Share

Shops open early for Black Friday

Just try not to be like these people and stay safe if you are heading to shops to avail of discounts. We’re starting to embrace the idea of Black Friday.

Advertisement

Previous Black Friday winners in Britain have been those retailers, such as Dixons Retail, who buy specifically for the event, enabling them to maintain profit margins.

“The Black Friday effect began earlier in the week and will continue over this weekend with a further 200,000 shoppers expected over Saturday and Sunday”.

Researcher FootFall reckons Black Friday in-store shopper numbers will be down by up to 4 percent year-on-year, also impacted by some retailers – including Amazon, Argos, Marks & Spencer and Dixons Carphone – elongating Black Friday activity beyond a single day of discounts.

“What we’re up against is the Black Friday event is no longer a 24- or 48-hour event”, said Keith Jelinek, senior managing director for the retail and consumer practice at Washington-based FTI.

Bravin Taralkar, of West Des Moines, said he splits his holiday shopping between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Given our appetite for bargains, retailers are gearing themselves with even bigger promotions to tempt their customers.

Only introduced to the United Kingdom a few years ago, Black Friday’s popularity took off last year after retailers across the country cut prices on goods by up to half price.

In recent years, the hugely popular American phenomenon of Black Friday, famed for its one-off knock-down retail prices, has started to spread across the globe-despite the fact that in the most of the world, it’s just another Friday following an ordinary Thursday.

But on the high street and in supermarkets there were no signs of the huge crowds which gathered a year ago, or the scuffles which broke out as customers fought over big-ticket items.

A percentage off is usually worth more: Many retailers give shoppers the choice between say, 20 percent off or $10 off. Go with the percentage deal – it doesn’t sound as illustrious, but it’s the better bargain. It’s possible for customers to find substantial savings prior to the last weekend on November, with many online retailers offering extra incentives… The Dublin, Ireland-based apparel discounter has plans to open 10 stores in the East Coast in the next 12 months.

This year several retailers – including Amazon, Argos, Marks & Spencer and Dixons Carphone – have stretched “Black Friday” discounts over several days to smooth demand. Two more Primarks will open next year, at Willow Grove Mall and Freehold, N.J.

Advertisement

Black Friday is an advantage for consumers, but the big winners are the retailers, said Economist Mike Schussler, TimesLive reports.

Black Friday 2015 Where to get the best tech deals