Black Friday 2014: Fun Facts and Stats to Know

After stuffing themselves at Thanksgiving Dinner and sitting cooped up indoors with their television sets, it's customary for Americans to rush out with their shopping bags the next day early in the morning and fill them with countless products bought on Black Friday. But it is worth mentioning that this tradition of weekend shopping began in the USA only about two decades back and the term "Black Friday"was not even used until the middle of 1960s. Read further to find out some of the most interesting facts and stats about the shopping weekend.

• "Black Friday" was first used without any shopping connotation by police in Philadelphia to speak of the congested streets, clogged with motorists and pedestrians.
• Before 2001, Black Friday was not considered the biggest day of shopping as this title was held by the day before Christmas.
• In 2014 approximately 140 million unique shoppers are expected to shop during the Thanksgiving weekend, according to NRF's survey.
• The most popular product in the shopping carts on Black Friday is Clothing, with 64 per cent of interviewed revealing they shopped in this category. It is followed by electronic products at 47 per cent and Food Stuff/Beverage and Entertainment at 46 per cent each.
• Most shoppers, in order to avoid crowds and the cold and to save time have recourse to shopping online. On Black Friday 2013, 86 per cent of Home Goods purchases, 85 per cent of kid's toys and games, and 47 per cent of Entertainment purchases were made online.
• Two women have been camping outside Best Buy in Beaumont, California since 5 November, 22 days ahead of Black Friday 2014, according to Banning-Beaumont Patch.
• Recovering from the credit crisis that began in 2009, the auto industry will be seeing huge sales on Thanksgiving weekend of 2014, as many are expected to ditch malls for car dealers, reports Fortune.
• Best Buy has introduced a "Code Adam" for helping lost children in department stores which usually happens every year, according to Washington Post.
• Black Friday is the busiest day of the year for plumbers, who are left to clean up after guests "overwhelm the system", reports CNN.