Black Friday became Black Week – and will become Black Month

Black Friday, a tradition that began in Philadelphia, USA, in the 1960s, has undergone a major evolution. From being a single shopping day, it has expanded to an entire week and now, according to recent trends, even an entire month. This day, known for kick-starting the Christmas shopping season and turning stores' red numbers into black, has become a global phenomenon.

In the Nordic region, Black Friday made its breakthrough in 2013. Since then, the day has become increasingly significant, with stores and e-commerce platforms offering attractive discounts. Elgiganten, a leading player in the industry, reported a 21 percent sales increase during Black Friday 2018 compared to the previous year, which was a record in Sweden.

Niclas Eriksson, CEO of Elgiganten, noted an increase in average purchases of 50 percent during Black Friday in the last three years up to 2018. Eriksson also emphasized a growing trend towards more advanced technology and smart home products, which was reflected in the sales figures.

Last year, the numbers continued to rise as several customers took the opportunity to upgrade and digitalize their homes, according to Elgiganten, which says that the products that dominated sales included air fryers, robot vacuum cleaners, TVs in sizes 65 inches and up, headphones and refrigerators and freezers.

The day is getting longer.

The sales period has also been significantly extended. According to Nets, a payment provider, physical stores have increased their sales since the end of the pandemic. Patrik Müller, e-commerce expert at Nets, pointed out after Black Friday 2022 that while e-commerce has grown every year, it is now physical stores that are winning during the sales period, indicating a return to traditional shopping after two years of restrictions.

However, Net's statistics show that Black Friday itself is still by far the biggest shopping day. In 2022, online shopping was most intense between 12:00 and 1:00 pm on Friday, when consumers took the opportunity to shop during lunch. Overall, however, the highest volumes were noted between 4:00 and 5:00 pm, when purchases in physical stores increased as customers were on their way home from work.

– It is clear that the sale period is being extended more and more in both channels – Black Friday has definitely become Black Week and increasingly a Black Month, said Patrik Müller on November 26 last year.

November almost catches up with December

On November 8, HUI Research released the ”Christmas Retail Report 2023” in which we can read that some sales in the Christmas retail trade have been gradually shifted from December to November. In 2022, almost as much was spent in November as in December in the non-durable goods trade. The explanation is found in November's intense sales period combined with shrinking consumption space for households, which forces consumers to plan their purchases further, according to HUI. In other words, many consumers are likely to take the opportunity to find bargains on Christmas gifts already during Black Friday.

According to Pricejakt's "Consumer Compass Q4 2023", interest in Black Friday is stronger than ever. Peter Greberg, CEO of Pricejakt, reported that 31 percent of those surveyed plan to shop during Black Friday, an increase compared to last year.

In summary, Black Friday has evolved from a single shopping day to a comprehensive trading period spanning an entire month, revolutionizing trading patterns during the last quarter of the year.

Text: Ola Larsson

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