Every November, brands roll out television commercials and video advertisements for something called Black Friday. Occurring on the day after Thanksgiving every year, it is widely considered to be the start of the Christmas shopping season. While almost everybody knows about the sales and discounts of Black Friday, many feel strongly opinionated on it. But where did it come from and do NECC students participate in the phenomenon?
In its current meaning, the term “Black Friday” first appeared in The New York Times on Nov. 29, 1975 in reference to the busy day of shopping and the long lines in stores. In the 50 years since, it has grown to be a part of an American consumer culture that is deeply rooted in the desire for lower prices on highly valued items.
Students at NECC, like everyone else, have their own habits for Black Friday.
When asked if he partook in the shopping craze, NECC student Matt Branscombe said “I do, because it is when I get the majority of my Christmas shopping done.”
However, not everybody flocks to the stores.
Another student, Jake Axford, doesn’t participate in Black Friday, as he says “the hustle and bustle of crowded stores can definitely get crazy.”
As if the crowded stores weren’t enough, some people even camp out in front of stores, just waiting for the doors to open so they can purchase their favorite products. To make matters worse, big box stores such as Target, Walmart, and Best Buy often sell out of highly-demanded products within mere minutes. To combat this, some stores place limits on how much of a product someone could buy.
According to Adobe Analytics, in the United States, Black Friday 2025 saw overall retail sales rise by 4.1%, with in-store sales rising by 1.7% and online sales making a huge climb, jumping by 10.4% over last year.
Consumers in the United States spent a record-breaking $11.8 billion, a 9.1% increase from 2024.
Peak shopping times this Black Friday were between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., during which time an average of $12.5 million was spent every minute, or roughly $208,333.33 every single second during this four hour timeframe. Globally, this was also the biggest Black Friday as well, with Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany also breaking their domestic records.
Adding to the Black Friday craze is Cyber Monday, which originated around 2005 and is the online-exclusive equivalent.
While some may say Cyber Monday is easier to navigate, NECC student Adriel Santos claims that “the two are more or less the same.” This is a thought echoed by many others around campus.
Black Friday 2025 broke records and proved once again that American consumerism is partially driven by the desire to find good deals.
While NECC students may feel divided on the topic, one thing is certainly proven by the statistics: Black Friday will continue to grow and thrive around the world.
