• Massmart has begun its Black Friday deals in earnest, and will be running them throughout the month of November.
• Makro, Game, and Builders will be running a new set of deals each week during November.
• Massmart is also aiming to improve its online experience with a higher percentage of next-day collections.

While the start of November means only two months left in the year for many, within the South African retail space, it means the beginning of marketing around Black Friday deals.

For Massmart, which owns Makro, Game, and Builders locally, the scenario is no different, and like previous iterations, the retailer will be reintroducing its month-long Black Friday deals.

To that end, at each of the aforementioned brands, Massmart will have a new set of Black Friday deals each month.

“Despite the difficult year local consumers have faced, our customers have expressed keen interest in Black Friday this year. Massmart’s customers have been clear that they prefer month-long promotions as they have more time to compare pricing and shop the items they really need; and are able to avoid the Black Friday rush,” explained Andrew Stein, Massmart’s chief customer officer.

“Our research shows that Electronics, Computers, TVs, Audio Systems and, Groceries and Beverages are the most in-demand products this year. We have also identified specific demand for essential items like tinned food, rice, coffee, sugar, washing powder, and milk. In line with these insights we have extended our Black Friday focus at Game and Makro to provide best possible value on groceries and pantry essentials,” added Katherine Madley, VP of Marketing at Massmart.

In terms of where Massmart is paying particular attention for this year’s Black Friday, the on line retail space will be of importance. Here, the company says shoppers have asked for more convenience, which is why it is keen to see them use OneCart, as it provides a “personal shopper” to do the shopping at a number of outlets including Makro and selected Game stores.

With four separate weeks of deals planned for each of its retailers, Massmart has broken down the start of each new week as follows:

Makro

• 29th October – 5th November,
• 6th November – 12th November,
• 13th November – 19th November,
• 20th November – 26th November .

Game 

• 1st November – 7th November,
• 8th November – 14th November,
• 15th November – 21st November,
• 22th November – 28th November. 

Builders

• 30th October – 5th November,
• 6th November – 12th November,
• 13th November – 19th November,
• 20th November – 26th November.