Retailers and consumers prepared for Black Friday

Retailers have increased Black Friday sale offers this year and consumers have been starting their searches for deals early, which could all add up to one heck of a big shopping day.

by Helen Leggatt

According to ShopLocal, retailers are set to increase the number of Black Friday sale offers by 21%, and many have promoted their deals earlier than in previous years.

Bricks and mortar stores have taken advantage of the Internet this year, promoting in-store deals way in advance of Black Friday.

Consumers, too, have started their bargain hunting earlier this year, found Experian Marketing Services. New traffic data from across an online custom category of Black Friday advertising sites showed a 58% increase in consumers looking for deals during the week ending November 22, 2008, versus the week ending November, 17, last year.

"This year's Black Friday sales could be bigger than ever," said ShopLocal CEO Vikram Sharma. "Retailers are offering great value to consumers in a difficult season."

Marketers should ensure that websites are load tested to avoid downtime and the subsequent loss of sales during periods of traffic spikes, such as the lead-up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday.