Brands must prepare for a very different Black Friday experience

52% of US shoppers believe that large retail stores should close during the Black Friday weekend, in order to protect the public against Covid-19, according to research from Contentsquare.

Incorporating data from over 4,000 consumers around the world, this also found that Americans are by far the most concerned about the coronavirus.

Only 39% in Britain, 36% in France and 26% in Germany would actively avoid shopping in physical stores. This in spite of the fact that many of those in Europe are currently experiencing a lockdown of all but essential retail.

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Jonathan Cherki, Founder and CEO, Contentsquare, says: “Shoppers choosing to stay home this Black Friday doesn’t have to be bad news for America’s retailers.”

“All our data suggests that consumers are still spending and, in some cases, are planning to spend more than ever this holiday season. All that’s changed is that the vast majority of this shopping has now moved online.”

Brands need to prepare themselves for a very different Black Friday experience, he argues.

“Regardless of whether your store is forced to close this Black Friday, or if shoppers simply choose to stay home, the most important thing to do is ensure that your websites, apps and e-commerce platforms are prepared for a serious influx of traffic.”

“The Christmas period will represent a huge opportunity for retailers to recoup previous losses, so long as they provide customers with a strong, positive and memorable online shopping experience,” Cherki concludes.