Black Friday to become Cyber Monday in the UK, as telecoms companies plan one day of discounts on to cyber Monday
Black Friday is on the verge of being renamed Cyber Monday, as technology giants expect to offer discounts to fans of their products in the run-up to the UK’s biggest shopping day.
The annual tradition of Canadian shoppers scouring the stores for retailers to slash prices in time for the big day has been held since 2008. The term Black Friday was coined by the British retail analyst John Frith in his 2007 book Black Friday.
Cyber Monday came about six years later in the US to capitalise on a surge in online shopping.
With a Black Friday promotion already underway in the US, and promotions for Black Friday 2019 already in place, many UK retailers are already preparing their discounts ahead of the event.
In the US and Canada, the “black” means the day is a no-frills retail day without steep discounts on secondhand and clearance goods. US retailers like Home Depot, Best Buy and Lowe’s had been encouraging US shoppers to browse on Cyber Monday, but the possibility of an official markdown for Black Friday 2019 now makes the day a greater commercial consideration for UK technology companies.
Tim Edwards, the chief marketing officer of Brandwatch, said: “Cyber Monday is quite different to Black Friday. Black Friday is for savvy bargain hunters and Cyber Monday is for those looking for big bargains.
“It’s a chance for technology companies to try to highlight the value of their products rather than just encouraging consumers to upgrade. The sites have become overcrowded with people looking for deals and there’s a lack of discovery. We need to offer something different for this to click and to invite users in.
“Take a look at the iPhone 8 and iPhone X or you’ll see people regularly on Amazon doing a search to see if there’s something on sale. It’s a different world, so there’s a real need for tech brands to help users discover when there’s a bargain to be had.”
Not to be outdone, more British and US tech firms are planning one-day discounts in an attempt to cash in on a global trend of the day becoming ever bigger for technology and tech-related retail.
Novatel Wireless, a wireless charging technology company that powers almost half of the world’s Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphones, will offer discounts worth almost £25 on its devices on Cyber Monday.
Movistar, the Spanish wireless provider, has promised an “epic moment” of pricing, and Google is set to launch a limited-edition wireless charger for its Pixel smartphone.
The information in this article is provided by branding expert Tim Edwards