In the aftermath of the Black Friday sales, widespread criticism about the erratic shopping behaviour of consumers on the hunt for ‘killer-bargains’ emerged. However, a new Canadean survey finds that UK shoppers have a less negative view on Black Friday than one might think.
The survey of 2,000 UK adults shows that while 48% of consumers say that UK shops introducing Black Friday sales is a bad idea, 30% say it is a good idea and a further 22% are not sure. According to Canadean, this indicates that the negative attitudes displayed in the media towards Black Friday sales do not fully mirror consumer sentiment.
Good way to get a bargain for financially strained families
Almost a third (30%) of UK consumers believe that Black Fridays are a good idea, with the main reasons being “it’s a good way to get a bargain” (65%) and “it helps people with a limited budget buy things they might not normally be able to afford” (51%). A positive attitude towards Black Friday is most likely to be found among those aged between 18 and 24 (49%). Veronika Zhupanova, analyst at Canadean, says: “It has to be remembered that many families are struggling with their budget, making Black Fridays the best way to purchase Christmas presents and home appliances at an affordable price – despite the stigma attached to them.”
55+ consumers worry about eroding Christmas values
Negative attitudes towards Black Friday sales are highest among older consumers aged over 55, with 59% thinking they are a bad idea. Zhupanova adds: “Older consumers feel that Black Fridays erode the traditional values of Christmas. They also tend to be more concerned about moral values than physical discounts.” When asked why they have a negative attitude towards those sales, for most consumers the primary reasons are “it brings out the worst in people” (72%) and that “people get hurt” (51%).
