Much to many people’s dismay, Black Friday appears to be here to stay but there is at least a small crumb of comfort for critics and retailers alike – Cyber Monday’s days are numbered, if consumers’ opinions count for anything.
The Black Friday effect started on the previous Sunday (November 20) this year and built through “Black Friday Week”, as many brands jumped the gun and released offers early.
Online traffic on Black Friday was very similar to last year, at over 224% of normal levels with volumes remaining somewhat raised afterwards.
Cyber Monday made little difference, according to the company behind this research, Fresh Relevance, which compiled the data based on billions of page views across its client-base in the UK and US.
It is expecting traffic to remain at 10% higher than normal in the run-up to Christmas, in line with 2015.
Fresh Relevance chief executive Mike Austin said: “It’s amazing to recall that only two years ago, Cyber Monday had more traffic than Black Friday. Yet, now shoppers seem firmly fixated on Black Friday Week and Cyber Monday has faded away.
“With all the changes in the UK and US this year such as Brexit, the US Presidential election and widely reported squeeze on living standards, it is clear that the appetite for a Black Friday deal remains strong.”
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