- Americanas believes that, with more time for purchases, it will dilute the expressive flow during the peak days of the event;
- The month-long event gained momentum this week, on Tuesday more products on the website and in the app had discounts and on Wednesday the physical stores opened with promotional products.
Black Friday is now a month-long event for many retail companies in Brazil, such as B2W (owner of Lojas Americanas), that decided to anticipate sales on the date as a strategy to avoid excessive concentration in both digital and physical channels. But consumers have not adhered as much as expected to storeowners’ advance promotions, according to Valor Econômico.
Sales of electronics and technology items grew in November, from the first to the second and third weeks, but within the average in recent months, not as an effect of the anticipated Black Friday, according to consultants heard by Valor Econômico. The scenario increases companies’ perfomance dependence on Friday.
Americanas told LABS that it believes that, with more time for purchases, it will dilute the expressive flow during the peak days of the event and allow everyone to purchase products calmly and safely. The company also said that the World Health Organization‘s health protocol will be followed in its 1,700 physical stores during the event.
This Black Friday is not only about brick-and-mortar anymore. Brazilian marketplaces are betting on social media lives with influencers to get the crowd’s attention, a similar strategy used by the Chinese AliExpress during its main sales event 11:11 (Singles’ Day).
READ ALSO: Mercado Libre is not acquisitions’ target, says company’s president
Americanas is preparing its live streaming on YouTube and its app. On Thursday and Black Friday itself the firm will promote the Black Friday Americanas Show with YouTuber Felipe Neto leading it, which will last four hours.
To LABS, Brazilian state-owned company that operates as the national postal service of the country, Correios, said that regarding the demands of Black Friday, it expects an increase of more than 20% this year, in relation to the volume of 2019.
“In this sense, the company is structuring operations so that there is the best experience in deliveries, supporting the position of the state-owned firm as the main partner of national e-commerce,” it said.
On 2019’s Black Friday, Americanas sold the equivalent of 53 calendar days
To LABS, Americanas said that Black Friday is the main sales period for e-commerce. At last year’s event, Americanas retailers sold the equivalent of 53 calendar days.
Americanas has been calling its Black Friday as “Red Friday”, related to the color of the marketplace. The event has already started and will last the entire month of November. “On the Americanas website and app, since November 1st, products are available with Black Friday prices and with fast delivery. Customers also find, every day of November, a product with up to 50% cashback paying with the Ame Digital super app,” said Americanas.
The event gained momentum this week. On Tuesday more products on the website and in the app had discounts and on Wednesday the physical stores opened with promotional products. “In the week of Red Friday alone, Americanas will bring millions of offers, discounts, coupons, and many exclusive promotions on the website, in the app, and more than 1,700 physical stores,” said the company.
Discounts range from electronics, computers, telephony, games, housewares, bombonière, food, drinks, toys, clothing, and others.
Online to offline initiatives
In this unique Black Friday in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic with a new wave of cases and deaths in Brazil, e-commerce will be bold. The Brazilian Electronic Commerce Association (ABComm) forecasts a 77% growth in online sales compared to 2019, with a turnover that should reach BRL 6.9 billion, the highest in the history of Brazilian e-commerce.
According to Americanas, the company accelerated online to offline initiatives to allow customers to buy online and receive where and how they want, with delivery in a few hours. Among the logistical efforts, the company also opened new Distribution Centers. Currently the firm has 21 centers and 200 hubs in 10 states in Brazil.
Today, Americanas has 79,900 tenants in its marketplace and more than 56 million products in 40 categories. In the third quarter alone, more than 10,000 retailers joined the marketplace, according to Americanas. “Among these partners, thousands had local brick-and-mortar stores and, with the Local Marketplace initiative, Americanas helped the small merchant deliver to the customer’s desired address within 3 hours,” said the company.
READ ALSO: Mercado Libre opens 5 logistics centers and doubles its capacity in Brazil
For Red Friday, the brand also provided training on the platform for retailers to scale their businesses and increase sales. “Americanas guarantees reinforced stocks on all platforms,” it added.
