A brief history of Black Friday
Like many new ideas that originally come from overseas, Black Friday began slowly in South Africa but has now become an established annual event. As a shopping occasion, it’s competing with other major dates in the calendar like Valentine’s Day – the main difference being that Black Friday is for people who love getting the best bargains.
Bigger than ever
The most noticeable thing about how Black Friday has changed is the way it’s grown. Originally, just a few retailers were involved, and not many consumers knew about it. Now, almost every single store and ecommerce site is in on the act and South African shoppers are definitely clued up about it.
In fact, research shows that many shoppers will wait for Black Friday deals and put off buying things they want in the hope of getting a bargain in November.
More days, more deals
Black Friday originally lasted just one day (with many stores opening early to give shoppers more chance to find savings). Over time, the event has been extended and it’s now more like “Black Friday week” – especially if you add in Cyber Monday, too.
Also, more and more products are included each year. As Black Friday has turned into a phenomenon, it’s become a very popular search term on Google and also a tag used by retailers to get people interested in their products.
Better than ever
We’ve all seen the footage of people crowding into stores and even wrestling with each other for certain products. These days, there’s no need for any of that – all the best deals can be found online, so you can shop from the comfort and safety of your home (or, with the bidorbuy app on your phone, from just about anywhere).
Imitation is the truest form of flattery
The success of Black Friday has led to a number of similar days taking place each year. Some of these are special events promoted by only one retailer, while other have become more widespread. Easily the most important is Singles Day (November 11), which is a massive online shopping event in China, with sales dwarfing even Black Friday.
Black Friday and Lockdown
We can’t predict what stage of lockdown South Africa will be in by the time we get to Black Friday (it’s November 27 this year) but we can tell you that all the smartest South African shoppers will be looking for bargains online, rather than heading to the mall.
The events of this year have made people understandably wary of malls and other public spaces – and the idea of queuing for hours in a mask isn’t very appealing. Instead, online shopping offers not just great savings, but also the convenience of being able to compare prices and quickly and easily find the best deals.
Stay informed
If you sign up for our Black Friday updates at www.bidorbuy.co.za/blackfriday, you’ll always be the first to know about the best deals, so you can make your Black Friday experience bigger and better than ever. Plus, with our contactless delivery options, bidorbuy’s Black Friday 2020 looks set to make life even easier for you.
