Black Friday set to surge

DATA: LOW INFLATION, STRONGER RAND, RISING SALARIES FUEL OPTIMISM

- Ina Opperman

Shopkeepers across South Africa are bracing for a strong Black Friday this week as e-commerce continues to expand and the economy shows signs of resilience.

With consumers increasingly embracing online shopping, widespread promotions are expected to fuel another robust sales season, according to PayInc, which tracks interbank transactions on behalf of banks.

Although shoppers remain cautious, improving economic conditions may drive demand for bigger-ticket items.

"Last year's Black Friday outperformed a typical shopping day, showing steady year-on-year growth," said Solly Bellingan, PayInc's head of marketing.

Online shopping volumes rose 6% year-on-year, up 27% compared to a normal day, while in-store card transactions improved 24% on the previous day and 10% annually.

Bellingan noted that last year's trends were shaped by the overlap of payday and month-end specials, with promotions running throughout November.