Both physical and online stores buckled under the pressure on November 28 as retailers had not planned for the extraordinary deluge of demand from bargain hunters.Given that the event has now become a fixture in the minds of UK consumers, how can retailers better prepare for Black Friday 2015 on November 27?

1. Six ways retailers can
prepare for Black Friday
by

2. Both physical and online stores buckled under the pressure on November 28 as
retailers had not planned for the extraordinary deluge of demand from bargain
hunters.
Given that the event has now become a fixture in the minds of UK consumers,
how can retailers better prepare for Black Friday 2015 on November 27? The
KPMG/Ipsos Retail Think Tank debated this and suggests some golden rules.
www.retail-week.com

3. 1. Decide early
– are you in or
out?
Sales on Black Friday 2014
reached unprecedented levels but
what followed was the weakest
December sales growth since
2008. Retailers therefore have to
make a choice, and make it early –
they are either in or out.
If they decide to participate, it is
crucial to get the strategy right and
this needs meticulous planning –
many did this in January – and
careful execution rather than snap
last-minute discounting decisions.
www.retail-week.com

4. 2. Strike the right balance
Previously, promotions were driven by the need to shift end-of-season stock or around key
events. The challenge is that shoppers no longer think in this way. For retailers to really
make the most of a small window of heavy discounting, they need to strike the right
balance between volume and margin.
Rather than dramatically discounting all products, a more nuanced approach, focused on
limited lines and targeted reductions, will help ensure that retailers can realise the benefits
of increased volume on Black Friday without disproportionately damaging their margins or
lowering the chances of delivering strong overall Christmas results.

5. 3. Fine tune logistics
A crucial part of any retailer’s sales and
promotion strategy is to know what to
promote, when to promote it and to have
excellence in supply chain in order to be
able to both work with suppliers around the
promotion and also to fulfill any orders.
Mess this up and you probably mess up
Christmas itself. Enhanced communication
with suppliers and logistics companies is
essential for the process to run smoothly.
Additionally, testing supply and delivery
channels throughout the year is a good way
to ensure operations are fully functional and
able to deal with fluctuations in traffic and
demand.
www.retail-week.com

6. 4. Control the crowding
In the days following Black Friday 2014, media coverage highlighted in-store crowding and
the less than exemplary behavior of ‘keen’ consumers on the hunt for a bargain. Retailers
need to work on the staffing levels and the location of the key items being marketed to
better control the in-store experience this year.

7. 5. Stress test
digital channels
In the digital sphere, numerous
websites failed or even collapsed
during Black Friday 2014, and with
loading times taking considerably
longer, many retailers lost out as
consumers were deterred from
purchasing. Retailers need to
stress test their websites to
determine whether they can cope.
With such a surge in online orders
on Black Friday, making sure that
websites can withstand this spike
in activity will be crucial.
www.retail-week.com

8. 6. Review the duration
Given the date itself is somewhat insignificant in the traditional UK calendar, one approach
to managing the chaos experienced during Black Friday 2014 could be to extend the sales
event over a whole week, wrapping up Black Friday, Cyber Monday (and the days in
between) in a neat little bow.
This would certainly reduce the risk of overcrowded stores, alleviate pressures online and
prevent logistics being overstretched. However, should this be the case, maybe the question
on retailer’s lips shouldn’t be “how do we manage Black Friday” but instead “do we really
need January sales?”

9.  Retail Week can help ensure you are fully prepared for this year’s
Black Friday with unique insight into your competitor’s activity,
consumer trends, the latest trends and innovations and technology
developments
 Contact us on the details below to find out more or to arrange a
demo
E: corporate.enquiries@emap.com
T: +44 (0) 20 3033 2649
www.retail-week.com
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