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Black Friday: You might as well make the most of it, because other retailers will

Published: 21st Nov 2022

Author: Tony Dickson - S&V Editor

Cape Town, W. Cape, SA - It's Black Friday on Friday. This American concept only arrived in SA in 2014, and has been viewed with mixed feelings by local retailers. We asked Michael Lawrence, executive director of the National Clothing Retail Federation, how enthusiastic his chain members were about Black Friday, and whether it had a negative effect on December trading.

"Retail always approaches BF with optimism and confidence," he replied. "Clothing retail sees it as an opportunity to clear some stock, introduce new ranges, give consumers confidence in offerings [which] can extend further into the festive trading period. The impact on December trading is varied because many people only get paid end of year bonuses in December....

"BF offers great deals for consumers who have smartly planned their spending...but even for the unready, smart use of credit or smart monitoring of offerings makes sense. Consumers can also see best opportunities for great retail benefits post BF."

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