28 Nov 2019

Kanye principal consumer officer, Ms Lumidzani Pheto has implored consumers not to be deceived by the Black Friday specials and exercise control and restraint in their purchases.

Ms Pheto said in an interview with BOPA on Wednesday, that usually on Black Friday, retailers want consumers to believe that every single item in the store is on sale, which can be tempting for consumers.

She therefore warned consumers against buying impulsively, as she shared that, not everything is truly on sale on Black Friday, stressing that some items are discounted, while more are not.

“There are plenty of other products that may seem like they are on sale when in reality, they are not,” she stressed.

Ms Pheto further advised consumers to avoid going for shopping under pressure, revealing that in her experience, Black Friday specials do not accord consumers opportunity to think, as they are usually misled by adverts and persuasive words.

“Customers need to exercise self-discipline and ensure that they budget and account for all the money they spend during Black Friday,” she said.

“Consumers need to draw a list of things that they need the most and stick to it, thus avoiding those that they do not desperately require,” she advised.

While sharing on the history of Black Friday, she said it was the name given to the shopping day after Thanksgiving.

She shared that originally, it was called Black Friday because many people went out to shops and caused traffic accidents and sometimes even violence.

Ms Pheto said retailers then decided turn ‘Black Friday’ into something positive, upon which they selected the Friday after Thanksgiving to be one of the most profitable days of the year.

“Retailers changed the name to reflect their success.

Accountants use black to signify profit when recording each day’s book entries.

They use red to indicate loss.

So, Black Friday means profitable Friday to retailing and to the economy,” she said.

Further, she said in Botswana, Black Friday was adopted less than a decade ago by major shops in Gaborone and Francistown.

She said although it may be a relatively new phenomenon in the country, past years’ experience indicate that Kanye consumers had embraced Black Friday, with many planning to pick up bargains on the day.

Ms Pheto therefore said their office was on the ground to ensure that the day runs smoothly and that consumers’ rights are not violated.

She said on the day, some consumers do not sleep or wake up early to queue at business outlets.

Ms Pheto also cautioned consumers against the repercussions of Black Fridays such as stampede and causalities due to large numbers of people crammed in small spaces.

“This is also the time when some people’s properties are stolen,” she cautioned. ENDS