We’ve arrived at one of the most exciting times of the year for avid shopping discount-hunters and eCommerce stores everywhere. You guessed it; Black Friday.
However, it isn’t the biggest shopping day of the year, subject to common belief – the Saturday before Christmas generally is. This year, the date to put in your diary is 25th November. In a few short years, Black Friday rocketed into one of the nation’s most anticipated sales events of the year.
It has grown exponentially in the UK after Amazon, and US-owned Asda shifted the shopping bonanza to Britain following its huge success in the States.
In the US, Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving. Rumours have circulated as to how it got its name ranging from retail companies going “into the black” (the term “Black Friday” was used in the 1980s by retailers for making a profit after being “in the red”) to the term being from an invented tradition to sell slaves the day after Thanksgiving.
With the craze sweeping the nation, it is expected that there will be long queues of shoppers, however, last year saw Black Friday as a more subdued affair on the high street, with the majority of shoppers opting to look at deals online rather than in physical stores.
Who will be taking part in the Black Friday sales?
The likes of Amazon, Currys, John Lewis, Argos, Matalan, Clarks, Debenhams, Toys R Us and more will be offering irresistible deals in an attempt to get some sales.
The one to watch
This year, Amazon is beginning the price knockdowns early starting on 14th November. Market experts have predicted an estimate of £5 billion will be spent on Black Friday alone this November – but Amazon will be discounting its products well in advance – 12 days in the run-up to the 25th.
Last year alone, Amazon sold over 7.4 million items in the UK, a record for the company involving sales at a rate of 86 items per second.
Beginning on Monday 14th November, Amazon intends to offer double the number of deals in comparison to last year. The online retailer claimed to be extending its promotions, which ran for around one week in 2015 to 12 days, beginning Monday 14th to Friday 25 November.
Amazon wants to make shoppers’ experience as quick as possible so they have expanded a feature on their app allowing users to snap a picture of an object and search for it on the Amazon website.
Not to mention, there will be plenty more deals available on Cyber Monday, 28th November.
Now is your chance to get some early Christmas shopping done with deals available on items such as HD TVs, beauty buys, interior accessories and more!
However, if you are an online trader, adding these important dates to your diary is essential:
25th November – Black Friday
Boost your traffic and conversions on this day by:
- Writing Black Friday-related content for your blog
- Sending out topical emails a couple of weeks prior
- Running a countdown
28th November – Cyber Monday
Maximise your sales by:
- Implement a Cyber Monday landing page
- Offer free shipping (on orders over x-amount)
3rd December – Small Business Saturday
The following are some statistics about the success of Small Business Saturday 2014 taken from their website:
- 64% of UK consumers were aware of the day, a 33% increase from 2013
- 16.5 million people shopping in an independent business on the day
- Over 3.5 million Facebook views and #SmallBizSatUK trending at number one all day on 6th December 2014
18th December – Free Shipping Day
Purchasing your Christmas presents late has become a part of the festive tradition. It is likely that people will be shopping for Christmas presents mere days before Christmas Day.
A few years ago, a man named Luke Knowles and his wife noticed the gravitation towards this trend and introduced Free Shipping Day. The idea is to guarantee free shipping before Christmas Eve, as well as attract customers during the business eCommerce season of the year.
Find out more about how we can help your e-commerce website here.
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