Upbeat retailers
Retailers are taking varied approaches to sales event Black Friday this year, with many extending their promotional periods and offering significant discounts as the island heads into the last lap of Independence celebrations and transition to the Christmas season.
Courts Barbados Limited has been particularly proactive, having launched their Black Friday promotions since October.
Ann-Marie King, senior marketing manager at Unicomer Barbados Limited, reported “phenomenal” traffic and strong sales momentum, particularly in television sets throughout November.
“Storewide, we have televisions, mattresses, and items from audio and tech,” King explained.
“We’ve made sure that everything you’re looking for, for your home has an option at great savings on Black Friday.”
The store has been offering a “Black Friday Best Price guarantee” along with attractive “buy one, get one free” deals for both cash and credit purchases.
Taking an innovative approach to holiday promotions, Kooyman has opted for “Green Thursday” instead of Black Friday – a monthly event offering discounts on items that can fit inside a designated receptacle.
“It’s been extremely busy. We’ve had a really good turnout,” shared marketing officer Charlene Mullin yesterday.
Customers have been creative with their purchases, fitting everything from coolers to artificial Christmas trees into the promotional crates to get a 20 per cent discount.
Mullin noted that paint has been particularly popular during this period, with both interior and exterior paints “flying off the shelf”. The store has also seen strong interest in both live and artificial Christmas trees as customers prepare for the festive season.
At Abed’s, management spread the Black Friday promotion to a full week, moving away from the traditional one-day sale format.
Store manager Karen Arthur reported increased customer engagement.
“We have people coming for just one thing but because we have the deal going on, they’re buying so much more stuff,” she said.
While fabric and accessories remain steady sellers, Arthur noted a shift toward sheets and glassware as gift purchases increase.
Shopper Stephanie Steed exemplified the practical approach many customers are taking this year.
“I’m using back a lot of my old stuff to try to save,” she said, though she did purchase a new white vase to match her Christmas colour scheme after breaking her old one.
“The deals have been excellent,” she added.
Woolworth is launching its Black Friday promotion with store-wide discounts. Managing director Martin Bryan acknowledged that while traffic has been slower than desired, reflecting broader economic conditions, he anticipates an uptick with the sale.
The store is also preparing for increased activity by extending their hours, planning to operate 24/7 from Sunday.
Notably, Independence Day celebrations have influenced shopping patterns, with Bryan reporting that Independence-themed shirts and flags have been particularly popular.
“Persons have been purchasing them for the various activities we’ll be having over the weekend,” he stated, adding T-shirts had already been sold out.
The overall retail landscape shows a trend toward extended sale periods and more flexible promotional strategies, moving away from the traditional single-day Black Friday format that has been adopted from North America.
Some merchants reported slower traffic than previous years, but remained optimistic about the holiday shopping season, with Christmas decorations and practical household items leading the way in early purchases. (DS)
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