Over the last ten years, the American tradition of Black Friday has slowly worked its way around the globe. The day consists of 24 hours of access to exclusive deals from many retailers, both on and offline.
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The focus is often on electrical items, with vast discounts on TVs and household appliances. With the addition of Cyber Monday promoting eCommerce, for most, it is now a long weekend event with many offers lasting until COP on the Monday.
Transportation
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This all has a significant impact on the transportation industry. To successfully benefit from Black Friday weekend, retailers need stock, they need pick ups and they need deliveries. This all comes down to supply chain networks being prepared and ready.
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In an industry facing mass shortages of drivers, this year could prove to be particularly difficult for many areas of the supply chain. As the busiest day for courier services companies and the transport industry, extra drivers, extra vans and extra hands will almost certainly be needed.
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For a month before the actual event freight managers will be working to ensure inventories are filled for the fabled weekend. By spreading the load over a month, retailers will have the best chance of a full stock room in anticipation of the weekend arriving.
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For Black Friday deals here in the Middle East, check black-Friday.global.
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A Shift Towards Ecommerce
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Black Friday, now recognised globally, is representative of a shift in the retail towards ecommerce. Although brick and mortar retailers offer the sales, for many, it is a home-on-the-sofa occasion.
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The COVID-19 pandemic saw the shift swing even further in 2020. As many people stayed home to help combat the virus, brick and mortar retail remained closed. Black Friday, however, saw some of the most adventurous online activity to date.
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With the pandemic still affecting much of the world, some of the changes made are here to stay. Businesses that were not heavily invested in their online presence, are now. This again puts extra strain on the supply chain.
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As for this year’s Black Friday Weekend, the preparations are already underway. Supply chain managers the world over are busy planning, scheduling and overseeing the efforts to keep stock levels at maximum for retailers looking to capitalise on the event.
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OCS will of course be playing their part in this year’s ‘golden quarter’ for retail. We offer both domestic and international shipping, subscriptions, cargo, logistics and more. For a quote on rates, follow the link.
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