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Black Friday 2014 Recap

Black Friday 2014 was a significant event in the retail landscape, characterized by extensive sales and promotions. It fell on November 28, 2014, the day after Thanksgiving, as it traditionally does. As an annual shopping phenomenon, Black Friday marks the unofficial beginning of the holiday shopping season in the United States, although it has grown in significance internationally too.

The year 2014 was particularly notable for a few reasons. Firstly, the rise of online shopping had started to seriously impact the way Black Friday was experienced. While in-store sales were still critical, many consumers chose to take advantage of deals from the comfort of their own homes, thus reducing the pandemonium often associated with physical stores on Black Friday. Companies like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy offered extensive online deals, some of which were available even before the official date.

Secondly, there was a marked shift towards retailers beginning their Black Friday deals earlier, some even as soon as Thanksgiving Day itself. This trend, often referred to as "Black Friday creep," raised certain controversies, as many felt that it encroached upon the time traditionally reserved for families to enjoy the holiday together. Yet, it also reflected the increasing competitiveness of the retail landscape.

Despite these shifts, 2014 still saw its share of long lines and excited shoppers camping out in front of stores hours or even days before the sales began. The biggest ticket items tended to be electronics, with high demand for products such as the latest iPhones, game consoles, and flat-screen TVs. All in all, Black Friday 2014 was a mixture of traditional retail enthusiasm and emerging online shopping trends, marking a significant evolution in the retail industry's most bustling period.