Get set for €1.5bn Black Friday frenzy
Some offers to run for weeks amid calls to buy Irish
TODAY’S Black Friday is promises to be very different to previous years.
For starters, due to Covid restrictions, the splurge will not involve bargain hunters thronging the aisles – although the week-long frenzy is still set to see Irish shoppers blow an eye-watering €1.5billion.
What’s more, it’s actually more of a ‘Green Friday’ this time out, with shoppers being urged to buy Irish to boost our retailers.
The annual pre-Christmas sales event will see shoppers spend €500million more than they did last year. The battle for bargains this year is a cyber one – with many retailers, including Amazon and eBay, running deals for weeks. Retailers will also be monitoring rivals’ websites through the day and cutting their prices to match or undercut the competition.
A Currys spokesman said: ‘As well as active monitoring of competitors’ prices, our price promise, “We won’t be beaten on price” is live all year round.’ Harvey Norman also pledged that it would match its competitors’ prices.
Consumers’ Association of Ireland chief Dermott Jewell warned shoppers forced online this year to beware of potential scams.
He said: ‘It is always a challenging time buying online and this year has heightened risk due to the rise in the number of rogue and scam sites that are in full flow and operation. To add to the problem, most are very professionally constructed and give every appearance of being trustworthy.
‘Buying from outside the EU is a challenge as the same rights and entitlements do not apply. In addition, depending on the value of the goods you are buying from what are known as “third countries”, as they are outside the EU, there is strong potential for added VAT and customs duty charges being added for collection at the door – and before release to you.’
Retailers are hoping to make up for weeks of lost trade today. Retail Excellence chief Duncan Graham said some reckon their trade this year is ‘60% to 70% down on last year’. There are fears many will go under in the new year despite the pent-up demand.
Mr Duncan said: ‘The trouble is a lot of the fall-out is yet to come. Most retailers will open up again from next Wednesday, but it’s when you get to Quarter 1 next year, when the business dips again, landlords are looking for rents and suppliers are looking for payment – that’s when the pressure comes. We are fearful that many will go under in the new year.’
He said that already, 15%-20% of shops that were open a year ago have been shuttered permanently. An estimated 280,000 people work in retail in the country, but up to 90,000 of those jobs could be under threat in the new year.
Amid the Black Friday scramble, retailers reminded people to shop local to support Irish retailers.
A s p o k e s man for Retai l Excellence said: ‘This year we want to turn Black Friday green. We want Irish shoppers to think before they click and shop local.’
‘Rise in rogue and scam sites