Black Friday is On Notice

Looks like Black Friday was not quite what the retail industry had hoped. The average Black Friday shopper is spending less than they did last year, leading to the weakest Black Friday since 2009.

Our thought: single-event-shopping is not something the New Shopper is interested in. New numbers show Black Friday shoppers use technology less than the norm, and almost half still rely on print media to find deals. 

These are the remnants of the old guard of shoppers. Black Friday is a tradition in many families. Stores will still cater to these individuals, but look for them to be less and less prevalent. 

The convenience of online shopping increases the amount of motivation it takes to get a shopper out the door. News flash to the industry: The day after Thanksgiving, though usually a holiday for non-retail employees, is super inconvenient. Coupled with sensational stories of shoppers getting trampled, killed or assaulted, the experience cannot necessarily be dictated by the store as there are so many external factors.

Look for omnichannel retailers to succeed and catcch up in the coming weeks, when the new smart shoppers have done their research and come out shopping.