In tough economic times, we are all on the lookout for deals. Fortunately, the South African retail calendar has mouth-watering offerings for budget conscious consumers. Black Friday is around the corner, and shoppers are waiting in anticipation to see what amazing deals retailers will serve up this year. Back to school remains one of the biggest retail periods throughout the year, and consumers can look forward to equipping their kids with some amazing products at great prices.
Not sure where to look for prices in town? Guzzle is your one-stop-shop for all cut price deals!
The months of September and October are already bubbling with anticipation with most people looking forward to the retail shoppers delight in Black Friday on the horizon in November which leads right into the mega festive season.
Now is the time to leverage the power of the Guzzle to look ahead to the festive shopping season trends and special retail calendar dates.
Guzzle offers insights into the current state of festive shopping.
Black Friday
Black Friday is an informal name for the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States and is marked by the start of Christmas holiday shopping.
The name Black Friday was a phrase coined by the police to describe the mayhem surrounding the congestion of shoppers and automotive traffic which resulted in traffic accidents and sometimes violence.
When Black Friday initially became a flagship retail event in South Africa, retailers kept bargain deals a secret until the actual Friday and would normally launch at midnight.
Our research has indicated that around 56% of festive shopping happens before Black Friday, starting after the pay day in September.
Shoppers are expected to start buying early in order to save their December salaries for the Christmas / new year holiday period. This may be the biggest Black Friday week yet, landing after pay day and a few days closer to Christmas. Last year most retailers released deal info a couple of days before (Tuesday & Wednesday), allowing shoppers to do their research and prepare for the big day or weekend. Guzzle served a total of 6.8 million page views to more than 400,000 users during Black Friday week (only) in 2018. We expect a 30% increase this year.
Back to school
Back to school shopping can be expensive for parents and guardians as they buy backpacks, outfits, stationery and so much more. Parents and guardians are better advised to explore the school supplies market to ensure they save a little on discounted prices in certain retail stores.
Guzzle insights show that back to school shopping will also start early (early to mid-December), as the new school year will kick off early in January 2020. Stationery shopping will run into February though, due to some parents waiting for the January salary.
In anticipation of this hectic shopping season, the Guzzle Team are preparing for the shopping activities ahead. From system & server updates to hiring the required staff, it’s all systems go to ensure this season passes without any hitches and offers shoppers much needed satisfaction.
The good news to consumers is that, the retail savvy and experienced team at Guzzle has designed a new feature aimed at displaying online store specials on Guzzle which has just gone live. This feature has been introduced to in having stress-free shopping experience and to reduce on the challenges of easily and expeditiously finding specials.
As you prepare for the upcoming shopping season, you can access the latest online catalogues here.
