Black Friday And Cyber Monday Sales Move Online Amidst Pandemic

The holiday season of 2020 looks drastically different from what it used to be in the past. The coronavirus pandemic has made it impossible for retailers to organize regular doorbuster sales and most of them have moved online keeping public safety in mind. Even the CDC had given strict warnings to the retailers to avoid crowds during the holiday season.

Black Friday And Cyber Monday Sales Move Online Amidst Pandemic

Most people are now happy to get essential commodities rather than looking for Black Friday deals. The sales are not encouraging so far, and most retailers are still having lots of stock that are left unsold. Considering all these issues, many retailers have extended the Black Friday sale offers, and this has got to be the longest Cyber Monday in recent years.

Earlier, the Black Friday sales were a huge success as tons of people gathered outside the outlets many hours before the retailers opened for sale. Retailers were able to sell almost anything during the Black Friday sales. However, this year is entirely different as the guidance from the CDC made it impossible for the retailers to organize regular sales. A strict warning was given in this regard to avoid crowded stores during Thanksgiving as this was on the list of high-risk activities during the pandemic.

Some of the top retailers of the country have been taking precautionary measures like limiting the number of shoppers inside the outlets and cleaning the place regularly. Some retailers even sanitized the shopping carts and ensured that all the shoppers wore masks before entering the premises. Even the crowds are not that great as most people fear coming out during the festival season. The number of Covid 19 cases has continued to rise consistently across the country, and there is no stopping the coronavirus till a proven vaccine is available for the public.

The usual Black Friday sale that used to last only for a couple of days has now turned into a month-long series of smaller sales to keep the crowds away from the retail outlets. This is a good strategy as the retailers can organize the sales into different categories and move the best selling doorbusters to online-only sales. In this manner, some of the best selling items were available online since the last few weeks and most shoppers also felt comfortable to purchase the items online as compared to visiting the outlets during the pandemic situation.

Some shoppers who would still like to enter the stores during the pandemic can expect a long queue, and they hope to get some items of their choice that are not available online at the Black Friday sales. Most of the big retailers held a meeting and discussed the precautionary measures needed to be taken to prevent the spread of covid-19 during the festive season in the shopping malls. As the centres are a hub for many people during the holiday season, it was important to avoid the crowds and move the top-selling items to online deals.

Some of the retailers were closed on Thanksgiving Day as they wanted to provide their employees a day to spend with their loved ones. As most of the happening sales have moved online this year, the retailers can take it easy when it comes to regular sales at the outlets. Only a few stores opened on Thanksgiving Day, and most of the big retailers are closed on this day.

Other retailers allowed the customers to order items online and pick them up from the stores. In this way, they need not enter inside the shopping mall, and this will limit the crowd in the premises. This is also a good way to address delays in shopping, and customers feel happy as they can pick up the goods on the same day after ordering them online.

If you are planning to visit any of the retail outlets on this Black Friday, make sure to carry a face mask as most of the stores will not allow customers who are not wearing a mask inside the premises. It is also a good idea to carry your smartphone as you can make contactless payment and even scan the prices of your favourite items in the stores. If you find yourself in a crowded place, make sure to distance yourself from others for your own safety.