Get off the shopping spree to find the best deal. On the occasion of Black Friday, an anniversary imported from the United States that marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season and related sales, consumers will look for the right occasion on the chain or in physical stores participating in the event. According to a survey by Coldiretti and Ixè, more than 6 out of 10 Italians will try to take advantage of the discounts, at an average cost of 169 euros per person.
Favorite sectors? Technology, clothing, beauty products and food and wine. However, more than half (52%) will keep the budget below 100 euros: the prospects for the future weigh heavily, with inflation dictated by the increase in energy costs that puts family budgets in crisis and calls for moderation in expenses. Even if, in view of Christmas, many try to take advantage of Black Friday for gifts, explains Codacons, which estimates a turnover of 3.5 billion euros. Meanwhile, business associations are starting to take stock of the day’s economic results: Federmoda Italia-Confcommercio estimates a sales figure similar to that of 2021, when fashion retailers earned around 500 million euros. However, the association underlines one of the well-known imbalances of Black Friday, namely the possibility for large online retailers to extend the duration of discounts, taking advantage of higher sales volumes. “Our suggestion to consumers is always to ask for advice and buy from trusted stores, because trust never betrays, even on Black Friday”, highlights Federmoda president Giulio Felloni. Finally, consumer associations took the floor, denouncing the event’s problems and distortions. If Codacons denounces “the increase in scams and fake websites”, Federconsumatori highlights how complaints from citizens denouncing “serious speculative phenomena” have been circulating for several days. Such as inflated sales prices of products, aiming to make discounts irrelevant. One more reason to be careful when shopping, not to act on impulse, compare offers and use safe websites.
Source: IL Tempo
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
