力度，“黑色星期五” 的人气也越来越旺。网购的兴起进一步助长了 “黑色星期五” 的热度，让消费者能够舒舒服服地在家参与这场购物狂欢。

Is Black Friday a holiday?

Black Friday is not a federal or official bank holiday.

While federal holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving prompt retailers to close or shorten hours, Black Friday often has retailers opening early or operating with extended hours.

“黑色星期五” 是节假日吗？

“黑色星期五” 并非联邦法定假日或官方银行假日。

像圣诞节和感恩节这样的联邦假日会促使零售商关门歇业或缩短营业时间，而 “黑色星期五” 通常会让零售商提前开门营业或延长营业时间。

Who has the best Black Friday deals?

Certain retail giants consistently stand out for offering attractive discounts and promotions during this annual shopping extravaganza.

Amazon’s Black Friday ad in London. photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images

• Amazon: The e-commerce giant is known for its extensive range of deals across diverse product categories.
• Walmart: Renowned for doorbuster deals and competitive pricing, Walmart attracts many shoppers seeking discounts on electronics, toys and household essentials.
• Best Buy: A haven for tech enthusiasts, Best Buy traditionally offers substantial discounts on gadgets, appliances and accessories, drawing crowds seeking the latest tech at a bargain.
• Target: Combining a diverse product range with enticing discounts, Target is a popular choice for Black Friday shoppers looking for deals on electronics, children’s products, clothing and home goods.
• Apple: While Apple may not be synonymous with deep discounts, the company often provides gift cards or promotional bundles with purchases made during Black Friday sales.
• Nordstrom: Nordstrom offers a great selection of clearance-level steals.
• Sephora: Sephora brings rare deals on viral beauty products and bestsellers.

The landscape of Black Friday deals can change each year, and savvy consumers may find valuable promotions from various retailers across different sectors.

谁的 “黑色星期五” 优惠力度最大？

某些零售巨头在每年这场购物狂欢中，一直因提供极具吸引力的折扣和促销活动而脱颖而出。

亚马逊：这家电子商务巨头以其涵盖各类商品的丰富优惠活动而闻名。

沃尔玛：以限时抢购优惠和极具竞争力的价格而著称，沃尔玛吸引了众多寻求电子产品、玩具以及家居用品折扣的购物者。

百思买：对于科技爱好者来说是个好去处，百思买向来会对电子产品、电器以及配件提供大幅折扣，吸引了大批想低价购入最新科技产品的消费者。

塔吉特：凭借丰富的商品种类和诱人的折扣，塔吉特成为了那些想在 “黑色星期五” 购买电子产品、儿童用品、服装以及家居用品的购物者的热门之选。

苹果：虽然苹果公司可能并不以大幅折扣而闻名，但在 “黑色星期五” 促销期间，该公司常常会在消费者购物时提供礼品卡或促销套餐。

诺德斯特龙：诺德斯特龙提供众多清仓特价商品供顾客选购。

丝芙兰：丝芙兰会推出热门美妆产品和畅销品的难得优惠活动。

“黑色星期五” 优惠活动的情况每年都会有所变化，精明的消费者或许能从不同行业的众多零售商那里发现有价值的促销活动。

文章来源：选自

https://wwd.com/feature/why-is-it-called-black-friday-history-1235941382/

参考译文及笔记：英语老师弗雷德人工手打

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英语老师弗雷德践行英语教与学三十年，曾在中国，美国，加拿大多地中小学校任教：上传英语学习笔记，下载文化交际热点；左顾娱乐百相人生，右盼生活五味杂陈。只发布原创首发头条，敬请支持关注！