To much delight of shopping-enthusiasts, Black Friday 2019 – the biggest shopping event of the year – is fast approaching! This year looks bigger than ever before, with many people taking advantage of the big sales as a chance to purchase their Christmas gifts.
If you’re one of the keen shoppers preparing for deal-day, or a business preparing your stocks for the big event, then you’ll want to know when the event is taking place; this year, Black Friday will be rolled out 29th November with Cyber Monday following on 2nd December.
You can expect that most retailers across the UK are going to deep-dive into the discount madness for over a week, although it’s typical for it to last longer. Get ready for a world of deals, you’ll find everything reduced from laptops and smartphones to premium alcohol and house plants – proving – yet again – that the perfect event in the run-up to the festive period exists.
In 2018 sales, it was reported that growth in the UK was highest in November, which seems to highlight that sales from Christmas are moving to Black Friday sales. Last year UK shoppers spent a reported £1.23 billion over the Black Friday weekend.
While you’re waiting on the edge of the seats to head to your local stores to stock up, here’s everything you should know about the biggest day in the UK retail calendar.
Black Friday 2019
How can your business benefit from Black Friday?
You can increase traffic and sales. People are actively looking for deals, shopping for Christmas, and Black Friday is the ideal opportunity to offer your customers what they want,
You can clear stock before the Festive season. Many retailers use this opportunity to clear out old inventory in order to introduce newer stock in time for Christmas.
New customer acquisition. If you attract new customers around this time, and keep them happy, then you have a chance to drive repeat sales in the Christmas period and beyond.
Drive incremental sales. Customers heading to your site – or store – for a great deal are more likely to buy full priced products too – win, win!
How long does it last?
Offers will kick off quite early, as early as 12th November, but the shopping event officially kicks off at midnight on 29th November. While the majority of deals will be available on the actual day, some retailers will be offering a week or weekend of special offers.
Where did it all begin?
The super-shopping-extravaganza originated in none-other than the United States of America. The national holiday of Thanksgiving always falls on the fourth Thursday in November, and the following Friday is often taken as an unofficial holiday.
As a lot of Americans take the day off, shops capitalise and reduce prices, usually for this day only, to begin the Festive season.
As always, the UK cottoned on to this American trend and it was brought across the pond a few years ago. Between 2010 and 2013, Black Friday began to gain traction and build momentum. In 2014, it was the peak pre-Christmas online sales day.
Between 2015 and 2017, a record number of retailers joined the trend, extending the peak sales period further still. And in 2018, it was the highest recorded sales event, it’s expected to be even more successful this year.
So, if you want to take advantage of the retail event of the year, set your alarm early, head to your favourite shops on the high street – some even open as early as 6am – and find the bargain of the year.
