South Africans will be looking for genuine deals this Black Friday

The majority of South Africans are planning to participate in Black Friday this year, according to a Powerpanel study conducted by research firm Ask Afrika.

While clothing and groceries were the most popular categories in 2020 during Black Friday, early indications are that electronics will overtake these categories in 2021, reports Simone Kakana, client strategy director at Ask Afrika. Clothing and shoes or accessories is the second category of interest to consumers this year and groceries is the third.

Kakana says that despite the tough economic times, 34% of consumers say they plan on spending between R2,001 and R5,000, while another 27% plan on spending between R5,001 and R10,000.

A total of 73% of consumers are searching for Black Friday deals online or through social media (47%). “If retailers want consumers to see their deals, they need to ensure they have both an online and a social media presence,” says Kakana. “Though the majority of consumers are planning to shop in-store on Black Friday, online shopping will not lag far behind, which means that preparation for both channels will be key.”

The most popular categories for online purchases, Kakana says, are clothing (63%), electronics (61%) and household appliances (50%).

“Consumers are looking for real bargains this Black Friday. This means the product needs to be on offer either at a significant discount or as specials that consumers would not usually find. Given that they are searching online prior to purchase, the price points and the discounted price need to be clearly visible,” advises Kakana.