介绍:
美国的圣诞节大采购一般是从感恩节之后开始的。感恩节是每个11月的第四个星期四。因此它的第二天，也就是11月的第四个星期五也就是美国人大采购的第一天。在这一天，美国的商场都会推出大量的打折和优惠活动，以在年底进行最后一次大规模的促销。因为美国的商场一般以红笔记录赤字，以黑笔记录盈利，而感恩节后的这个星期五人们疯狂的抢购使得商场利润大增，因此被商家们称作黑色星期五。商家期望通过以这一天开始的圣诞大采购为这一年获得最多的盈利。
关于“黑色星期五”的由来有多种说法，其中一种就是指黑压压的一片人在感恩节后的星期五去商场排长队购物。较普遍的一种认为看法是，由于这一天是感恩节 （11月第四个星期四）后开业的第一天，之后就是美国传统而盛大的圣诞节，人们通常由此开始圣诞节大采购，很多商店都会顾客盈门从而有大额进帐。而传统上用不同颜色的墨水来记账，红色表示亏损即赤字，黑色表示盈利。所以把这个星期五叫做黑色星期五，用以表示这一天期待会有盈利。 因为商店的打折活动一般都在感恩节结束的午夜（即周五零点）开始，感恩节的次日开始，想买便宜货的人必须摸着黑冲到商场排队买便宜货，这也可以视为是“黑色星期五”的一个来历。这种行为有个非常形象的说法，叫Early Bird（早起的鸟儿）。每年11月和12月本就是美国的传统购物旺季，“黑色星期五”更是美国人一年中购物最疯狂的日子。而商店的员工则使用黑色星期五这一名字来自嘲，表示这一天会忙得要死。
Black Friday, Cyber Monday Start Holiday Shopping Season
America's holiday shopping season started on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.
It is the busiest shopping day of the year.
Retailers make the most money this time of year, about 20 percent to 30 percent of all revenue all year.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) says about 136 million people will shop during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.
More and more will shop online.
In an era of instant information, shoppers can use their mobile phones to find deals.
Nearly 80 percent of this year's holiday shoppers, or about 183.8 million people, will shop on Cyber Monday, says the NRF.
More than half of all holiday purchases will be made online, they say.
One-in-five Americans will use a tablet or smartphone.
Pam Goodfellow is an analyst at Prosper Funding LLC.
It is an online lender.
"Given how shoppers today overall gravitate towards all things digital,
there's a high likelihood online shopping will be bigger than ever over the holiday weekend and on Cyber Monday," she told the NRF.
Online spending on Black Friday will rise 15 percent to hit $2.7 billion this year.
Cyber Monday spending will increase 12 percent to $3 billion, says Adobe Systems Inc.
NBC News reported that for many, shopping online was "a more comfortable alternative" than crowded malls.
The shift to online shopping has had a big impact on "brick and mortar" shopping malls.
Since 2010, more than 24 shopping malls have closed and an additional 60 are struggling, according to Green Street Advisors.
It tracks the mall industry.
However, Fortune says the weakest of the malls have closed.
The sector is thriving again, it says.
The International Council of Shopping Centers said 94.2 percent of malls were full, or occupied, with shops by the end of 2014.
That is the highest level in 27 years.
Economist Gus Faucher said lower unemployment and rising wages could give Americans more money to spend.
According to the NRF, the average American consumer will spend about $805 on gifts.
That's about $630.5 billion between November and December – an increase of 3.7 percent from last year.
Nonetheless, Cyber Monday is not the biggest online shopping day in the world.
That distinction goes to China's Singles' Day, celebrated November 11, which posted record sales of $14.3 billion this year.
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