Yep – Black Friday is upon us once again. On 24 November, South Africans will be spending money like they’re never going to need it again and so will you (probably). But before you wake up the next day with an empty wallet, buyer’s remorse for items you probably won’t be able to return and hating yourself for the reckless financial decisions you’ve just made before the festive season – continue reading…
Black Friday in South Africa
Before we kick off our survival guide for Black Friday, let’s take a look at a few stats. According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report, nine out of 10 South Africans know what Black Friday is and “rational decision-making abilities” are at their weakest on Black Friday. There’s a significant spike in spending in the month of November overall, with FNB reporting 490 transactions per second in 2021’s Black Friday.
According to The Bureau of Market Research (BMR), the additional retail turnover is expected to be around R26.6 billion for South African retailers during Black Friday 2023.
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“The Black Friday sales frenzy can trigger our deepest emotional and cognitive responses and can lead us down a path of unnecessary spending,” says the PWC report. “By pausing to consider the factors above and our true consumption needs, we are better prepared to make the most of what Black Friday has to offer.”
On that note, let’s look at some of the things you can do to get the best out of your Black Friday experience:
1. Make a list
Make a list of what you want/need to get before looking at what will be on special and which items will have the best deals. Your list doesn’t necessarily have to be set in stone – it can be amended and adapted – but at least it will give you a clear idea of what to look out for and what not to waste your money on.
2. Protect your valuables
Black Friday is a petty thief’s favourite time of the year. Make sure to leave non-essential valuables at home and to carry a bag with lots of inner zip sections and hidden storage pockets to place your stuff. Also, carry a bag you can throw across your body so it’s not so easy to snatch.
3. Get a shopping buddy
Most things are done better in groups of two. Just like getting a gym partner, having someone with you as you do your shopping will make you feel safer, foster accountability for your purchases and it might make the experience a lot less frustrating.
4. Pre-visit stores
After you’ve made your list, part of your planning should include a casual visit to the store(s) you’ll be shopping at. Firstly, this is a great way to see just how much of a bargain you will be getting on Black Friday. And secondly, you can suss out where exactly in the store the products are so that you can be as efficient and quick as possible on the day.
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5. Location matters
The same way you look for a traffic department or home affairs that’s the least busy, you should look for a shopping centre/store in an area that isn’t necessarily popular and won’t be busy. Not only will this give you peace of mind, but the store(s) won’t run out of items quickly and you could score better deals.
6. Come early
We all know what the first rule of an Idol’s audition is: get there as early as possible. This applies to Black Friday too. Remember that 9/10 South Africans know about Black Friday, so you’re not the only one who’s going to be shopping for deals. The early bird catches the bargain.
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7. Keep it online
In 2018, 68% of the people who shopped Black Friday specials on Takealot did so from their phones. And with other online stores participating in the massive sale day, there isn’t much reason for you to leave the house.
You can do all your shopping from the comfort of your bed on your phone. Be sure to set your alarm for 23:50 (10 minutes before midnight) on 23 November and get in on the deals before the websites start to crash!
We’ve put together a list of stores guaranteed to have Black Friday specials this year (it’s time to get that spreadsheet going!):
- One Day Only
- Incredible Connection
- Woolworths
- Builders
- Superbalist
- PlayStation
- Takealot
- HiFi Corp
- Game
- Makro
- Zando
- Clicks
- Mr Price
- Hirsch’s
- iStore
- Checkers
- MTN
- Nintendo
- Samsung
- Dis-Chem
- Sunglass Hut
- Travelstart
- Digicape
- BidorBuy
- Boardmans
- Raru
- Spree
- Pick n Pay
- OK Furniture
- Spar
- Food Lover’s Market
- Cell C
- Loot
- Bash
- Due South
- Quicksilver
- New Balance
- Roxy
- Totalsports
- Sportscene
- Sportsmans Warehouse
- Faithful To Nature
- Retail Box
- Wellness Warehouse
- Wimpy
- FlySafair
- Watch Republic
- Arc Store
- Clarins
- Thule
- Converse
