Black Friday isn’t just about scoring deals on merchandise, it’s an annual phenomenon with a history, traditions and a bit of madness. Join the Wildcat in this episode of the Pawdcast as we delve into the surprising origins of Black Friday and explore the wild online and in-store shopping frenzy it’s become today.

Host: Sahaana Mehta (‘25)

Guests: Olivia Chappell (‘25), Kaedin Ensminger (‘25)

Producer: Sahaana Mehta

Transcription: Sahaana Mehta

Art: Claire Kim (’25)

Background Music: “Free Relax Blues Ambient Pop Background Music” by Capcut

Transcript

Sahaana (00:00):

Hey, Wildcats. Welcome to episode three of the Brea Olinda Pawdcast. I’m your host, Sahaana Mehta, and today I’ll be joined by two amazing guests.

Kaedin (00:08):

Hello, I’m Kaedin, staff writer and senior here at the Wildcat.

Olivia (00:11):

Hi, I’m Liv. I’m a senior and a staff writer at the Wildcat

Sahaana (00:15):

Today we’re exploring the evolution of Black Friday, from its origins as a post-Thanksgiving sales event, to the massive shopping spectacle it is today. We’ll also take a trip down memory lane and share some of our favorite Black Friday stories, because the best moments aren’t just about the bargains, but the experiences that come with them. 

In the 1980s, retailers began to see Black Friday as a way to capitalize on the huge amount of sales. That’s when the whole “in the black” idea took hold. Basically, in accounting terms, being “in the black” means making profit. So retailers used Black Friday to mark the point in the year when they would shift from operating at a loss, which was “in the red” to profitability. The sales were so vague that they were essentially the tipping point for retailers to go from a deficit, to a surplus for the entire year.

Kaedin (01:10):

And didn’t that whole thing happen in Philadelphia back in the 1950s between the Army and Navy football game?

Olivia (01:16):

Oh, yeah. When the cops were like, they couldn’t take the day off or anything, because all these people were pulling up to the city and people were just stealing merchandise. 

Kaedin (01:27):

People were just being rowdy and stealing merchandise while the cops were preoccupied with the chaos that ensued at the football games, and it was just this huge headache for law enforcement, and that’s why it’s called Black Friday. Think that’s the history behind it. It’s a bad day. It was a really bad day for law enforcement.

Olivia (01:45):

Imagine wanting to go home to your family, spend this little Thanksgiving season with your family, and then, “oh wait, officer, we need you on Block 23 because there’s a bunch of people storming a store and we need you.” Sounds like a headache. Sounds like a headache. Sounds like I’d quit my job.

Sahaana (02:04):

I think it is kind of crazy to think about, but now Black Friday is basically a cultural phenomenon. Let’s talk about that shift. It’s no longer just the day after Thanksgiving. It’s a whole event in itself.

Olivia (02:17):

So the monetization of Black Friday as an idea, has made it like, it’s not Friday, it’s really not. Deals are starting in freaking late October. You have companies where like, you see Black Friday ads at the beginning of November, which is crazy. It’s like, what do you mean, it’s not Black Friday?

Sahaana (02:38):

I feel like these days, you’re right, Black Friday just starts earlier and earlier every year, and there’s these early access deals that literally start before Halloween, which is, it’s supposed to be after Thanksgiving. Why are we in October? Right? 

Olivia (02:52):

Stay in your lane! 

Sahaana (02:54):

I think Black Friday, just Black Friday the day and Black Friday the weekend, they’ve become so big that it’s kind of hard to differentiate Black Friday sales from all the other sales around it, because we’re also approaching the holiday season, so there’s Christmas sales, and then there’s just regular Thanksgiving.

Kaedin (03:11):

Yeah, also Black Friday alone is, I feel like personally is an excuse for overconsumption in America, and I feel like it just leads to debt and it just gives Americans an excuse to buy all they can, and all they want, and have a reason for it, or feel good about it and not guilty.

Olivia (03:30):

Which is crazy. Which is crazy.

Kaedin (03:31):

Yeah, it’s insane. People will drop thousands of dollars on Black Friday alone, and will go on about their days like they’re not still in debt from college, or don’t have loans to pay off or car debt to pay off. It’s just insane to me.

Sahaana (03:45):

Do you think there’s a shift in the way that retailers approach it though, since there’s been this huge kind of craze of online shopping, do you think people need the physical stores anymore to make Black Friday a success?

Kaedin (04:00):

No. No. I mean, I know people that will drop just as much money online as they would in the store, and honestly, it is worse because it’s more accessible for people to buy all they want, all they can, and it’s just, once again, America is the number one over-consumer in the world. We just consume, consume, consume, whether it’s food or products, we’re just hungry.

Sahaana (04:23):

I think the pandemic has definitely accelerated that shift too, and I guess I feel like a lot of stores have closed their actual shops and locations in malls and stuff because they’re just forced to adjust to the new reality of online sales. And I know just things like Amazon have increased this online sale or online shopping thing so much, and they’re working on opening a new segment of their store now, which is called, I think it’s 20 and Below, but it’s a new thing that they’re working on introducing, and it’s supposed to be, everything is cheaper now, so I feel like it’s just going to, and it’s right in time for Black Friday, so I feel like it’s just going to add to all the online shopping craze and that whole shopping frenzy. 

Olivia (05:08):

Right.

Kaedin (05:09):

Yeah, and there are so many stores right now, like you were saying earlier, since the beginning of, literally since the minute October 1st hit, stores are like 40% off all products, even Old Navy. I was just in the mall two days ago and I saw an Old Navy, 40% off everything, and I was like, yeah, this looks appealing. But once you buy everything, these numbers start to add up if. You think it’s not going to add up, but it really does.

Sahaana (05:34):

Do you guys prefer in person shopping in the stores or online?

Olivia (05:37):

Definitely online. In person, the whole like, oh my gosh, waiting outside at 4:00 a.m. for Black Friday. That gives me anxiety. 

Sahaana (05:47):

I love it. 

Olivia (05:47):

I hate that. I hate, oh my gosh, why am I fighting you? Why am I fighting you? This t-shirt is not that cute. You know what I mean? So you know what? I’d love to browse in the comfort of my own home and just know that my package will be delivered in a week.

Kaedin (06:01):

Personally, okay, in-person shopping is fun when it’s not the mall. Do you guys get what I’m saying?

Sahaana (06:10):

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kaedin (06:11):

I like going in-person shopping at local, more localized stores, like local thrift shops. Even if it’s Goodwill, it’s less of a hassle, discounts, and it’s still, you can probably, it’s good stuff. If you look hard enough, you’ll find something good enough.

Sahaana (06:26):

I feel like I like my balance. I feel like a lot of the time just year round, I’m shopping online because it’s more convenient, so Black Friday’s the time I like to get out and go and do my shopping at the stores, and just browse the sections and stuff. But on the other hand, Black Friday now is just as much of an online event as it is a physical one, and I think some of the biggest sales and discounts are happening on websites now, which I guess what you were saying, it means less stress for consumers in terms of fighting the crowds and stuff, if that’s not something that you like.

Olivia (06:57):

It’s crazy. I hate it.

Sahaana (06:59):

But it also puts pressure on delivery services. I know like, you see Amazon people delivering stuff all day, all day long. I get my packages sometimes at 10 or 11:00 p.m. and I’m like, how are these people still working?

Kaedin (07:11):

Yeah. It’s crazy.

Sahaana (07:12):

Right? 

Kaedin (07:14):

And USPS stores. That whole thing with the…

Olivia (07:16):

Yeah, scandal with the working rights.

Kaedin (07:19):

And also, I don’t know, there’s also so many factors that go into Black Friday too. So many consequences, environmental consequences, environmental disasters spike during Black Friday season because of all the CO2 emissions they’re emitting, all the shipping overseas, all the plastic being produced, and ink and just cardboard, clothes. They just have so many disturbances.

Sahaana (07:45):

I think people aren’t even aware of any of those things because they’re so caught up in the…

Olivia (07:51):

“It’s a sale.”

Sahaana (07:53):

And just the craziness of shopping, and I think honestly, sometimes I’m guilty of that because it’s just so much fun to just buy, buy, buy what you don’t even need. You see it, you’re like, oh, it’s cute. It’s pretty, I want it and I will never use it again. I’m so guilty of doing that.

Kaedin (08:07):

Yeah. And can we talk about the psychological aspects that go behind Black Friday shopping as well? People will swipe their credit cards and they don’t feel anything. They don’t feel any remorse or guilt.

Olivia (08:20):

Because they don’t realize that they’re spending…

Kaedin (08:22):

They just feel there’s a huge adrenaline rush and they’re good.

Sahaana (08:25):

Honestly, I’m so guilty of this because if I’m paying in cash, I see the money leaving my wallet and I’m like, oh, I should slow down, but when I have a card and I’m just swiping, swiping, swiping, I don’t see it leaving the bank account or see it leaving my wallet, so I don’t feel that remorse of, oh, I’m spending too much, or I’m spending on things that I don’t need.

Olivia (08:43):

Right.

Kaedin (08:43):

Yeah, because you swipe your card and you put it back in your wallet, it’s like, oh, I still have it.

Sahaana (08:45):

It’s still there.

Kaedin (08:46):

I still have money.

Sahaana (08:47):

Yeah.

Kaedin (08:48):

I’m pretty sure that’s the whole reason credit cards were developed, actually to make consumers feel less guilty of swiping their cards, whereas cash…

Olivia (08:56):

That’s scary.

Sahaana (08:56):

That’s smart. 

Kaedin (08:58):

Yeah, it’s this whole thing, I guess. I don’t know. Black Friday is just really…

Sahaana (09:04):

And it’s even worse online because you just enter your card number and you don’t even swipe your card and you just press pay and it goes through.

Kaedin (09:09):

Yeah. Yeah, Black Friday is kind of dehumanizing when you really think about it. Like, the government and companies just expect you to spend, and we just follow them.

Olivia (09:20):

Blindly.

Kaedin (09:21):

Right, blindly. 

Sahaana (09:23):

As Black Friday has shifted from in-person crowds to online convenience, the experience has changed, but I think the memories still remain. Some of my favorite moments aren’t about the shopping at all. They’re about the laughter, the chaos, and the time spent with loved ones during those early morning adventures. 

My favorite Black Friday memory is definitely going to Citadel outlets every year. My mom, sister and I have a tradition of just waking up as early as possible, the Saturday after, and we just go shopping until dinnertime. It gets exhausting, but it’s so much fun and we always dress up super nice cuz we get photos in the same place every year.

Olivia (09:55):

My favorite Black Friday memory is these pair of headphones I bought for way cheaper than the price. I can’t remember what it was, but I bought it for myself as an early Christmas present, and I use those headphones literally every single day, so, best $200 I ever spent.

Kaedin (10:14):

Honestly, I personally feel like I used to do a bunch of Black Friday shopping, but as I got older, I don’t really do it as much anymore, but one of my favorite memories from back then, probably is when we went to Cerritos Mall and I don’t know, I picked this pair out of gray sweats from, I think it was American Eagle, and I picked this pair of gray sweats, and it was the most comfy pair of sweats I think I’ve ever owned. I still love ’em. 

Sahaana (10:42):

I love Cerritos Mall. It’s so festive. I feel like they’re always doing, they always decorate and they’re always super into the holidays and everything.

Kaedin (10:49):

Yeah, I agree.

Sahaana (10:52):

So going back to the “red and black” thing, I think Black Friday has kind of become the unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season, and for many retailers, it’s actually the most important shopping event of the year. The success of Black Friday often dictates the pace and strategy for the rest of the season. If retailers hit their sales targets on Black Friday, then they often feel more confident moving into the subsequent weeks, and this just includes things like Cyber Monday and just everything else that extends into the critical December holiday shopping period.

Olivia (11:20):

Honestly, I like Cyber Monday better than Black Friday just because you can get pretty much the same deals and you can avoid the crowds and the lines and getting to a fitting room and basically all the hassle that comes with Black Friday, in the comfort of your own home.

Kaedin (11:40):

Yeah. I also feel like Cyber Monday, you just don’t have to deal with that headache and Yeah, and everyone on Black Friday Day, anyways, people just have this wait until Friday mindset where it’s just going to be more condensed and more crowded, whereas people, I don’t think most people understand that most stores have that same discount two months before.

Sahaana (12:02):

Yeah, exactly. Honestly, I feel like I’m kind of guilty of that because I have that same mindset, of pushing my purchases until those major discounts are available, and if I need something a week before Black Friday, I’m like, oh, it’s fine. I’ll just get it in a week. But I know that those discounts are still there, and it’s not like they’re going to ramp it up really, really big on the day of, normally retailers just use this and Black Friday in general as sort of a launchpad, I guess, to ramp up promotions and just create that urgency that makes everyone want to go crazy in the shops. 

Also, I feel like these aggressive deals on Black Friday, they kind of lead to a sense of FOMO that just propels consumers to shop even more through December. You think these deals aren’t going to last the rest of the year, so you’re just like, okay, let me buy everything that I can right now.

Olivia (12:50):

Right. There’s an urgency to it that’s always promoted that, right?

Kaedin (12:54):

Yeah, and I feel like we as a society should be so past that.

Olivia (13:00):

Right? We should just take a step back.

Kaedin (13:03):

We really should.

Olivia (13:04):

We don’t need it at the end of the day.

Kaedin (13:05):

We really don’t need it.

Be honest guys. Have you guys bought something from Black Friday and you literally have not seen it ever again?

Sahaana (13:11):

Yeah.

Kaedin (13:15):

I feel like if we don’t do that, we’re just falling into the same capitalist trap every single time.

Sahaana (13:20):

I bought this one sweater from Hollister last Black Friday, and I was looking through my closet over the weekend to find something warm to wear, and I was like, Oh, I bought this last year. I haven’t even worn it once. It’s just been sitting in there.

Kaedin (13:32):

Exactly. It’s just a waste of space, waste of money.

Olivia (13:35):

The emissions are hurting Mother Earth. 

Kaedin (13:39):

Yeah, it really does affect, yeah, not only affects our mental health, but it also affects our Earth’s health. It’s pretty obvious our Earth already isn’t doing the best currently with the current population growing, over consumerism in multiple different countries, but primarily America, as usual, and we should just save the headache and honestly move past Black Friday because it’s more detrimental than beneficial, in my opinion.

Olivia (14:15):

I agree. 

Sahaana (14:16):

I think that summed it up pretty well, and basically while Black Friday offers incredible deals and opportunities for saving, it’s also important to weigh the potential stress, overspending, and environmental impact before ensuing all that chaos. 

That wraps up our deep dive into Black Friday. Its origins, its present, and everything in between. Black Friday has evolved from a chaotic in-store event to a global shopping phenomenon. 

Either way, it’s clear that this day marks the official start of the holiday season. 

Enjoy your Thanksgiving break, Wildcats, and happy shopping!