Black Friday 2025 is coming! When is it this year? From sales to deals - all you need to know

Black Friday 2025: Halloween is already here – which means Black Friday isn't far away. The Friday after Thanksgiving is observed as Black Friday – which is 28 November this year.

Black Friday also marks the start of the holiday shopping season – and has turned into a global shopping phenomenon known for massive discounts and bustling sales. Retailers across the world offer deep discounts, drawing millions of eager shoppers.

Why is it called Black Friday?

The term ‘Black Friday’ dates back to the 1960s in Philadelphia when police used the phrase to describe the chaos and heavy traffic that followed Thanksgiving – as crowds flocked to the city for holiday shopping and the annual Army-Navy football game. The name initially carried a negative connotation.

By the 1980s, retailers reframed the term, linking it to profitability. Businesses, often in the red (losses) for much of the year, would turn a profit or go ‘into the black,’ thanks to the surge in post-Thanksgiving sales.

Black Friday sale

What began as a single day of sales post Thanksgiving has now become a global shopping extravaganza that lasts weeks. In the past, major US retailers including Macy’s and Walmart capitalised on the craze, introducing early morning openings and doorbuster deals.

By the 1990s, Black Friday had firmly established itself as the biggest shopping day of the year.

Black Friday 2025 deals

Keeping up with the same spirit, multiple stores including Walmart among others have already revealed the dates for the Black Friday sales.

At Walmart, the first event will be from 14 to 16 November, and it will be possible for Walmart+ members to have a five-hour early online access to the event on 13 November at 7 PM ET.

The second event will start with online deals from 25 November to 27 November and will be followed by in-store offers from 28 November to 30 November.