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Why is Black Friday losing popularity?

While still popular, more and more people are shopping online and earlier in the year.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Why isn't Black Friday as popular as it used to be?

Let's connect the dots. 

Holiday shopping fever began in 1924 with the original Christmas ad - The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - kicking off the holiday shopping season.

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The term "Black Friday" didn't enter the national conversation until the late 1980s, when retailers turned it into an unofficial holiday.

The 2008 recession started the demise of Black Friday. Retailers embraced a new strategy, starting Black Friday sales earlier in the holiday season.

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This year, the National Retail Federation predicts that about 115 million people will shop on Black Friday, about the same as before the pandemic.

But this comes and more and more people are ditching the shopping holiday, choosing instead to shop online or earlier in the year. In fact, six out of ten people are now choosing to begin holiday shopping in early November.

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