By Max Sargent

It’s that time of year again! It seems to come around with even more regularity than Christmas, and for some people is even more exciting. In fact, the two are intimately linked.

In this article, we will learn everything about Black Friday and how at Royal Queen Seeds we approach this special date in our calendar.


But, What Is Black Friday?

Every year you’re subjected to a constant barrage of promotions around the time when it starts to get dark early. But what do you really know about this disorienting time of year?

Simply put, in the contemporary world of retail, Black Friday is an ever-growing period of discounts and promotions. Once limited mostly to expensive goods in specific stores, Black Friday now encompasses most goods and services and has evolved lately around online shopping.

Black Friday Shopping Before Christmas

The History of Black Friday

In its pure, old-fashioned and innocent form, Black Friday was a single day of discounts on the 25th of November, the day after Thanksgiving.

The first known iteration of Black Friday as a day of shopping discounts was on November 25th, 1952, as this was then considered to be the beginning of the Christmas shopping period. That being said, there is no certain reference to the name Black Friday until November 29th, 1979, when it was referred to in the New York Times.

This post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas shopping period became so important in the US that President Roosevelt ordered Thanksgiving to be moved from the “last Thursday” in November to the “fourth Thursday”, meaning that in some years, the shopping period would be extended.

Why Is It Called Black Friday?

But where does the name Black Friday come from?

There are competing theories, and none are certain. The earliest known reference comes in 1951, where it was used to describe the day after Thanksgiving in some factories as a day on which disproportionate numbers of workers would call in sick, supposedly to have a three-day weekend.

Later, in the 60s, police in Rochdale and Philadelphia used the term to describe the traffic congestion in the cities at the beginning of the Christmas shopping period. It seems that from this it began to spread, gaining connotations of shopping and taking on a more positive air. Throughout the 1980s, the term spread around the US and slowly became a sort of capitalist national vacation.

One theory suggests that due to the extra work the police had to undertake on this date, shoppers were able to use it as an opportunity to invade stores and make off with goods without paying—potentially explaining why the day is so associated with discounts.

More likely, though, as stores became aware that many people went on a shopping spree on this date, they dropped their prices to try and lure people in. And as more stores picked up this practice, it would have grown to the massive proportions we see today.

Black Friday Sales

The Evolution of Black Friday

Black Friday once involved queuing outside of a store until it opened and then bursting in and fighting over the limited amount of discounted goods available. And then, after a mere 24 hours, the retail carnage would end and people would return to their normal lives.

No longer!

As you surely know, Black Friday has become longer and longer. Until fairly recently, it lasted for around an extra week, either before or directly after Black Friday itself. However, in the last few years, thanks to online giants, Black Friday has slithered backwards through the year and now can reach back even into early fall.

The Evolution of Black Friday at Royal Queen Seeds

Here at RQS, we think Black Friday is a joyful moment of the year. That's why, when the time comes, we strive to create memorable moments that directly engage with you in funny and creative ways.

Below, take a look at the different Black Friday extravaganzas we’ve put out over the last five years, where we've gone beyond the ordinary.

Join the Weedstock festival

In 2018 we draw a full-blown, psychedelic homage to Woodstock (renamed “Weedstock”). All our site was full of color, with elements sporting The Beatles’ famous “Yellow Submarine”, on a lazy, hazy summer festival.

As we battled the darkness of fall, we injected a full dose of summer color back into everyone's lives. After all, cannabis seeds thrive under the summer sun, so why not evoke the nostalgia of that season?

Royal Queen Seeds Black Friday 2018

Glitchy and Unreal: Join The Matrix

In 2019, the world was rapidly transitioning to the digital realm. Inspired by 'The Matrix,' we transformed Black Friday into a digital experience. Through text and imagery, the concept was based on the notion of a glitch in the matrix. For a brief moment, everyone could catch a glimpse of it. Was it real, or just a simple error?

Royal Queen Seeds Black Friday 2019

And 2020 Arrived

In 2020, the year COVID-19 made its presence felt (and we understand, it's a year we'd all like to forget). It was a time to keep things simple and attempt to brighten spirits during a challenging period. We used vibrant party colors and styles to lift the mood. Knowing all of you would be sick and tired of hearing meaningless catchphrases from social media, we decided to make our message plain and direct, without dressing it up.

Can a Black Friday get any easier than: “Black Friday Black Friday Black Friday”? Probably not. We understood that people would be struggling that year, so we opted not to add to the noise and distraction with an extravagant drive, but to just give people what they needed.

Royal Queen Seeds Black Friday 2020

Rewriting The History in 2021

What if some of the most significant historical moments had occurred in a cannabis-inspired context? The first moon landing? The sinking of the Titanic?

In 2021, with the world deep into COVID and only a slight gimmer at the end of the tunnel, we reinvented history in a distopian way.

In 'Liberty Leading the People,' the famous painting commemorating the French Revolution, Liberty was portrayed carrying a giant spliff, depicting the real revolution.

As for the moon landing, imagine astronauts setting foot on the lunar surface, only to stumble upon a vast field of weed plants. And picture the Titanic, colliding with a colossal 'weedberg'—the remnants of a massive bud that had broken free from the budland up north, stored and frozen.

Royal Queen Seeds Black Friday 2021

Did you get your invitation in 2022?

For 2022, we went for exclusive vibes. Are you a James Bond type? Or maybe you’re on your way to an exclusive club, in the back of the limo with Rihanna and Justin Timberlake?

If this is you, then you would have loved 2022’s season. Delivered to the inboxes of our loyal community, we wanted this to feel like a personal invitation to a private party, where you could walk away with your pockets full of top-quality cannabis seeds.

Royal Queen Seeds Black Friday 2022

Time Expands in 2023

You may be familiar with the idea of time relativity. When you're doing things you enjoy, time seems to fly by, while moments of boredom can make time drag on.

Planting your cannabis seeds, nurturing your plants, and waiting for that perfect moment to enjoy your harvest can make days feel like mere moments. Watching the curing process might even make weeks feel like months.

This Black Friday, we're stretching the boundaries of time. Simply immerse yourself in the experience and envision the future you, growing and caring for your cannabis.

Royal Queen Seeds Black Friday 2023

Buying for Black Friday at Royal Queen Seeds

Top tip: If you’re buying cannabis seeds from us this year for Black Friday, it may well be that you don’t germinate them until spring next year. Rest assured! Although it’s important to make sure that you store your cannabis seeds properly to ensure that you get the results you’re after when the time comes to plant them.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: