- US shoppers and retailers used to go all out for Black Friday.
- Things were reaching a fever pitch until 2020, when the pandemic interrupted the trend.
- Now, instead of a big kickoff event, holiday sales and shopping are more subdued and drawn out.
It used to be madness.
A few years ago, Black Friday shopping was practically synonymous with sleepless nights, shivering shoppers, and more than a few emergency response calls.
Urged on by retailers, US shoppers used to go truly wild for Black Friday, with mega deals that had people lined up outside for hours after (or instead of) having a turkey dinner with their loved ones.
Things were reaching a fever pitch until the pandemic interrupted the trend in 2020, when in-store shopping was limited.
Now, thanks to the rise of e-commerce and deals that seem to start in September, US holiday sales and shopping are more subdued and drawn out.
A recent survey from consultancy BCG found that while 76% of US respondents shopped on Black Friday last year, 68% said they planned to brave the crowds this year.
Retailers have also increasingly opted to stay closed on Thanksgiving in order to give their staff a true day off.
These photos from the last 10 or so years serve as a reminder of what was once a big kickoff event.
Back in 2011, large crowds gathered on Black Friday.
US shoppers had developed a routine: eat some turkey, watch some football, spend some money.
The deals easily came in at 50% or more.
According to BCG, discounting has pulled back slightly in recent years as shoppers consider 30% off to be the new benchmark for a good deal.
Best Buy was a staple for the Black Friday crowds.
Shoppers would line up overnight for deals on games, TVs, and more.
Wintry weather didn't stop diehard deal-seekers.
Late November isn't exactly the warmest time of year to sit on a sidewalk, but some shoppers braved the elements to score savings.
Now, similar deals are increasingly likely to be found online from the comfort (and warmth) of your couch.
Workers would have to get hyped up, too.
Dealing with the crowds is not for the faint of heart, and preparing for the surge involved plenty of motivational speeches.
Once the doors opened, it was like popping a bottle of bubbly.
The flagship Macy's store in Manhattan faced an annual deluge of customers partaking in the Black Friday shopping tradition.
People also raced into Target stores in Utah.
Years later — and with so much stuff available through e-commerce apps — it might be a little harder to imagine sprinting into a Target store at midnight, the way these shoppers did.
The hottest deals could really generate a frenzy.
Limited-quantity sales could cause a shopping frenzy for some deals.
Ahead of Christmas, toy sales boomed, too.
Black Friday was so-named because retailers would say they operated much of the year "in the red" at a loss, and that the start of holiday shopping would put them back "in the black," or turning a profit for the year.
Unfortunately, Toys "R" Us is one retailer that was unable to solidly return to profitability and filed for bankruptcy protection in 2017. The brand has since reemerged with pop-up stores during the holiday season.
Before the age of streaming, physical media was still a big business.
Some of the hottest Black Friday deals were for physical copies of movies and video games, many of which are now available for streaming or download instead.
… and this was all from a single retailer.
Many sales like these have since moved online.
Black Friday could be an incredibly physically demanding day.
Staying up all night and shopping all day can leave anyone worn out.
Not to mention squeezing through the crowds.
Some stores were simply chaotic.
Big-ticket purchases, such as TVs and appliances, were also among the most popular buys.
According to BCG, consumer electronics still rank highly — behind apparel and accessories — among shoppers' planned holiday purchases this year.
Once you made it out of the store, you still had to get home.
Parking lot traffic would reach epic proportions on past Black Fridays. How much easier is it to order online?
