Companies excite Kenyans with ‘Black Friday’ deals
The US Black Friday fever appears to have caught in Kenya.
The US “Black Friday” holiday is known for shops opening early, long queues and cheap goods. It’s held every year on the day after Thanksgiving.
In US, chaotic scenes have been witnessed as bargain hunters barge their way into shops.
In Kenya, online shops like Jumia had offers for the better part of the month with vendors giving special offers limited to a specific time with discounts, and discounted or totally free delivery from your their outlets.
Annual sale
It is deemed the biggest annual sale, across all products on the website. There have been deals of up to 90 percent off on more than 10 million products, offered by leading brands, including electronics, toiletries and drinks.
Google estimates that Kenya had 13 million active internet users in 2018 and major campaigns like Black Friday are widely seen to help digitize the economy – providing a reason for customers to log on & save time and money.
In the 1950s in US, the day after Thanksgiving was not a holiday. Workers would often call in sick so they could enjoy a four-day weekend. Employers soon nicknamed the day “Black Friday”.
It has also been used by US police, a result of the large unruly crowds and congested traffic experienced on the day.
Another theory is that the day marks the time of the year when shops first make a profit, moving out of the red and into the black.