Black Friday Around the World: How Countries Celebrate the Shopping Season and What Travelers Should Know
Black Friday started as an American shopping day, but today you'll find November sales from Dubai to Mexico City. If you're traveling during the busiest shopping weeks of the year, it helps to know how Black Friday around the world actually works: which countries celebrate it, which have their own sale seasons and what that means for your trip.
This guide covers where Black Friday came from, how countries celebrate Black Friday or their local alternatives, a sale calendar you can check at a glance and practical tips for shopping abroad during sale season, from store hours and returns to customs allowances and payment methods.
Black Friday Isn't Just an American Tradition
For many travelers, Black Friday still sounds like a US event. In reality, Black Friday in other countries has become a fixed part of the retail calendar, and some places have built their own festivals around the same idea.
Where Black Friday Started
Black Friday falls on the day after Thanksgiving in the United States, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Historians trace the shopping meaning of the name to Philadelphia in the 1950s and early 1960s, where police used it to describe the crowds and traffic that filled the city the day after Thanksgiving. The popular story that retailers finally went "into the black" on that day came later, as a more positive explanation.
How It Spread Beyond the US
Online shopping is what put Black Friday around the world on the calendar. International retailers and e-commerce platforms brought the sales to Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia, and local stores followed. Some countries kept the name, while others adapted it to local culture or created a festival of their own.
Shopping Seasons Around the World
Here's how Black Friday around the world looks in some of the most popular travel and shopping destinations, including the countries that run their own November sales instead.
United States: Black Friday and Cyber Monday
The United States is still the home of Black Friday. Sales now stretch across the whole Thanksgiving week and beyond, followed by Cyber Monday, which focuses on online deals. Malls and outlet centers are at their busiest, and some stores open early in the morning.
United Kingdom and Europe: Black Friday and Boxing Day
Black Friday spread to the UK and much of Europe in the early 2010s and is now one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year. The UK also has its own traditional sale day: Boxing Day on 26 December, when post-Christmas sales begin. In many European countries, January sales are another big discount period.
United Arab Emirates: White Friday
In the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, many retailers call it White Friday. The name was introduced in 2014 to respect Friday's place as a day of worship and family time in the region. White Friday in the UAE usually runs around the same dates as Black Friday, with offers both online and in Dubai's and Abu Dhabi's malls.
China: Singles' Day
China's biggest shopping event isn't Black Friday at all. Singles' Day on 11 November (11.11) began as an informal celebration for single people and was turned into a shopping festival by Chinese e-commerce platforms in 2009. When people compare Singles' Day vs Black Friday, the main difference is timing and scale: Singles' Day comes two weeks earlier and is mostly online, with sales periods that often start well before 11 November. If you're visiting China in November, expect the shopping buzz to peak around that date.
Mexico: El Buen Fin
El Buen Fin in Mexico is the country's answer to Black Friday: a long weekend of discounts in mid-November, promoted with government support and joined by thousands of retailers. Department stores, electronics shops and online platforms all take part. If your trip to Mexico falls in mid-November, check the dates, as stores can be very busy.
Türkiye: Efsane Cuma and Local Campaigns
In Türkiye, Black Friday is often rebranded to avoid the word "black". One of the best-known names is Efsane Cuma (Legendary Friday), popularized by a major Turkish e-commerce platform, while other retailers run month-long "Kasım indirimleri" (November sales). Discounts usually start early in November and continue until the end of the month.
Japan and South Korea: Local Sale Seasons
Black Friday has been catching on in Japan since the mid-2010s, when large retail chains started running their own campaigns. Japan's most famous sale tradition, however, comes in early January, when stores sell fukubukuro (lucky bags) filled with surprise items. In South Korea, the government-organized Korea Sale Festa has run every November since 2016, bringing online and in-store discounts across the country.
Sale Calendar at a Glance
Use this calendar of Black Friday around the world and its local alternatives to see which sales overlap with your travel dates.
| Event | Where | Usual timing |
|---|---|---|
| Singles' Day (11.11) | China | 11 November, with sales starting weeks earlier |
| El Buen Fin | Mexico | A long weekend in mid-November |
| Korea Sale Festa | South Korea | November |
| Efsane Cuma and November sales | Türkiye | Throughout November |
| Black Friday | US, UK, Europe, Japan and many other countries | Day after US Thanksgiving, late November |
| White Friday | UAE, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf | Late November, around Black Friday |
| Cyber Monday | US and online worldwide | Monday after Black Friday |
| Boxing Day | UK, Canada, Australia | 26 December |
| Fukubukuro and New Year sales | Japan | Early January |
Exact dates change every year, so confirm them closer to your trip.
What Travelers Should Know Before Shopping in Sale Season
Black Friday traveling abroad can be exciting, but sale season changes how cities work. Keep these points in mind before you head to the stores.
Store Hours, Crowds and Queues
Many stores extend their opening hours during big sale weekends, and some open very early. Expect long queues at popular stores, crowded public transport and busy restaurants near shopping areas. If you prefer a calmer experience, shop on weekday mornings or in the days just before or after the main sale day.
Return and Exchange Policies for Tourists
Return rules differ a lot between countries and stores. In many places, returning an item bought in store depends on the store's own policy rather than the law, and sale items may have shorter return windows or be final sale. Keep your receipts, ask about the return policy before you pay and remember that returning something after you fly home is often difficult or impossible.
Online Deals vs In-Store Prices
The same retailer may offer different prices online and in store. Some deals are online only, while others are reserved for shoppers who visit in person. Before buying, quickly compare the store's website or app. A good mobile data connection makes this much easier while you're standing in the aisle.
Customs Allowances and What You Can Bring Home
Every country sets limits on how much you can bring home without paying duty or tax, and some items, such as alcohol, tobacco or certain food products, have their own limits. Check your home country's customs allowance before a shopping trip and keep receipts for expensive items. If you go over the allowance, you may need to declare your purchases and pay duty when you return.
Local Payment Methods You May Run Into
Payment habits vary from country to country. Contactless card payments are common in the UK and much of Europe, while mobile wallets such as Alipay and WeChat Pay dominate in China, and visitors can link international cards to them. In Japan, cash and prepaid IC cards are still widely used alongside cards. Some local apps may also ask for a verification code by SMS, so keep your home number reachable.
Staying Connected During the Busiest Shopping Weeks
During sale season, your phone becomes your shopping assistant. You'll use maps to find stores, store apps for digital coupons, translation apps to read labels and price comparison sites to check whether a deal is really a deal. Public Wi-Fi in malls can be slow when crowds are large, and it isn't always the safest choice for logging into shopping or payment apps.
A travel eSIM keeps you online from the moment you land, without relying on mall Wi-Fi or paying roaming charges. You can keep your home SIM active for calls and SMS codes while the eSIM handles your data. It also helps to think about how to shop safely abroad with your phone before you go. To see which countries you can cover, browse our eSIM-compatible destinations.
💡 Tip: With Enjoy eSIM, you can install your eSIM before you fly and use maps, store apps and translation from the moment you land, whether you're shopping on Black Friday in New York or White Friday in Dubai.
Wherever you travel this season, Black Friday around the world offers more than discounts: it's a glimpse of how different cultures shop and celebrate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Black Friday celebrated outside the US?
Yes. Black Friday around the world is now a familiar sight: it's popular in the UK, much of Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and parts of Asia. Some countries use other names, such as White Friday in the Gulf or Efsane Cuma in Türkiye.
Which countries have the biggest November sales?
The US is still known for Black Friday, while China's Singles' Day on 11 November is one of the world's largest shopping events. Mexico's El Buen Fin and South Korea's Korea Sale Festa are also major November sales.
Can tourists return items bought on sale?
It depends on the country and the store. Many returns follow store policy rather than law, and sale items may have shorter return periods. Ask before you pay and keep your receipt.
Are Black Friday prices the same online and in stores?
Not always. Some retailers offer online-only deals, while others keep certain discounts for in-store shoppers. Compare the website or app with the shelf price before you buy.
Is it worth planning a trip around Black Friday?
It can be, if you enjoy shopping and don't mind crowds. Check local sale dates, customs allowances and return policies first, and plan your mobile data so you can navigate and compare prices easily.
Shopping abroad this season? Get your eSIM before you fly and stay connected from the first store to the last.
