Black Friday is well recognized as a shopping holiday in the US, but did you know that it is also observed in many other nations?
Black Friday is observed in at least 129 countries, each of which has its own variation of the holiday. Worldwide, there are other shopping holidays that are observed. Although some of them aren’t expressly designed for businesses, they have evolved into chances for customers to purchase goods at a reduced price.
Which nations observe Black Friday, and what other significant shopping holidays are there that we should be aware of? Discover more below.
Leading Nations Observing Black Friday
Black Friday, the largest shopping day of the US Christmas season, gained international recognition by default. Today, the event is well recognized online and is celebrated in a large number of retail locations worldwide.
These are the other nations that celebrate Black Friday outside the US:
United Kingdom
Black Friday sales in the UK last year were over £12.3 billion, up 8.3% from 2021, according to Mintel. UK consumers persisted in attending the event despite financial difficulties, with 49% purchasing at least one item.
Because Black Friday falls in November, UK consumers take advantage of the discounts to purchase Christmas presents, spreading out their holiday expenses. According to Mintel’s study, in 2022, 16% of consumers purchased apparel or shoes, 39% purchased an Amazon promotional item, and 51% acknowledged making impulsive purchases.
Germany
In Germany, Black Friday is still significant. 42% of Germans anticipated spending between €101 and €300 on Black Friday in 2022. Approximately 73% of consumers expressed the greatest interest in electronics, whilst 46% were more interested in trendy items.
Furniture (28%), sports goods (28%), games (27%), cosmetics (26%), food and drink (22%), health (20%), books (20%), travel (17%), subscriptions/contracts (12%), insurance/finance (8%), and books (20%) were the other popular categories.
Germany saw the second-highest growth in online sales on Black Friday (2022) among all European countries. The country’s sales increased by $440%.
Brazil
Brazil is a major market for Black Friday deals in the online retail space. However, from BRL4.3 billion in 2021 to little about BRL3.2 billion last year, online sales were made. It was discovered that the World Cup debut of the Brazilian National Team had a negative impact on 2022 sales.
Nevertheless, overall Black Friday sales increased by 940% over a typical day. This amounted to 10.5% of the total sales for the year.
Toys and games (28%) and technology (9.5%) as well as home and décor (9%), are popular categories. Honorable honors go to fashion, beauty, and personal hygiene.
A Globo poll indicates that 24% of Brazilian consumers are interested in purchasing new smart gadgets on the forthcoming Black Friday, while 22% are more interested in purchasing new clothing and footwear. In addition, 19% want to check out home goods like TVs and audio equipment, and 20% are interested in purchasing cosmetics and fragrances. Finally, 15% of respondents want to purchase blenders and mixers.
France
Although Black Friday is a popular holiday in France, French consumers are pushing for a Light Friday due to the holiday’s negative environmental effects. Fast-fashion shops have a disastrous impact on the environment when they dump tons of unsold and undesired things in Chile’s desert, despite clothes being the most popular category during the event.
Clothing is full of toxins and takes hundreds of years to break down, endangering the health of the local population and the delicate environment of the desert. By honoring Light Friday, French consumers may be encouraged to purchase products that have the least negative effect on the environment by highlighting apparel and other goods made ethically.
Although it’s too early to tell whether Black Friday in France will have an environmentally conscious touch, it will definitely begin this year.
Singapore
In Singapore, Black Friday is the largest shopping day as well. Online marketplaces like Amazon, Lazada, and Shopee are the main venues to find deals. During Black Friday in Singapore, electronic companies such as Lenovo, Samsung, Apple, and Dell provide amazing discounts and promos. Robinsons offers fantastic savings to customers on household appliances as well.
Philippines
Black Friday is observed in the Philippines at the same time as it is in the US and other nations. As the holidays get near, a lot of Filipinos make shopping a priority. As a result, companies have tapped into this market by launching Black Friday sales.
In the Philippines, popular categories for Black Friday include electronics, clothing, makeup, and household appliances. Last year, Samsung, Smeg, DataBlitz, Inglot, Sephora, Uniqlo, Puma, and New Era Cap were the companies that had the best bargains.
Australia
Black Friday is not missed by Australians either. Not only did beauty, fashion, and homeware retailers run promotions till after the event, but Amazon and eBay also gave amazing discounts. Discounted phones, tablets, and other products were offered by electronic giants such as Samsung. Customers also received discounts on Rebel Sport and Wiggle AU’s sports and fitness technology.
Video games, audio equipment, photography, household appliances, and music are among other prominent categories.
Global Shopping Events of Major Importance
Even though many nations don’t observe Black Friday, they do have annual sales. These are the other noteworthy worldwide shopping occasions.
Cyber Monday
In the US and many other nations, Cyber Monday is equally as famous as Black Friday. As the largest annual shopping holiday in the US, it has already supplanted Black Friday. Cyber Monday made its debut in 2005 with the goal of enticing customers to buy online rather than in-store, resulting in less commotion and more efficient transactions. It turns out that it often provides a more convenient and tranquil shopping experience than Black Friday.
The secondhand deals are just another fantastic aspect of Cyber Monday. Many Black Friday shoppers resale their purchases on eBay at a lower cost. If Black Friday’s discounts on the newest merchandise are still out of your price range, you may still locate discounted older stuff like TVs and consoles.
One-Day Only
China’s unofficial equivalent of Black Friday is called Double Eleven, or Singles Day. Double Eleven is its other moniker since it is commemorated on November 11 every year. However, the reason it’s named Singles Day is because, back in the 1990s, it was a celebration exclusively for single people.
Over 290,000 companies from more than 90 nations and regions were present on China’s Singles Day in 2017 spanning more than 7,000 product categories. On well-known websites including as JD.com and Alibaba, sales were close to $36.7 billion on Thursday night and Friday afternoon.
During Singles Day, a lot of consumers found offers via watching social media livestreams, which had over 300 million views. Throughout the sales period, the gross merchandise value (GMV) of 62 influencer- and merchant-run live-streaming channels surpassed $14.1 million, while the GMV of 632 influencer- and merchant-run live-streaming channels topped $1.4 million. Over 100,000 live sessions featuring local items were held by Taobao Live’s rural live broadcasters on the eve of Singles Day.
Diwali
One of the holiest religious holidays in Sikhism, Jainism, and Hinduism is Diwali, also known as the Hindu Festival of Lights. India, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Guyana, Suriname, Mauritius, and Trinidad & Tobago all commemorate it on November 12 of each year.
Diwali is the preferred shopping season for urban Indians, despite being a religious event. Most Indian shoppers anticipate it most, especially those from North and West. The Trade Desk’s Third Festive Pulse poll indicates that almost 70% of Indian consumers are prepared to spend more this Diwali, up 35% from the previous year.
Customers’ perceptions that their financial circumstances have improved (53%) and their desire to enjoy more this year (49%) account for the planned rise in consumer expenditure.
Eighty percent of Indian buyers intended to concentrate on gold, and a sizable percentage (84%) had said they would be interested in purchasing luxury products. Of those who said they would want to spend more, 68% said they would be spending more on new clothing, 65% on jewelry and gold, and 64% on food for Diwali and presents for family. Sixty-four percent more wanted to spend more money on friends and coworkers.
Toys, games, and collectibles (50%) and home and lifestyle (50%) are popular categories among Indian buyers, followed by travel (47%).
El Mejor Final
The biggest sales festival in Mexico is called El Buen Fin. This year, it will take place from November 17–20, and a 5% increase in sales is anticipated.
When El Buen Fin was first implemented in 2011, its main goals were to support formal enterprises while also promoting the economy, the home market, and consumer rights. As a result of the offers, discounts, and other promotions that are being offered, it is the most important “commercial party” in Mexico. The fact that formal firms will get training programs from the Ministry of Economy and the Tax Administration Service (SAT) to increase sales makes El Buen Fin even more impressive.
Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor (PROFECO) provides a service called “Quién es Quién en los Precios” that allows users to compare prices and report questionable activity, all in an effort to protect consumers. A special section on consumer rights and cybersecurity advice from the Mexican Internet Association may be found on El Buen Fin’s website.
A Complete Guide to Online Book Sales
Year of the Lantern
For all the nations that celebrate this holiday, including China, South Korea, Vietnam, and others, the day of the Lunar New Year is a big shopping day. However, savings are available everywhere.
Typically, the focus of the Lunar New Year is luxury products. Consumers see them as presents for loved ones or as a delight for themselves. Popular categories include watches, luxury purses, apparel, accessories, and other stylish goods worn for the occasion. As a result, to commemorate Lunar New Year, several upscale and luxury fashion labels create exclusive collections or limited-edition merchandise.
Luxurious businesses create an aura of exclusivity around their brands and markets by presenting their products as the ideal investment to celebrate this occasion. During the Lunar New Year, luxury labels such as Gucci, Chanel, and other well-known designer names feel it is appropriate to conduct discounts and promotions, given that Chinese consumers make up a substantial share of the expanding global luxury market sector.
But throughout this season, consumers want buy more than just upscale things. During the Lunar New Year, which is mainly a time for family get-togethers and celebrations, food, apparel, holiday decorations, and fireworks all sell well.
The Background of Black Friday
When did Black Friday begin, and did it have an impact on other global shopping holidays?
Though this isn’t historically accurate, Britannica claims that the term “Black Friday” may have originated because companies were operating at a loss or “in the red” until the day after Thanksgiving, when exclusive discounts and promotions allowed them to finally turn a profit or go “in the black.”
The name “Black Friday” has a deeper historical origin that dates back to the early 1960s. Police in Philadelphia first coined the name “Black Friday” to describe the mayhem that broke out when a large number of visitors came to the city to shop for the holidays. The cops had to cope with predictable traffic bottlenecks, stealing, and other concerns, which meant working longer hours because to the large crowds.
Therefore, Philadelphia is where the phrase “Black Friday” originated. Even trying to rename it as “Big Friday,” merchants failed.
But it wasn’t until the 1980s that Black Friday became a symbol of higher sales. It was not the Friday following Thanksgiving that saw massive sales rise for most retailers back then, but rather the Saturday before Christmas. However, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become the most anticipated shopping events of the year, drawing crowds of people who wait until after midnight in order to take advantage of exclusive sales and discounts.
That, among many other reasons, is why Black Friday had such a big effect on the world’s retail market. Retailers’ perspectives on holiday shopping have shifted, the significance of Christmas spending has increased, and businesses are being urged to provide both physical and online promotions. Given their disapproval of capitalism and materialism, some nations may be against it, although Black Friday is still seen as superior in many civilizations.
Getting Your Company Ready for Cyber Monday and Other Shopping Days
Here are some tips for getting ready for Black Friday (and other shopping holidays, too) if your new company is going to see its first one.
Make a Plan
It should come as no surprise that online shopping will rule Black Friday this year. In order to immediately access millions of customers, consider exploring eBay and Amazon if you don’t already have a business there. With the great seller tools available on both platforms, you may market your goods for a reasonable amount of money. Plus, you can see what other eBay or Amazon sellers are offering, so you can use actual data to design your own Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) promotions.
Examine and Get Ready for Traffic Bumps in Your Store
There will undoubtedly be a noticeable increase in traffic to online retailers both before and during BFCM. Test your listings A/B to make sure they function as intended. You can find out how customers react to different elements on your product pages by running A/B tests on your listings on Amazon. This is your opportunity to enhance your listings to get the best possible outcomes.
Investigate Multichannel Marketing
Expand the sources of your income by investigating other sales channels, such as social media. Your items may be advertised or promoted on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. If you now sell via a variety of channels, determine which ones bring in the most money and concentrate your efforts there while you develop BFCM offerings.
Think About Growing Globally
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) allows you to send your items to several locations with ease since Amazon takes care of all the shipping duties. A little charge would need to be paid, but if your items do well in your target areas, you may rapidly recover the expenditures. Investigate the markets for your goods, then reach out to those customers with tailored advertisements.
Make a Plan for Potential Problems
No system is completely infallible, even with the faultless seller services offered by Amazon and other well-known marketplaces. You consequently need a backup plan in case anything goes wrong, such as damage to your inventory that renders it unsaleable.
Think about these difficult situations as well as other potential issues. There will be a higher than normal volume of shoppers on Black Friday, thus problems may arise. Your readiness and backup plan will draw attention to your superior customer service, improving the perception of your company.
Employ a Tool for eCommerce Management
Many seller chores, such as financial monitoring, repricing, and product research, may be automated with an outstanding eCommerce management solution. Threecolts offers a service called Tactical Arbitrage that you may look at if you need to find profitable items to offer on Amazon. Even when you’re not using the program, it searches hundreds of retailers, giving you access to the most lucrative things across many markets. To concentrate on your product concept, you may use custom filters to narrow down your search either before or after you scan retailers.
To assist you in deciding how many units of an item to buy, Tactical Arbitrage also does a thorough study of competitors and sales. Additionally, you may use Tactical Arbitrage’s library search feature to find the finest books to offer if you wish to sell books.
Additionally, Threecolts provides a tool for repricing called SmartRepricer. It’s a useful tool to have your rates adjusted for Black Friday automatically. The days of painstakingly searching through hundreds of postings to get the greatest offer are over. Moreover, SmartRepricer may improve your brand and increase the frequency with which you get Amazon’s Buy Box.
Finally, you can keep an eye on your store’s expenses using Threecolts’ SellerBench. With the help of this technology, your company may hire specialist case managers to look for overcharges and unpaid FBA refunds. For this reason, SellerBench is a very useful tool to have if your FBA fees were inaccurate due to the BFCM confusion. Nothing is due up ahead; you are simply billed when you get your money back.
Other solutions for managing eCommerce include Seller App, Helium 10, and Jungle Scout. These technologies also help with other crucial duties for sellers, such product research. Additionally, they provide analytics and reporting tools that allow you to be updated on performance indicators at any time, particularly on Black Friday and other significant sales occasions. Read more
Concluding
It is advisable to avoid missing out on Black Friday since it is a significant occasion for both customers and the retail sector. Offer discounts and promotions to capitalize on consumers’ increased spending habits, regardless of the size of your company. To guarantee you reach or surpass your desired sales and earnings, conduct your homework before lowering your rates.