Top 10 things you should know about the Black Friday shopping holiday 2016

Black Friday (in the U.S.) falls on the last Friday of November each year, while Online Friday occurs one week later. Here are the Black Friday and Online Friday dates for the next four years:

• 2017
• Black Friday: 24/11
• Online Friday: 1/12
• 2018
• Black Friday: 30/11
• Online Friday: 7/12
• 2019
• Black Friday: 29/11
• Online Friday: 6/12
• 2020
• Black Friday: 27/11
• Online Friday: 4/12

Consumers have the chance to grab products at unbeatable prices with plenty of discounts and coupons, all without the need to battle the crowds. By simply clicking on a computer or tapping on a mobile device, shoppers can enjoy great deals. The event will combine both online and offline shopping activities. For online shopping, consumers will have access to special offers guaranteed by the event organizers. Meanwhile, offline shopping will involve using mobile e-commerce apps to find deals by location, receive discount coupons, and visit stores or malls across the country to make their purchases.

A concern raised during 2015 was the issue of "virtual discounts." Specifically, some businesses inflated product prices only to offer steep discounts of 50-70% to attract customers. This led to a lack of trust in the actual value of the products, which hindered consumer spending. However, the event organizers required all participating businesses to disclose their original prices one day before Online Friday. These fixed prices could not be changed throughout the event, giving consumers the time and information needed to compare promotional prices with average market prices.

The event is expected to attract over 3,000 businesses, with around 200,000 discounted products and a total transaction value of approximately 1,000 billion VND, double the previous year’s figures and six times higher than the first year in 2014. Over 5,000 discounted products will be guaranteed by the event organizers, with more than 50,000 guaranteed orders expected to be delivered to customers. Guaranteed products will come from companies committed to the event, including manufacturers like Samsung, Asus, Acer, Dell, HP, Oppo, Microsoft, Huawei, and major fashion importers like Maison, Hoang Phuc International. Large e-commerce platforms such as Lazada, Adayroi, Tiki, Sendo, Hotdeal, and Zalora will also participate, along with prominent Omni-Channel retailers like Thegioididong, Nguyen Kim, Viettel Store, FPT Shop, Vincom shopping malls, and Aeon.

While most people around the world eagerly anticipate Black Friday, some dislike the crowded chaos, considering it a negative aspect that harms American culture. As a result, they boycott the event and even call for renaming Black Friday to “No Shopping Day.” These individuals prefer staying home and watching TV rather than hunting for discounted items in bustling stores.

After Black Friday, Cyber Monday takes center stage in the U.S. This electronic shopping holiday caters to shoppers who didn't find what they wanted on Black Friday. It’s just as big a deal, offering yet another opportunity for online deals. The idea for Cyber Monday was created by Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation, to satisfy the post-Black Friday shopping frenzy.

Rather than starting on the last Friday of November, some retailers have begun offering discounts as early as Thanksgiving Thursday evening. Walmart pioneered this shift in 2011, and other stores quickly followed suit. Surveys show that 33 million Americans plan to start their holiday shopping immediately after enjoying their Thanksgiving turkey. As a result, the term “Grey Thursday” may soon replace “Black Friday” as the start of the shopping season.

Black Friday originated in the United States and has since become a global phenomenon, with even Vietnam observing the event towards the end of each year. In many countries, Black Friday falls the day after Thanksgiving, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, making Black Friday always the following Friday. It has become one of the busiest shopping days, as almost all retail stores launch products and services with incredible discounts, attracting shoppers nationwide.

Black Friday, translated as “Dark Friday” in Vietnamese, originated in Philadelphia, USA, to describe the heavy traffic and gridlocks that followed Thanksgiving, when thousands of shoppers flooded the streets preparing for Christmas sales. The term “Black Friday” was first used before 1961 but only became widely recognized after 1975. As retailers understood the shopping habits of consumers, they began offering promotions to draw customers to their stores. It is even considered by many as the time when businesses start making a profit for the year.

In Vietnam, we have Online Friday, a local version of the American Black Friday, or what could be referred to as the Vietnamese Black Friday. Online Friday was first proposed by the Department of E-commerce and Information Technology in September 2014, and this year will mark its third iteration, set for December 2, 2016. Additionally, shoppers can take advantage of Black Friday deals from American websites like Amazon on November 25 and have items shipped to Vietnam. Other platforms like Ebay, Overstock.com, and Ebags.com also offer great deals. Guide for shopping on Amazon: https://www.offers.vn/mua-hang-tren-amazon-va-ship-ve-viet-nam/ Guide for shopping on Ebay: https://www.offers.vn/huong-dan-mua-hang-tren-ebay/