The annual shopping bonanza of Black Friday is just around the corner, but what can South African shoppers expect from this year’s Black Friday? Just when Black Friday was really getting into its stride in South Africa, the global pandemic and hard lockdown hit. Now, the second year of the national lockdown in South Africa means budgets will be tighter, but the annual shopping bonanza is still expected to attract millions of consumers looking for the best deals. And, experts say odds are this year could be the biggest one yet.
As much as South Africa is emerging from the unprecedented slump brought on by the hard lockdown in the first half of 2020, the economy remains far from robust. Household budgets remain extremely tight, especially in light of the deadly violence and looting that rocked KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July this year.
With all this to contest with, figures released by Statistics South Africa in September this year show that retail trade sales in July fell 0.8% year-on-year. While that may not seem significant, it needs to be measured against the woeful state of the economy in July 2020, and the fact that year-on-year growth in the preceding months of April, May and June was on a noticeable upward curve. In other words, the riots severely dented what gains were made, the effect of which ultimately is felt by consumers.
What to expect from Black Friday 2021
As a result of feeling this pinch, South Africans will be no doubt be even more motivated to seek out deals, especially since the festive season is only two months away. Shoppers looking for a way to spoil themselves and their loved ones this festive season will be scouring the internet and retail advertisements in a bid to purchase affordable gifts well ahead of time.
Of course, the government’s easing of restrictions under lockdown alert level 1 will surely also see consumers flock to shops this Black Friday, which falls on 26 November. While consumers are slowly returning to malls and brick-and-mortar stores, the convenience and safety of online shopping will very likely see many customers keeping their Black Friday shopping efforts to the virtual malls again this year.
Did you know that while online purchases are expected to exceed R42 Billion over the Black Friday week, this will only account for 4% of retail sales! That doesn’t mean that customers are shying away from the deals on offer. In fact, the average South African will buy 4.5 products at an aggregate price of R1,735.
Of course, with Covid-19 safety protocols in mind, this year shoppers will likely also see retailers extend the Black Friday shopping day to cover a week or even the full month of November to limit the number of shoppers in-store on any given day and offer customers more time to shop and score great deals online in order to lessen the load on courier services.
What are the trendy items that you’re likely to find deals on this year?
While consumers’ budgets continue to be stretched, one constant we can expect for Black Friday deals is the slashing of prices on big-ticket digital devices like HDTVs, smartphones, and laptops. Lockdown has seen people spend much more time at home, and this is reflected in the growing popularity of home entertainment options, especially gaming. Keep an eye out for amazing deals on gaming consoles at major retailers this year.
On the home from, the lockdown has also seen a major trend in home refurbishment and DIY and this year shoppers can definitely expect to see some stellar Black Friday markdowns on home and garden items.
And, with burgers stretched more than usual, the big-name grocery retailers are sure to be placing a big focus on special deals on core items, including groceries and household products.
No matter what you’re after this Black Friday, it is important to have a plan of action when shopping the Black Friday deals. Retailers could drop daily deals at any time during the month of November, so it’s worth checking back regularly during the month to avoid missing out. If you have particular items in mind, then plan ahead and start shopping as early as you can to be sure of getting the best deals on popular items.
Tips to maximise this year’s Black Friday shopping experience
To maximise this year’s Black Friday shopping experience, check out the following tips:
- Do your research in advance to help you focus on your priority items.
- Do a price check on items in advance to be sure that you really are getting a great deal. Visit PriceCheck now to plan your shopping!
- Start planning early, especially given that many stores will be launching their Black Friday deals earlier this year.
- Sign up for newsletters, so you’ll be the first to know when the hottest deals go live. Sign up for the FREE PriceCheck newsletter now for all the best deals in one place!
- Set yourself a spending limit – and stick to it.
- Avoid the mall queues by shopping online. With thousands of deals online in one place, PriceCheck is the best place to find Black Friday deals in South Africa.
- Make sure you know the relevant return policies and fees.
Find the best prices on everything you want on PriceCheck this Black Friday:
