There is a lot of hype surrounding Black Friday deals, but the overwhelming majority of shoppers in British Columbia say they plan to avoid stores this Friday because they feel the deals are just not worth braving the chaotic crowds.
Sixty eight per cent of B.C. consumers plan to stay away from stores because they are holding on to “bad memories,” according to the results of an Insights West poll released November 25.
“There is certainly a sense of disappointment from shoppers who expected to have a better black Friday experience in years past,” said Insights West vice-president of public affairs Mario Canseco.
These shoppers say the sales are mostly hype and the deals are not that great, and many others say the stores are too busy.
The survey found 34% of consumers in B.C. prefer to go online to find deals.
Last year, 21% of British Columbians took part in Black Friday shopping, either in a store or online, according to the poll. Among those shoppers, 10% actually bought something in a store and 13% bought something online.
Black Friday shopping was most popular in 2014 among those between the ages of 18 and 34, with 34% of that demographic participating.
“Young shoppers are definitely keen on taking advantage of sales they may be able to find, either in a store or online,” Canseco said.
The most popular goods to buy on Black Friday are Christmas and holiday gifts, apparel, electronics and computers, multimedia and toys.
Many retailers are counting on Black Friday sales to boost their bottom lines this year, and some stores such as London Drugs and Best Buy looking to fill the void left by Future Shop, which was one of the most aggressive discounters, according to DIG360 Consulting’s David Gray.
But Statistics Canada data released November 24 shows that when looking at total retail sales across Canada in 2006, 2011 and 2014, Black Friday has not affected overall sales patterns; rather, it has simply changed the timing of purchases, with more shopping taking place in November and less in December.
“When considering specific retail subsectors…November’s share of annual retail sales has grown significantly since 2006 in three types of retail stores: clothing and clothing accessories stores, electronics and appliance stores as well as sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores,” StatsCan said in a report.
“In the electronics and appliance stores subsector, Black Friday promotions appear to have shifted some sales from December to November. December’s share of annual sales at electronics and appliance stores decreased from 16.1% in 2006 to 14.5% in 2014, while November’s share increased from 8.9% to 10.1%.”
-With files from Glen Korstrom
