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Comparing Black Friday to Cyber Monday is a bit like comparing Thanksgiving to Christmas. Both holidays are great and very similar, but there are some notable differences to be aware of.
In this article, we run through the main differences between Black Friday and Cyber Monday and look at a brief history of each occasion. We also consider which deals you can access on both days and whether one is better than the other.
Finally, we explain how you can capitalize on Laifen’s awesome Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals in 2025 to access hair dryers and toothbrushes at unbeatable prices.
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is the unofficial kickoff to the global holiday shopping season, celebrated on the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States. The name originated in the 1960s in Philadelphia, where police officers used “Black Friday” to describe the heavy traffic and crowded streets that followed Thanksgiving. Over time, retailers reframed the term more positively, claiming it marked the moment when stores went from operating “in the red” (losing money) to “in the black” (profitable).
This month—November—became permanently linked with Black Friday because it sits between Thanksgiving traditions and the upcoming Christmas rush, and then it becomes one of the greatest opportunities for major sales. The rise of large retailers and early consumer culture in the late 20th century helped shape Black Friday into a massive commercial event.
While no single person “created” it, the era of post-war American economic expansion and the influence of department store giants turned it into the shopping phenomenon we know today.
What is Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday is the digital-age counterpart to Black Friday, created to boost online shopping in the early 2000s. The term was coined in 2005 by Ellen Davis of the National Retail Federation, during a time when e-commerce was rapidly expanding but still needed a signature shopping moment.
The phrase “Cyber Monday” captured the excitement of a new, internet-driven era—“cyber” symbolizing the virtual marketplace that blossomed as people returned to work after Thanksgiving and shopped from their office computers.
Falling on the Monday after Thanksgiving, it anchors late November as a major retail month, extending the shopping frenzy beyond physical stores and into the digital world. Its rise reflects a pivotal era in consumer history: the shift from brick-and-mortar dominance to the convenience of online retail. No single inventor shaped the event, but the growth of companies like Amazon, alongside expanding broadband access, transformed Cyber Monday into a global online shopping celebration.
Cyber Monday vs Black Friday: What’s the difference?
In essence, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are very similar. Retailers are dedicated to special sales on both post-Thanksgiving and pre-Christmas days, offering exceptional savings on a range of products.
You can find incredible savings on practically any product on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, including electronics, white goods, clothes, footwear, and home furnishings.
Since the 1980s, most retailers have offered some form of Black Friday discount to avoid getting left behind. Cyber Monday is a slightly newer concept, but the premise is the same.
The notable difference between the two days is that Black Friday is primarily an in-store day of sales, while Cyber Monday primarily focuses on online sales.
That said, many retailers today have blurred the distinctions between the two, offering generous promotions on both days both in-store and online. This is particularly true among retailers that maintain both brick-and-mortar and online shops.
Black Friday vs Cyber Monday: A brief history
The tradition of Black Friday goes back much further than Cyber Monday. In fact, the shopping tradition that we know and love as Black Friday today has its roots in 1960s Philadelphia.
During this decade, suburban shoppers started driving into central Philly to access post-Thanksgiving bargains in the lead-up to Christmas. At the same time, an annual Navy vs Army football match took place in the city, resulting in extremely busy streets and traffic that the police force struggled to contain.
Therefore, the PD branded the day as ‘Black Friday,’ based on the fact that officers had to work overtime to keep the streets safe.
Though many people think otherwise, Black Friday has nothing to do with race or money, as is often suggested. When Philly-based retailers became aware of the term ‘Black Friday,’ they began using it to their advantage. Many sales in the city popped up, advertising Black Friday bargains.
This trend spread throughout the state of Pennsylvania, and by the 1980s, Black Friday was a national tradition throughout the United States. Today, its appeal is global, with retailers from London to Lisbon following suit.
Cyber Monday, in contrast, is a much more recent addition to the American calendar. It was established in 2005, primarily due to the significant rise in online shopping throughout the late 90s and early 00s.
Online retailers realized that they were missing out at this time of the year, as many people used the post-Thanksgiving weekend as the perfect opportunity to head to the high street to access amazingly priced goods.
In the early days, Cyber Monday was fairly niche, with limits on the products offered by retailers. Today, practically every retailer with an online store offers some form of discount to shoppers on Cyber Monday.
Today, then, we see a whole weekend of savings available, starting in the morning of Black Friday and extending all the way through to midnight on Cyber Monday.
So, you can visit a brick-and-mortar store on Black Friday or wait until Cyber Monday to buy items online. Often, the savings are the same, or at least, very similar. Still, we recommend doing research to find out which offers your preferred retailers have available on each day.
Laifen’s Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals
At Laifen, we’re celebrating Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2025 with an extended sale throughout November. You can access up to 40% in savings when you buy our hairdryer and toothbrush and electric shaver as a bundle or up to 25% in savings when you buy them individually.
Whether you’re looking to upgrade your dental hygiene or are keen to style your hair like a pro this year, you can treat yourself to a Laifen product for an unbeatable price. Alternatively, our hair dryers and toothbrushes make for excellent Christmas gifts for loved ones, so buy them on Black Friday or Cyber Monday for a great price.
Head to our online store today to find the best possible deals on all Laifen tech.
The verdict: When should you buy?
The bottom line is that buying goods on Black Friday or Cyber Monday can deliver outstanding savings. Our advice is to research the company you’re planning to buy from and consider whether they offer either Cyber Monday or Black Friday deals, or both.
If you’re keen to buy a hair dryer like Laifen Swift negative ionic high-speed blow dryer, P3 Pro electric shaver, or electric toothbrush Wave Special dual-action from Laifen, you can rest assured that we are offering incredible savings of up to 40% on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so you can shop online at your leisure.
With other retailers, you can base your decision on whether you’re heading to a brick-and-mortar store or shopping online. As discussed above, you’re likely to access better offers in-store on Black Friday and improved savings online on Cyber Monday.
