How often is Black Friday. All about Black Friday in Europe. Hanna Andersson - holiday discounts are in full swing
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Black Friday is the best day of the year, which absolutely everyone looks forward to, not just shopaholics, since there are no such big sales in all stores at once on any other day.
Traditionally, Black Friday marks the beginning of the Christmas season and the discounts associated with it - for some, the opportunity to buy gifts for family and friends for Christmas and New Year, for others, to finally purchase an expensive and long-desired item.
In general, Black Friday is a good opportunity to save money, since discounts at this time can reach 80-90% on the most popular and in-demand products. Accordingly, it’s impossible to miss such an opportunity.
Black Friday
This unofficial holiday originated in the United States - sales on this day began in the 19th century, and the term “Black Friday” itself appeared in Philadelphia in 1966.
There are different versions of why this favorite day of the year was called “Black Friday”. According to one of them, people were waiting for sales from the night, when everyone around them was lining up in stores in black and black.
According to another, due to heavy traffic jams on the Friday after Thanksgiving, as Americans went Christmas shopping together.
Another version says that on this day sellers kept records of expenses in red ink and income in black. And on the day of sales, the purpose of which was to make a profit, the holiday itself was called Black Friday.
But, despite the gloomy and negative association with the name, this day is associated with pleasant associations, especially for shopping lovers.
In large stores, huge queues can form before opening - up to 15 thousand people. Americans, having tasted turkey on Thanksgiving Day, go to wait in line late at night.
The situation seems chaotic only at first glance - on the eve of massive sales, Americans carefully think through their list of future purchases. They try to buy only the necessary things and at the best prices, although there is no time to look and think. And this day cannot be done without injuries.
Over time, this tradition fell in love with residents of other countries, including Russia and Georgia, who happily adopted it, and with the development of online commerce, everyone can join the holiday of fabulous discounts.
Basic Rules
Sputnik Georgia will tell you how to live through Black Friday and make the most of this event.
The first thing you need to do is check the discounts. When you see a discount on a product you are interested in, you should check how much it costs in other stores and how much it cost before the sale. Remember, some stores sell items on sale at a higher price than they normally would.
Make a shopping list in advance so you can look for discounts on the items you need. Just in case, you can select one acceptable replacement for each item.
Buy only the products you really need without losing your mind. Otherwise, you can buy a bunch of unnecessary things, which will then gather dust in the closet.
During sales, you need to act extremely quickly, without wasting time - if you take too long to choose, the best thing will be taken away from under your nose.
When shopping, don't forget about other promotions that are still coming this year, including Cyber Monday, which is gaining more and more popularity.
© photo: Sputnik / Vladimir Astapkovich
This is the first Monday following Black Friday - in 2017 it falls on November 27th. Unlike Black Friday, which Americans associate with shopping in brick-and-mortar stores, Cyber Monday initially meant active shopping online. The term was first used during holiday sales in 2005.
What to buy
The absolute best sellers on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are electronics, household appliances and gadgets, which are on average 60% cheaper, so it will be profitable to buy equipment on sale.
Shopping lovers can safely call Black Friday and Cyber Monday “red” days of the calendar. Even those who are not particularly keen on online shopping have probably heard about this phenomenon of American culture. After all, despite its more than 50-year history, Black Friday or Black Friday annually hits the front pages of newspapers and is covered by the world's leading television companies.
Cyber Monday is a marketing ploy designed to ensure that after the hectic Black Friday weekend, the excitement for shopping will still be at a high level, and office workers, returning to work, will continue to place orders on the Internet. On this day, you can buy various equipment and electronics at a discount, as the prefix “cyber” tells us.
It is known when Black Friday will be - it is always scheduled for the first Friday after the traditional American holiday of Thanksgiving; in 2019 it falls on November 29. And Cyber Monday will be on December 2, respectively, since it always takes place three days after Black Friday.
Black Friday in Russia is not as attractive as in the USA - although the tradition migrated to us from the West, it is not fully implemented, since many stores only take advantage of the hype and initially inflate prices in order to supposedly give a good discount. This practically never happens in American stores, but you should still be on your guard and not blindly believe the price tag - it is best to monitor prices in advance and navigate the cost of the desired goods.
Read more about this event and how to prepare for it here. Well, we’ll do a short review of last year’s offers from the most popular stores. Marketing, of course, is a delicate thing, but at least it will be possible to roughly guess what kind of discounts stores will be willing to be generous with this time!
Trading platforms and multi-brand stores
Let's start, perhaps, with the largest trading platforms, as they are very popular due to the diversity of their assortment.
The Amazon empire begins the countdown
Amazon is starting to prepare for Black Friday early. Already from the beginning of November, he starts the “Countdown” to this great event in the world of shopping.
All offers can be viewed in this section. For example, this Calvin Klein coat costs $110 instead of $276! There is also an additional 20% discount on it.
Amazon prices may change several times throughout Black Friday, and the same goes for Cyber Monday. Therefore, add the items you need in advance to your “Wish List” and watch... You may be lucky enough to buy them at a VERY big discount!
6PM reveals secrets
Multi-brand discounter 6PM is preparing its customers for upcoming discounts in advance by posting an announcement of future sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
You can find out which brands will be sold out in advance. Also, every hour throughout the day, the store offers huge discounts on certain products. Such proposals need to be monitored. As part of the accompanying bonuses, the store may send you a code for an additional discount. To receive it, you need to take care of registering on the site in advance. Read more about the store itself.
Sierra Trading Post - Friday is like Friday...
Clothing, shoes and accessories from manufacturers such as Columbia, Marmot, Spyder and others can be found in the Sierra Trading Post multi-brand store. Read more about the store itself and how to register in it in this article. Judging by last year, in order to buy profitably and at a discount here, there is no need to wait for Black Friday, because the store offers an additional 45% discount and delivery of $0.99 to registered users almost every Friday.
Closed sales
Closed sales traditionally pamper customers with very good discounts. On Black Friday with Cyber Monday, these discounts reach 90%! For example, the Myhabit closed sale posted an announcement of offers for three days at once, offering items starting at $5!
Favorite brands
Forever 21 - super prices!
For lovers of youth clothing at affordable prices, the Forever 21 department store is a real paradise. And even more so on Black Friday! Last year, the store offered free shipping over $30 and an additional 50% discount in the Sale section.
You could buy this dress for just $10!
Victoria's Secret - discounts are just beginning
In one of the favorite women's stores - Victoria's Secret - discounts are just beginning. On Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Vicky traditionally makes a multi-level discount, lowers the threshold for free delivery and gives a gift in the form of a bag, perfume or other nice little thing. The most interesting offers the price will only be available at the end of December, but the range is dwindling before our eyes. So, if you have your eye on something interesting, don’t wait for the end of the sale! It may no longer be in your size or color.
Gap - the main thing is not to yawn!
Family-friendly department store Gap is the place to keep the whole family dressed, starting with babies. At the same time, the quality of clothing is always at its best! That's why there's no need to yawn here! Products sell out very quickly, especially since throughout the year the store periodically offers a 40% discount on the entire purchase amount. Therefore, even by Black Friday, some of the things you are interested in may not be available. Last year on this day Gap offered a 50% discount on the new collection. A tempting offer, but it did not apply to the “Sale” section. There will be more profitable offers in the future, but here is the assortment....
Levi's - favorite jeans at great prices
Levi's jeans are one of the symbols of America. It is difficult to imagine a parcel from the USA without them, given the fact that on Black Friday and Cyber Monday the company makes one of its most profitable offers. Free delivery from any amount and an additional 40% discount on the entire amount shopping. How can I resist?
Timberland has a lot to offer
Another favorite brand among lovers of quality shoes is, of course, the Timberland company. These items are often purchased from private sales and marketplaces such as Amazon. However, it is worth taking a look at the store itself. Last Black Friday, Timberland offered free shipping, 25% off shoes, and an additional 30% off your entire purchase.
Ralph Lauren - allow yourself the best
The aristocratic brand Ralph Lauren is not the cheapest, but during sales it becomes much more affordable. This past Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Ralph offered the traditional tiered discount, an additional 25% off clearance items, and free shipping.
Childen's goods
Carter's - next discounts
For, perhaps, the most popular children's clothing store, Carter's, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are not at all the most profitable days for shopping. Or rather, the offers on these days are very attractive, but they will not surprise regular customers of Carter's. After all, the store offers good discounts all year round. These days are no exception. For example, on Cyber Monday, with discounts of up to 60%, the store offered to discount an additional 25% of the total purchase amount.
DisneyStore - time to buy
On New Year's Eve, it is very profitable to buy children's toys in the USA. Amazon offers a particularly wide selection, but if you've been wanting to buy something from the DisneyStore, then Black Friday is the time to do it. Discounts in the store reach 50%, and last year DisneyStore gave an additional 20% discount on the total purchase amount and free shipping over $75.
Hanna Andersson - holiday discounts are in full swing
Children's clothing from Hanna Andersson cannot be called cheap. Nevertheless, the brand has many fans, since these clothes are made from natural fabrics, and the models are original and bright. Therefore, despite the fairly high prices, goods are quickly sold out, especially during pre-holiday sales. Last year, the store gave its customers free shipping within the USA and an additional 15% discount, including on sale!
This list can be continued endlessly, the main thing is that no matter which store you choose, there will be interesting offers everywhere on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This is a very good time to create another parcel. For registered Qwintry users, Black Friday is doubly profitable - the point is to combine all items ordered on this day into one lot to save on shipping - the greater the weight, the less each additional gram costs. The parcel will carefully pack everything and send it directly to your home address.
Situation
The closer we get to November, the more stores remind customers that Black Friday awaits. What is it and can you really save money on it?
What is the meaning of Black Friday and when did it appear?
“Black Friday” is a day of huge sales, when discounts can reach 80-90%, and they apply to literally all categories of goods, including appliances, furniture, and electronics. No one can determine the exact year when stores first began organizing grand sales, or exactly how the definition of Black Friday was born. But what is certain is that this happened in the USA. According to one of the most common versions, employers called this day of the calendar “black”: after Thanksgiving, many took time off, work stood still, and profits fell. In the 80s of the twentieth century, store owners took advantage of an unscheduled day off - seeing that customers on this day often wandered between the shelves aimlessly, they began to be attracted by temporary discounts. In addition, the idea of having a sale and making room for new products for Christmas turned out to be very correct. In the 90s, marketers seized on the idea - and soon the action became widespread.
When does Black Friday start?
According to tradition, it starts immediately after the American Thanksgiving Day, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Initially, the biggest sale of the year was held on Friday, but in the last few years many stores (especially online ones) start it on Thursday evening. And increasingly, Black Friday lasts not one day, but two or even three. Another thing is that all the best is usually swept away in the first hours, and sometimes even in the first minutes.
How is Black Friday celebrated in Russia?
In Russia, “Black Friday” began to be celebrated on a relatively large scale since 2013. Before this, individual stores tried to organize similar promotions, announcing scattered (and rarely large discounts). In recent years, many large chain retailers have been participating in it, but Russian buyers most often only have to dream of discounts like in America. With rare exceptions, prices are reduced by no more than 20-30%, on average - by 10-15%. If something is on sale at a deep discount, it is most likely something that has not been in demand for a long time.
Another option is that retailers deliberately create a stir by displaying super-low (sometimes lower than purchase) prices on their websites. But on “Day X” it turns out that such huge discounts are only for a few buyers, for example, for every hundredth or thousandth. In the USA, huge sales are organized both online and offline, where people simply storm stores (fights and stampedes are a common occurrence on this day), while in Russia the maximum discounts are usually given by online stores. In offline ones, the markdown can be purely symbolic.
How to save money and not be deceived?
First of all, you shouldn’t lose your head: as practice shows, in response to the magic words “grand discount” and super sale, many people buy things they absolutely don’t need. In the United States, after Black Friday, people sell out their purchases en masse in an unhealthy rush or spend weeks trying to get rid of them by posting advertisements for sale on the Internet.
Since most stores announce sales in advance, it is useful to familiarize yourself with the assortment on the Internet and note those products that may really be needed. Are there any discounts on any? You should think carefully before buying something to replace it: is it necessary?
Online shopping aces always form “waiting lists” and already in the first minutes of “Friday” they check how much the price has changed. If anything happens, they buy it quickly. This approach to shopping in foreign online stores is especially effective (many of them have delivery to Russia, often free, you can also use the services of intermediaries who offer shipping for a very reasonable price). However, in this case, you must remember that returning goods sent from abroad may be difficult or this procedure will be too expensive. Also, don’t forget that marketers love Black Friday. After the collapse of the ruble exchange rate in 2014, Black Friday discounts began to be actively offered on cars and even apartments. It’s not difficult to guess that this is a regular marketing ploy and regular discounts already included in the price - just with a beautiful name.
The Black Friday sale, or Black Friday, is held annually. In 2019 in Russia the date of the promotion falls on November 29. However, in some stores it may start a little earlier than the specified date.
What is Black Friday? For many Russians, this name is associated with the economic crisis of 1998, when on one Friday millions of our fellow citizens, and indeed people around the world, lost their savings. However, this name also has another meaning.
In the USA and Europe, Black Friday is a period of sales and big discounts in stores for Christmas. Typically, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on Thursday, and then, on Friday, the Christmas sales marathon starts. On its first day, stores have the biggest discounts on all goods, and everyone tries to purchase during this period, since it is the most profitable.
Black Friday 2019 is a big holiday for all people. On this day, many try to take a day off. Except for retail workers, of course. For them, this day is the period of the most intense and passionate work. Many people work throughout the year to purchase the expensive item they dreamed of on this very day. Most manufacturers of electrical equipment and household goods are timing the release of a new product line for Black Friday. This way they not only stimulate demand, but also advertise a new product.
Why is it called that? The name “Black Friday” was coined by reporters due to the fact that discounts on this day create not only a large flow of buyers, but also traffic jams on all roads. There were cases when on this day traffic in all major US cities was completely paralyzed. The police, ambulance and firefighters could not reach the place of the call. As a result, there is a large increase in injuries and accidents on this day.
Most of the television reports from Western sales that we are shown on TV show Black Friday. This Friday, stores open very early - at five o'clock in the morning. And the biggest discounts are in the first hours. Since it is quite difficult to get into the shops on this day, despite the early hours, a queue forms at the entrance. The most persistent ones even spend the night near the shop window.
At the end of the first day, it is not uncommon for stores to have empty shelves. An unprecedented case! Although the buyers behave quite politely - there are no fights over the goods, people calmly stand in line at the checkout, and do not jostle at the entrance. After all, it’s Christmas Eve, and quarreling with your neighbor before this holiday is a bad omen.
However, there is no hope for this in the CIS countries. The Eldorado retail chain is notorious, which became famous for organizing sales at incredibly low prices. In stores during these discounts, there have been cases of people fighting each other over a laptop or microwave, getting injured in a crush, ruining clothes, etc. We can only hope that over time the culture will change, and relationships even with a random passer-by will be valued higher than the momentary pleasure of a purchase.
However, Black Friday is not so widely known in Russia, but its popularity is increasing every year. Primarily due to the fact that in terms of discounts we are still inferior to our western neighbors. On this day, goods in the store can be purchased 2-3 times cheaper than the rest of the time. In Russia, the maximum amount of discounts on sales before the New Year is 30-40%.
Of course, you can see advertisements with much higher numbers, but this price reduction is not associated with seasonal sales, but with other phenomena - it is necessary to free up space in the warehouse, the product is obsolete, or competitors have imported a similar product that is superior in terms of price-quality ratio. Therefore, the influx of buyers is not so significant.
However, Black Friday in Russia has become a traditional event in many retail chains and shopping centers. Every year, sales lower prices more and more and become no less popular than in the West.
Benefits for sellers
There is a lot of sales on Black Friday. It cannot be said that trade is at a loss - the product will certainly never be sold below the price that was paid when purchasing it in bulk. In addition, the discounted price fully justifies both transportation costs and the costs of the sale itself - salaries to sellers, rent of premises, payment of taxes.
However, it is worth pointing out several reasons why sellers refuse large profits associated with trade margins:
- Advertising. A Christmas purchase will be remembered for a long time, and in the future it is possible that the buyer will come again.
- A large influx of buyers creates the opportunity to sell more units of goods, and even with a lower markup, profits do not suffer much.
- Sales stimulate other industries besides retail. For example, lending and transport. Unlike retail, the Black Friday tradition does not apply to banks, and they issue loans during this period at the same, if not higher, rates.
- The opportunity for store employees to rest for Christmas - the product is out of stock, which means there is no need to worry about selling it quickly. Therefore, you can safely celebrate the holidays. Actually, it was this reason that became the main reason for such sales. Many managers organize competitions to see who can sell the most that day. The loser and his entire department stay to work on Christmas Day.
- Sometimes the owners of large retail chains in the West adhere to strict Christian traditions and believe that at Christmas they should give gifts to their customers, especially the poorest of them. This is not fantasy. In particular, Rockefeller firmly believed that a tenth of his income should be donated to the church and charity.
- It is considered bad manners to return what was purchased on this day due to a defect. After all, it is considered a kind of gift. Therefore, many stores sell goods that do not meet the standards, and the return rate is low.
What buyers in Russia need to know
First of all, don’t try to buy everything that catches your eye. Unfortunately, we have not yet matured to the level of carefully planning our purchases. Most - for sure. And, as sociological surveys show, many buyers regret that they bought something on sale. It turned out they didn’t need the thing; they simply followed their emotions.
Secondly, try not to take part in crushes or fights over goods. Just avoid them. No purchase is worth spoiling the mood before the holidays, for yourself or another person. And even more so a dislocated arm or a torn dress. Moreover, you will still have to pay money for the purchase, albeit a smaller amount.
Third, for complex products, check the warranty card and registration certificate. Save your receipts. As a rule, most of the goods on sales in Russia are of lower quality than when sold at a regular price. They may have hidden defects, increasing the risk of warranty repairs. If quality is more important to you than price, try to buy the item on other days.
More about Black Friday 2019 in stores and on their official websites:
In the USA and Canada, Black Friday is the main holiday for shopaholics. This day marks the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season. In stores at this time you can see price tags with good discounts, and on TV there are funny reports about how hasty buyers knock each other down because of all this excitement.
And in the UK, all this action is limited to just one day. And the largest retailers, such as Amazon, also have sales on one day only (known to everyone as “Cyber Monday”).
And the best part: ITdistrict will find for you the best price offers on phones, headphones, speakers, cameras, games and much, much more, and will post all the most interesting things here, so that you do not need to waste your time looking for any gadget or accessory.
First, let's figure out what Black Friday is and how this day is related to Cyber Monday?
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is the first Friday after Thanksgiving, and for retailers, this day marks a boom in sales. Just imagine: a public holiday especially revered by Americans - Thanksgiving Day - falls on the last Thursday of November, and the next day is Friday, also a day off, which marketers took advantage of. As a result, it has been the busiest trading day of the year for almost a decade.
To boost sales on this day, many retailers offer hefty discounts even on their bestsellers, which are already in high demand on regular days. Even Apple Corporation has joined the list of Black Friday sellers.
When is Black Friday?
As already mentioned, Black Friday is the last Friday in November. Accordingly, if it is 2014, then Black Friday should be expected on November 28th. If 2015, then November 27th. If it's 2013, congratulations, you slept through your Black Friday.
Why is Black Friday called Black Friday?
There are few options here: some say that the term Black Friday is associated with a peculiarity of accounting in the USA - profits were always recorded in black ink, and losses in red. And Wikipedia believes that Friday began to be called black in Philadelphia, because on the streets on this very long traffic jams of vehicular and pedestrian traffic were created throughout the day.
Black Friday: Is it worth it?
Of course yes. After all, the doorbusters pricing policy involves setting a minimum price for a limited amount of goods in a short period of time in order to attract as many customers as possible to the store. That is why every year on TV we can watch fist fights between shopaholics. US retailers such as Amazon are trying to bring similar shopping experiences to the UK.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday: what do they have in common?
Cyber Monday is the Monday following Black Friday. It was invented in 2005, and if Black Friday is associated among US residents with purchases in the most ordinary retail stores, then Cyber Monday implies active shopping on the Internet. The result is a four-day weekend of rock-bottom prices on a variety of items, both in stores and online.