Get more than you bargained for with Standard Bank this Black Friday

South Africans have embraced online shopping this year, a trend that is set to continue as consumers prepare to take advantage of Black Friday sales.

The extended lockdown from April to September reshaped shopping behaviour as consumers flocked to digital payment solutions. Over the six-month period data from Standard Bank’s card division showed an 84% increase in the value of online spend at supermarkets and grocery stores year-on-year (y/y) while the increase in value of spend at online general merchandise stores such as Takealot and OneDayOnly increased by 458% y/y.

For many customers, this Black Friday will be a digital one and considerations such as the safest way to shop online, finding the best deals from the comfort of their homes and maximising their online spend, will be high on their priority list.

“South Africa is still facing many challenges because of COVID-19 and Standard Bank is looking to encourage responsible behaviour by rewarding customers and small businesses who choose to go digital this year. This includes upsizing our offering and giving customers more than they bargained for this Black Friday,” says Fayelizabeth Foster, Head of Loyalty and Rewards at Standard Bank.

The bank will be rewarding the first 1 000 of its customers who spend R5000 or more online with their Standard Bank Card this Black Friday, with R500 back into their account.

For consumers concerned with safety while shopping online, a virtual credit card is a safe and easy option to consider.

“Our virtual card provides you with added payment options, letting you pay online and on your favourite apps without ever having to take your card out of your wallet,” says Navin Mahadeo, Head of Card Issuing at Standard Bank South Africa.

“You can decide how much money to load, as and when you need it. Your money is available instantly, and you can top up or withdraw for once-off payments and ongoing transactions both locally and internationally. You also never have to worry about a lost, stolen, or duplicated card.”

Standard Bank is also giving 10 UCount Rewards members who use their qualifying credit or debit card to make purchases at Rewards Retailers this Black Friday, the chance to win their spend back in UCount Rewards Points, up to R10 000. *

It’s not just consumers who are being rewarded for choosing digital as a solution this Black Friday. Standard Bank is making it easy for small business customers to take their offering online by waiving their fixed fees to their SimplyBlu solution.

They are also helping to bolster their customers’ marketing efforts by giving them R500 worth of Google Ads, absolutely free* until 31 December 2020 – just in time for the biggest retail event of year.

Black Friday is known to be one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year, and it goes without saying that, just like the festive season, this is a busy time for criminals. Be sure to take extra precautions to protect yourself, your purchases and your personal information. If something seems suspicious, it probably is, so stay away from it. Remember to keep the following five tips in mind to make sure you do not fall victim to any cyber trolls:

1. Avoid shopping on public Wi-Fi networks

Cyber criminals know how to thwart unsecured Wi-Fi to gain access to the information you send over it. So, it’s better to use some of your own data to make sure your financial information is protected.

2. Use complex passwords for online retailers

Having strong, secure passwords is essential to keep your online identity and accounts safe from hackers. Always include a mix of letters, numbers and special characters to make sure it’s not easy for cyber criminals to access your online platforms.

3. Never click on a suspicious link

Scammers might target you with emails that contain promotional links, appearing to be from a legitimate retailer. This is an attempt to get your attention and trick you into clicking on a link which carries malicious malware and stealing your personal information. Avoid clicking on any unsecured links.

4. Be on the lookout

If you forget your bank card somewhere while shopping, rather cancel it immediately rather than go back to look for it. You might find it, but that leaves you with the risk of someone having taken your card details and using them for online fraud.

5. Ditch unsecured online stores:

There are thousands of online stores, and with this form of shopping becoming so popular, it is easy to fall into the trap of purchasing through an unsecure site. Always look for a padlock on the site’s URL website itself to make sure it is safe.

To apply for the exclusive free* SimplyBlu + Google Ads offer and for more information on the Credit, Cheque, Debit and Virtual Card options visit www.standardbank.co.za.

*Terms and conditions apply.