Black Friday losing steam as shoppers push back on pricing gimmicks

Once the undisputed king of the American shopping calendar, Black Friday is losing its grip on consumers — and facing a growing backlash online.

The term “Black Friday” originated in the 1950s in Philadelphia, where police used it to describe the post-Thanksgiving crowds that packed city streets and stores.

Retailers later embraced the name, spinning it into a positive: the day stores would shift from operating “in the red” to “in the black” as holiday shopping kicked off.

For decades, Black Friday was synonymous with early morning openings, long lines and rock-bottom prices.

Shoppers would camp out for doorbusters, and scenes of chaotic crowds became an expected part of the holiday weekend.

But in recent years, that image has started to fade — and 2025 may have been the tipping point.

This year, social media users were quick to call out what they saw as lackluster sales and misleading pricing, with some accusing major retailers of inflating prices ahead of time only to mark them “down” for Black Friday.

Target, in particular, drew criticism across TikTok and Twitter, where users shared screenshots showing items priced higher than they were just days earlier.

The controversy follows a broader trend: retailers are increasingly rolling out sales weeks ahead of Thanksgiving, diluting the urgency — and excitement — of Black Friday itself.

Some stores began offering holiday pricing as early as late October, promoting “Black Friday deals” long before Thanksgiving dinner was even in the grocery store shopping cart.

At the same time, the practice of opening on Thanksgiving has largely ended.

Once a controversial move to extend Black Friday into Thursday night, the trend reversed after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Target, Walmart and other major chains now remain closed on Thanksgiving Day, publicly citing employee well-being and changing shopping patterns.

Add to that the rise of online shopping and growing consumer skepticism about whether Black Friday discounts are even real and it’s clear the cultural dominance of Black Friday is slipping.