Shopaholics may want to pencil in a new date in their calendar after outlets offering Black Friday discounts reported good sales.
Black Friday is a US phenomenon which sees shops and online outlets having massive sales on the last Friday of November.
This year it came to Malta. While the discounts here did not all live up to the Black Friday reputation, consumers did not complain and retailers reported a “very good” response.
Abigail Mamo, director general at the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, GRTU, believes Black Friday will become a calendar event.
Our GRTU members who did not participate seem willing to join the fray next year
“The feeling I got from our members who did not participate this year is that they are willing to join the fray next year,” she said.
Some non-participating shop owners were taken by surprise by those outlets that mark the occasion, which has no roots in Maltese tradition, Ms Mamo added.
“Some did not even know what Black Friday was but the fact that it seems to have worked has enticed them to prepare for it next year.”
Some shops reported sales that rivalled those normally experienced at the peak of December, she said. However, while sales were good the profitability was lowm, as the event hit the best stock close to the Christmas period.
Outlets in Valletta felt the brunt of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting being held there, as consumers shied away from the capital and instead flocked to Sliema. The Point shopping complex in Sliema reported more than 20,000 visitors on the day, according to marketing manager Ilona Debattista.
The complex was the first shopping mall in Malta to host Black Friday, having prepared for it in advance by roping in most outlets and offering consumers extended opening hours.
“We weren’t really sure how people would react when we decided to go for it but they responded very well.
“It was super. We saw more than 20,000 customers throughout the day and we had people here till 10pm,” Ms De-battista said.
However, the success of the event is partially attributed to the fact that schools were closed last Friday as a result of the Commonwealth meeting. Many parents took the day off to be with their children.
“It did help that schools were closed because we saw many families coming over. Next year will be different, but people may work their way around if they are informed in advance,” Ms Debattista said.
kurt.sansone@timesofmalta.com