New research from leading British retailer, Debenhams, reveals the amount of preparation and planning Manchester shoppers put into making sure they get the item they want on Black Friday.
The survey, which saw 2,000 shoppers across the UK questioned on their plans, found that over a third (31%) of shoppers plan to book the day off work or have already got the day off in order to tackle the Black Friday sales. Nearly half (44%) of men have, or are planning to, book the day off work compared to just a quarter (24%) of women.
When it comes to planning for the ‘big weekend’, one in ten (11%) admitted they started thinking about what they wanted to buy 4-7 days before.
Women are more likely to create a plan of action for the sales – 8% of the women spoken to in the study said that they started to pull together a wish list one to three months before the sales. Men on the other hand prefer to wait until closer to the time – a fifth (21%) left it 1-5 days before, while 4% made a snap decision on the morning.
Around the country, Londoners plan the furthest ahead – they start thinking about what they want up to three months in advance (3%).
It seems that the early bird really does catch the worm when it comes to Black Friday – a quarter (22%) of those interviewed are planning to wake up early to face the sales, setting their alarm for 6.31am.
The majority of shoppers in the region (11%) have given themselves a budget of £101-151 during the Black Friday sales. Across the country, Southampton shoppers have the biggest pot (£351-£400) followed by those in Leeds (£251-£300). More than a tenth (13%) are spending more than last year, while 74% have budgeted the same amount. Men are more likely to have increased their funds (15%) while women have reduced theirs (13%).
The main beneficiaries of the bargains are the people buying them (61%), followed by partners (33%) and children (31%). Men are most likely to shop for themselves (53%) compared to women (50%).
Richard Cristofoli, Managing Director of Beauty and Marketing at Debenhams, said: “Since arriving in the UK four years ago, Black Friday has become a formidable fixture in the country’s shopping calendar. Last year the event was the biggest day of trade in Debenhams’ 239 year history.
Our customers tell us that they love the glamour and excitement that Debenhams offers through including great deals on top beauty brands, exclusive Designer fashions as well as branded electricals and toys in the event.”
