In the United States, the Friday following Thanksgiving is referred to as Black Friday. In the United States, it usually symbolizes the start of the Christmas shopping season. The 26th of November is Black Friday. Many retailers have heavily advertised bargains at reduced pricing and frequently open early, sometimes as early as midnight or even on Thanksgiving. National chain businesses have long offered limited money-saving promotions on a wide range of items in an attempt to get customers into stores while providing comparable bargains online. Black Friday was regarded as a mentionable day of the year when businesses began to make a profit and as the largest shopping day in the United States. In reality, Black Friday is the busiest shopping day for most retailers. Other commercial holidays inspire buyers to visit local stores, and Holiday Deals, which promotes internet buying, have joined Black Friday in the latest days.

Many people think that the phrase "Black Friday" comes from the idea that companies run at a loss, or "in the red," when the day following Thanksgiving, when large sales allow future them to earn a profit, or "in the black." This, meanwhile, is not the case. A more reliable definition of the term can be found in the early 1960s, as a group of police officers in Philadelphia began using the phrase "Black Friday" to explain the ensuing chaos when massive groups of suburban visitors arrived into the town to start their shopping and, in some generations, to attend Saturday's yearly Army-Navy football game. The large crowds caused problems for the police, who had to work long hours shifts than normal to cope with traffic bottlenecks, accidents, theft, and other concerns. Within several years, the phrase "Black Friday" had become commonplace in Philadelphia. Sellers in the city chose to put a better face from the day by dubbing it "Big Friday."

Extreme bargain hunters have been observed to camp out overnight on Thanksgiving Day in order to obtain a ticket or gift card at a favorite store; the most zealous have been identified to forego Thanksgiving meal entirely and stay out in parking spaces for days or weeks in order to grab excellent prices. The deals often go through Sunday, and both wood frame businesses and online retailers notice an increase in sales. Retailers may plan their Black Friday sales for a full year. They take advantage of the day to offer rock-bottom pricing on surplus inventory as well as sale items and discounts on seasonal products such as Christmas decorations and traditional holiday presents.