The Black Friday frenzy

For someone who isn't much of a fan of shopping, "Black Friday" seems like the title of a horror movie, but it is in fact a reason for shopping and discount chasers to greatly rejoice. The "Black Friday" concept (November 23rd, this year), imported from the United States, one year ago, has created a certain hysteria both among bidders, as well as among consumers. Reputed Romanian companies are announcing generous discounts on this day, of up to 75%, starting from IT&C products, to concert tickets and even rent.

Since Romania tends to become an expert in adapting concepts, Shopping Friday wasn't no different. Last year, consumers complained that the "huge discounts" weren't what they expected, as retailers raised the price of products a few days before "Black Friday" and in fact applied those discounts to the hiked prices. After all, nobody thoroughly checks these fabulous discounts that are announced. It is all just a marketing strategy. Perhaps it would be a good thing if all the inspectors of the National Consumer Protection Agency (ANPC) checked the validity of these promotions.

On November 23rd, which is Black Friday, IT&C products will remain the most in demand and those with the biggest discounts. The list of participants has already seen the major retailers in the business join, as well as specialized companies: eMAG, Altex, Flanco, F64, DiscountVoucher.ro, Koyos, Evomag and Domo.

• Discounts on holidays, furniture, concerts, clothes, and even free rent for three months

The first edition of the Black Friday event which took place last year in Romania, has provided good advertising for IT&C retailers, as well as revenues of over ten million Euros. People stood in line at dawn, and those who preferred online shopping hunted for bargains using their mouse and keyboard. Shops participating in the campaign are expecting the same excitement among shoppers this year as well.

Lucian Sonea, Marketing Manager at Forza Rossa SRL - a company which will participate in the event with accessories and clothing, told us: "After last year's huge success, when the Ferrari Store was "assaulted" by dozens of people, as early as 6:00 AM, in 2012, the Forza Rossa team is preparing other surprises for Black Friday, and the great novelty comes from the reductions of 50% in all the products within the store. It is a unique opportunity to buy products from the new Ferrari clothing collection, which has just arrived and which comprises items for the whole family as well as many exclusive or limited edition items".

A novelty this year is represented by the major tour-operators announcing their participation in "Black Friday". On Friday, MAREEA will offer discounts of up to 40% on holiday packages, thus making them cheaper than Early Booking offers, according to the representatives of the agency. "Tourists looking to book a holiday for next summer or even for the end of the year, will have to pay online the equivalent value of the holiday or to pay directly at the offices of the travel agency", says Marius Usturoiu, the manager of MAREEA.

Consultants in the real estate sectors have also announced special offers on the residential complexes they represent. The specialists of ESOP Consulting offer three free months of rent for the rental of an office building in the Aurel Vlaicu area, as well as the set up of the space. ESOP also has another promotion for contracts concluded on Friday, by offering a free parking spot for each 40 square meters rented in a business center located on the Barbu Văcărescu boulevard.

Ticket websites, such as www.biletoo.ro and www.blt.ro offer discounts ranging between 20% and 75% on tickets to events such as concerts or theater plays.

The Black Friday promotion concept was borrowed from the United States of America and officially announces the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Aside from IT&C products, in Romania, there will be generous promotions on decorations and furniture products (Mobexpert, www.targuldemobila.ro), clothes and accessories (TinaR, Cătălin Botezatu store, La Femme, Ecco, etc.), books, cosmetics and toys.

Altex România recently announced that it expects its sales to increase more than 10% this year compared to last year, due to the offers it has prepared this time. Dan Ostahie, president and CEO of Altex, said: "We are expecting sales of more than 5 million Euros on Black Friday, November 23rd. We have prepared discounts of up to 50% and even up to 70% for some products which belong to some product categories which are of great interest for consumers". Altex Romania has prepared special offers for this day, on all product categories: IT, TVs, large household appliances, smartphones, small household appliances, entertainment and gaming.

Altex România expects a ten times increase in traffic to its offline stores and a seven times increase in traffic to its online store, on November 23rd, 2012.

• American retailers have created price comparison applications for Black Friday

"Agile" customers get the best prices on Black Friday, but this year, American buyers may find that their smartphone is the best tool to save money, as retailers have created special applications for price comparison, MarketWatch writes. Amazon created a stir last year with an application which compared its prices with those of its competitors. This year, traditional retailers hit back with applications of their own. "Think of Black Friday 2012 as a kind of < < Revenge of the retailers > >", said Brad Spirrison, general editor of the Appolicious website.

Buyers have numerous means of comparison and analysis available, to help them decide what to buy, and analysts expect shoppers to use them.

About 25% of the Black Friday online traffic will be done through tablets and phones, software maker Adobe estimates.

70% of buyers say that they will use their smartphone for shopping, according to Deloitte.

The operators of price comparison websites advise shoppers to use such applications, as well as feature comparison websites, as many of the products on sale are not worth their asking price.

Despite its name, in the US, "Black Friday" is a day of profit for retailers and of advantageous offers for buyers, marking the beginning of the holiday shopping season, and is considered the day when the stores are busiest. In the US, "Black Friday" is the Friday which comes after Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday of November, which comes between 23rd and 29th of the month.

On that day, major stores open very early, sometimes as early as 4:00 AM, as many people wait in line to seize the multitude of special offers. Over the last few years, American stores have begun opening their doors increasingly earlier on Black Friday, some as early as midnight.

Even though it is not a public holiday, many companies which do not activate in the retail business give their employees the day off to increase the potential number of buyers.

Thus, traditionally, "Black Friday" is known as the day with the highest sales of all year. It was first called "Black Friday" in Philadelphia, prior to 1966, when it was mentioned in an article, but this name has not always conveyed a positive connotation. "Black Friday" was a name given by the Police Department of Philadelphia to a day which proved less pleasant for them, since they were forced to deal with the traffic jams and the crowded sidewalks from early morning until late at night and the "shopping fever" was interspersed with acts of violence and other incidents.

Later, the "Black Friday" name received a different meaning, pertaining to bookkeeping, which was done manually at the time. Accounts with a negative balance were written in red, to allow them to be distinguished from those with a positive balance, written in black. The sales made on the next day after Thanksgiving would help retailers "exit the red", as their accounts would show a profit and this would allow for them to be written in black, hence the "Black Friday" name.