Black Friday: the sales, scams and myths

• The phrase “Black Friday” was first used by Philadelphia police departments in the 1950s.
  
• Black Friday primarily refers to the sale period during or just after Thanksgiving, during which brands pull out all the guns and claim to offer heavily discounted prices online and offline.
  
• Even in India, retailers offer discounts on mobile phones, clothes, white goods, electronics, to name a few.
  

A month before Santa’s arrival and a day after Thanksgiving comes a day that is very important for buyers and sellers alike: Black Friday. The day when the holiday shopping season kicks off is known for its heavy discounts, sales and product launches.

The concept of Black Friday sales originated in the United States – the country that celebrates Thanksgiving. But it was not always associated with shopping.

The phrase Black Friday was first used in the 1950s by Philadelphia police departments to describe the post-Thanksgiving chaos. At the time, a football match would draw hundreds of suburban tourists into the city, which would be problematic for police to control.

However, there is another bleak reason why the phrase was coined. On Friday, September 24, 1869, plummeting gold prices dragged American stock markets down, bankrupting thousands.

“The crash was the result of an attempt by financier Jay Gould and railroad tycoon James Fisk to corner the gold market and drive up the price,” the statement said. Encyclopedia Britannica.

Fortunately, Black Friday currently mostly refers to the sale period when brands pull out all the guns and claim to offer heavily discounted prices on appliances, fashion, gadgets and more.

This year, the Black Friday sale begins on Friday, November 25 and ends on Monday, November 28 — which also happens to be Cyber ​​Monday, i.e. when deals on electronic devices fall on the first Monday after Thanksgiving.

Black Friday also in India

India, which has just finished its own month-long festive season sale between September 22 and October 23, is also leaving no chance to jump on the bandwagon.

Amazon, Croma, TataCliq, Myntra and Flipkart are some of the companies offering Black Friday deals. And a large number of steep deals are offered in the fashion category, especially for Western clothing.

TataCliq offers up to 85% discount for premium brands such as Kate Spade, Calvin Klein, Lacoste, Michael Kors, Aldo, Dune London, Hoka. H&M is offering 30% off on Black Friday and other brands such as Zara India, Puma India and Adidas are also offering at least 40% off their products both online and offline.

Myntra Black Friday haul is between 25th and 27th November with discounts of 70% on 1.5 lakh styles with brands like Mango, Marks & Spencer and more.

Retailers and brands both also offer deals in electronics. Noise (smartwatches, Airpods), Steam and PlayStation offer deals on gaming equipment and deals on PC game titles.

Croma India gives discounts on white goods, home appliances, Apple MacBook (from ₹ 77,090), iPads (from ₹ 25,000) and iPhones (from ₹ 56,990) at reduced prices. It started its Black Friday sale from November 18, which will end on November 27. Flipkart will start its Black Friday deals from November 25 and offer 50-inch Smart TVs from ₹23,999.

List of Companies Offering Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday Sales in India:

Too good to be true? Recheck the deal, FBI says

With sales come scams, and this time dark entities are circulating the web to monetize the festive passion of online shopping. The Federal Bureau of Investigation or the FBI has warned of fraud lurking under the guise of offers.

It is essential to check the official legitimacy of websites, according to Jeffrey R Downey, special agent in charge of the FBI El Paso Field Office.

In addition, during sales festivities, fake social media surveys open gateways to mine personal information. Fraudulent gift cards, unauthenticated donations to online charitable organizations, fake job postings, free smartphone offers are some other ways modest shoppers are misled.

(with input from ANI)

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