Will Black Friday 2015 turn into "Black My-day?"

With less than a month to go until the holiday shopping spree kicks off with Black Friday, retailers have been warned to prepare for an influx of shoppers - both online and offline. However not all customers will be out shopping for that special something for their significant other on Black Friday, as the majority of shoppers are poised to take advantage of the special promotions to treat themselves rather than others, according to Hammerson's "Shopper Tribes" 2015 retail report.

Black Friday to transform into 'Black My-Day'

The report, which analysed the purchasing habits and patterns of different age groups, established a 'Black My-day' theme during Black Friday last year which saw 84 percent of younger women aged between 18 and 34 using the discounting event to spoil themselves rather than stock up on Christmas presents. In fact, the report found that close to three quarters of shoppers aged over 55 where not affected by Black Friday and the event had absolutely no impact on the timing of their Christmas shopping at all. Data from the report also indicates that more than half of the polled consumers aim to use this year's shopping bonanza to complete more of their holiday shopping early.

"Early indications from retailers across our UK shopping centres is that Black Friday 2015 will be even bigger and better than last year’s event," commented David Atkins, Chief Executive Officer at Hammerson. "Our Shopper Tribes report identified a ‘Black My-Day’ trend last year, with consumers treating themselves to the fantastic deals on offer, but as customers become more familiar with the phenomenon of Black Friday and build on their experiences from last year, we expect a greater proportion of shoppers from across our regional shopping centre portfolio to take advantage of the savings available on Christmas gift items."

With 64 percent of the 2,000 consumers question claiming to have save a lot of money by purchasing their holiday gifts during Black Friday, UK retailers can expect higher volumes of footfall and sales this year. However, many concerns remain in regards to the retailers' preparedness following last year's Black Friday which saw retailers such as Amazon, John Lewis and Shop Direct struggling to cope with the volume of orders and shipping. "Mindful of protecting sales in the key Christmas trading period, retailers have indicated that a number of offers will be held back for December, although exclusive offers across clothing and footwear are expected to whet consumers’ appetite during Black Friday through to Cyber Monday," added Atkins.

UK Retailers urged to take an integrated approach to Black Friday

Other industry experts urge UK retailers to look deeper into how different channels can play a part in ensuring a success Black Friday shopping experience during a period of heightened activity. "With an ever-increasing amount of channels, it is imperative that retailers take an integrated approach and deliver the same experience for customers, regardless of whether they will be making purchases on a device or in-store," commented Rupal Karia, managing director of Retail and Hospitality for global information technology solutions Fujistu. "This is also a chance to attract new customers for the rest of the year as most consumers look to shop with retailers who can provide the best experience possible."

"Only by putting consumers at the heart of the business, personalising the shopping experience and simplifying the buying process, retailers can hope to win the battle for consumers’ hearts – whether that’s in-store or online and Black Friday is a chance to show this to new customers."