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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2016/nov/25/online-rush-for-bargains-kicks-off-black-friday-business-live
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| Black Friday shoppers rush for online bargains - business live | Black Friday shoppers rush for online bargains - business live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 2.32pm GMT | |
| 14:32 | |
| appliancesdirect.co.uk says customers are taking advantage of Black Friday to make savings on big ticket items. | |
| Since midnight it has sold more than 4,000 blenders, over 2,000 washing machines, and 1,000 4K HD televisions. | |
| Mark Kelly, marketing manager, says demand has been strong as consumers want to buy big ticket items now before consumer prices start to pick up next year: | |
| We anticipated strong sales, but the popularity in cut price home appliances this year has surpassed our expectations. Shoppers have taken full advantage of thousands of pounds of savings on big ticket items in anticipation of price rises in technology early next year as a result of the exchange rate changes following the referendum result. | |
| 1.56pm GMT | 1.56pm GMT |
| 13:56 | 13:56 |
| Rebecca Smithers | Rebecca Smithers |
| Amazon reported brisk online sales as a result of its latest deals, as part of its extended Black Friday sale which started on 14 November and with new offers launched every day since. The top deals running today include discounts on bestselling Alexa ‘hands-free’ devices Amazon Echo and Echo Dot, with Echo available for just £119.99, and Echo Dot available for just £39.99. | Amazon reported brisk online sales as a result of its latest deals, as part of its extended Black Friday sale which started on 14 November and with new offers launched every day since. The top deals running today include discounts on bestselling Alexa ‘hands-free’ devices Amazon Echo and Echo Dot, with Echo available for just £119.99, and Echo Dot available for just £39.99. |
| Doug Gurr, Amazon’s UK country manager, commented: “We’ve had a very positive customer response to the thousands of deals during our extended 12 day Black Friday Sale and customers have been snapping up lots of our great deals on offer since midnight. | Doug Gurr, Amazon’s UK country manager, commented: “We’ve had a very positive customer response to the thousands of deals during our extended 12 day Black Friday Sale and customers have been snapping up lots of our great deals on offer since midnight. |
| From the company’s Peterborough distribution warehouse Paul Firth, Amazon’s head of music, said health and beauty products and toys were also doing well. Three of the top five best-selling items in its sports section were Fitbit Flex activity trackers (up to 50% off) while electric tootbrushes (up to 76% off) accounted for three of the top five beauty items. | From the company’s Peterborough distribution warehouse Paul Firth, Amazon’s head of music, said health and beauty products and toys were also doing well. Three of the top five best-selling items in its sports section were Fitbit Flex activity trackers (up to 50% off) while electric tootbrushes (up to 76% off) accounted for three of the top five beauty items. |
| Star Wars toys and games were also snapped up, alongside the Disney Rapunzel doll with glowing hair. Like other retailers Amazon has completely sold out of this year’s must-have toy, Hatchimals. “People are also buying practical and essential things such as PC memory cards and wi-fi extenders” Firth said. | Star Wars toys and games were also snapped up, alongside the Disney Rapunzel doll with glowing hair. Like other retailers Amazon has completely sold out of this year’s must-have toy, Hatchimals. “People are also buying practical and essential things such as PC memory cards and wi-fi extenders” Firth said. |
| Last year in the UK Amazon sold 7.4 million items on Black Friday - 86 items every second. “It’s too early to tell what the picture is” Firth added. “But it certainly all looks very busy. Busy, but ordered….” At Peterborough, the 1,000 staff had been bolstered by another 2,000 to ensure no hitches with picking and packing during this key trading period. | Last year in the UK Amazon sold 7.4 million items on Black Friday - 86 items every second. “It’s too early to tell what the picture is” Firth added. “But it certainly all looks very busy. Busy, but ordered….” At Peterborough, the 1,000 staff had been bolstered by another 2,000 to ensure no hitches with picking and packing during this key trading period. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.56pm GMT | at 1.56pm GMT |
| 1.44pm GMT | 1.44pm GMT |
| 13:44 | 13:44 |
| Football clubs are embracing Black Friday, with many offering 20% off kit and other merchandise in their shops and online. | Football clubs are embracing Black Friday, with many offering 20% off kit and other merchandise in their shops and online. |
| Leicester City, reigning Premier League champions, have got their own twist: | Leicester City, reigning Premier League champions, have got their own twist: |
| It's Blue Friday! Get 20% off all kit, in-store and online now! https://t.co/AVL24v51yo. #BlueFriday pic.twitter.com/CAMAZcmXfD | It's Blue Friday! Get 20% off all kit, in-store and online now! https://t.co/AVL24v51yo. #BlueFriday pic.twitter.com/CAMAZcmXfD |
| 1.28pm GMT | 1.28pm GMT |
| 13:28 | 13:28 |
| Some more Black Friday stats, this time from Very.co.uk: | Some more Black Friday stats, this time from Very.co.uk: |
| 1.08pm GMT | 1.08pm GMT |
| 13:08 | 13:08 |
| Currys PC World says it had more than half a million visitors to its website before 6am. | Currys PC World says it had more than half a million visitors to its website before 6am. |
| The two most popular products have been the Google Chromecast and the JVC 32C660 32” Smart LED TV. | The two most popular products have been the Google Chromecast and the JVC 32C660 32” Smart LED TV. |
| Stuart Ramage, e-commerce director at Dixons Carphone: | Stuart Ramage, e-commerce director at Dixons Carphone: |
| We’ve been preparing for today for almost a year now to ensure the best deals for our customers. We continue to break records with orders already up 40% year-on-year since 2015, and as we predicted, shoppers are making the most of our stores being open early, but also placing orders by mobile devices with our highest ever mobile traffic share since Black Friday began. | We’ve been preparing for today for almost a year now to ensure the best deals for our customers. We continue to break records with orders already up 40% year-on-year since 2015, and as we predicted, shoppers are making the most of our stores being open early, but also placing orders by mobile devices with our highest ever mobile traffic share since Black Friday began. |
| 12.44pm GMT | 12.44pm GMT |
| 12:44 | 12:44 |
| Argos says its busiest hour so far was between 8am and 9am, when it received about 700,000 web visits (80% of which were on mobiles and tablets). | Argos says its busiest hour so far was between 8am and 9am, when it received about 700,000 web visits (80% of which were on mobiles and tablets). |
| Popular products include iPads, PS4, xbox, Dyson vacuum cleaners and Beats headphones. It also expects TVs and toys to among the best sellers. | Popular products include iPads, PS4, xbox, Dyson vacuum cleaners and Beats headphones. It also expects TVs and toys to among the best sellers. |
| Lunchtime is expected to mark another peak, and then 5pm to 7pm as people make their way home from work. | Lunchtime is expected to mark another peak, and then 5pm to 7pm as people make their way home from work. |
| Catherine Shuttleworth, chief executive at retail marketing agency, Savvy, is at the Argos distribution centre in Barton. | Catherine Shuttleworth, chief executive at retail marketing agency, Savvy, is at the Argos distribution centre in Barton. |
| I’ve been here since 5.30am where there’s a sense of great calm and slick organisation despite this being the biggest and busiest day of the year for Argos. | I’ve been here since 5.30am where there’s a sense of great calm and slick organisation despite this being the biggest and busiest day of the year for Argos. |
| With 800-plus staff on site during this peak week they’re expecting to pick over two million items and over 330,000 today. With business operating 24/7 the Barton distribution centre will process 15,000 parcels an hour alone. | With 800-plus staff on site during this peak week they’re expecting to pick over two million items and over 330,000 today. With business operating 24/7 the Barton distribution centre will process 15,000 parcels an hour alone. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.45pm GMT | at 12.45pm GMT |
| 12.31pm GMT | 12.31pm GMT |
| 12:31 | 12:31 |
| Retailers take alternative approach to Black Friday | Retailers take alternative approach to Black Friday |
| Not all retailers are slashing prices today, with some taking a different approach to the US-inspired discount day. | Not all retailers are slashing prices today, with some taking a different approach to the US-inspired discount day. |
| The Guardian’s Sarah Butler reports: | The Guardian’s Sarah Butler reports: |
| Outdoor brands Patagonia and Braintree, as well as fashion chain FatFace, will be donating proceeds from the day to charity while Jigsaw and Next have both announced they will not be offering discounts. Meanwhile Berghaus is encouraging its customers to head outdoors as an alternative to the shopping frenzy. | Outdoor brands Patagonia and Braintree, as well as fashion chain FatFace, will be donating proceeds from the day to charity while Jigsaw and Next have both announced they will not be offering discounts. Meanwhile Berghaus is encouraging its customers to head outdoors as an alternative to the shopping frenzy. |
| Patagonia will be donating its entire global sales income from its own website and stores on 25 November to 80 grassroots environmental organisations around the world, including Surfers against Sewage and London Waterkeeper in the UK. | Patagonia will be donating its entire global sales income from its own website and stores on 25 November to 80 grassroots environmental organisations around the world, including Surfers against Sewage and London Waterkeeper in the UK. |
| “As people think generously about family and friends, we also want to help our customers show love to the planet, which badly needs a gift or two,” the company said. | “As people think generously about family and friends, we also want to help our customers show love to the planet, which badly needs a gift or two,” the company said. |
| Full story here: | Full story here: |
| 12.18pm GMT | 12.18pm GMT |
| 12:18 | 12:18 |
| It may be Black Friday but for some, it’s all about Giving Tuesday. | It may be Black Friday but for some, it’s all about Giving Tuesday. |
| Giving Tuesday (this year on 29 November) began five years ago in the US as an antidote to the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. | Giving Tuesday (this year on 29 November) began five years ago in the US as an antidote to the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. |
| The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) brought it to the UK for the first time 2014, and is today calling on Black Friday shoppers to support a cause they care about next Tuesday. | The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) brought it to the UK for the first time 2014, and is today calling on Black Friday shoppers to support a cause they care about next Tuesday. |
| Hannah Terrey, head of policy and campaigns at CAF, says: | Hannah Terrey, head of policy and campaigns at CAF, says: |
| After the frenzy of festive consumerism, #givingtuesday is a day for everyone to ‘do good stuff’ for a cause they care about, whether that’s donating money, volunteering time or simply talking about their favourite charities. | After the frenzy of festive consumerism, #givingtuesday is a day for everyone to ‘do good stuff’ for a cause they care about, whether that’s donating money, volunteering time or simply talking about their favourite charities. |
| Just like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #givingtuesday has now firmly established itself as a regular fixture in the festive calendar. It is great to see that even more people are planning to take some time over Christmas to give something back to a good cause. | Just like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #givingtuesday has now firmly established itself as a regular fixture in the festive calendar. It is great to see that even more people are planning to take some time over Christmas to give something back to a good cause. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.19pm GMT | at 12.19pm GMT |
| 12.07pm GMT | 12.07pm GMT |
| 12:07 | 12:07 |
| Rebecca Smithers | Rebecca Smithers |
| Shoppers heading into Poundland expecting some Black Friday bargains for less than £1 are in for a shock. | Shoppers heading into Poundland expecting some Black Friday bargains for less than £1 are in for a shock. |
| Poundland’s surprises include - for the first time - a range of products with price tags exceeding the standard £1. The discount retailer says it is the “perfect destination to snap up a bargain this Black Friday”, which include up to 65% on perfumes and fragrances, including a 50 ml bottle of Eau de Gaga which can be snapped up for just £8, compared with the RRP of £32. | Poundland’s surprises include - for the first time - a range of products with price tags exceeding the standard £1. The discount retailer says it is the “perfect destination to snap up a bargain this Black Friday”, which include up to 65% on perfumes and fragrances, including a 50 ml bottle of Eau de Gaga which can be snapped up for just £8, compared with the RRP of £32. |
| 11.39am GMT | 11.39am GMT |
| 11:39 | 11:39 |
| Howard Archer, chief UK economist at IHS Markit, says the positive survey from the CBI suggests the economy is holding up in the fourth quarter, following growth of 0.5% in the third. | Howard Archer, chief UK economist at IHS Markit, says the positive survey from the CBI suggests the economy is holding up in the fourth quarter, following growth of 0.5% in the third. |
| He does, however, add a note of caution: | He does, however, add a note of caution: |
| A buoyant November CBI Distributive Trades survey points to consumers still splashing out in the fourth quarter, thereby boosting hopes that GDP growth will hold up well. Retailers will certainly be hoping that consumers’ willingness to spend holds up over the vital Christmas shopping period. | A buoyant November CBI Distributive Trades survey points to consumers still splashing out in the fourth quarter, thereby boosting hopes that GDP growth will hold up well. Retailers will certainly be hoping that consumers’ willingness to spend holds up over the vital Christmas shopping period. |
| The major problem facing the economy – and retailers in particular - is that it looks inevitable that the fundamentals for consumers will progressively weaken over the coming months with inflation rising markedly due to the weakened pound and companies likely increasingly looking to hold down pay to limit their total costs. The labour market also looks likely to come under mounting pressure despite its current resilience. | The major problem facing the economy – and retailers in particular - is that it looks inevitable that the fundamentals for consumers will progressively weaken over the coming months with inflation rising markedly due to the weakened pound and companies likely increasingly looking to hold down pay to limit their total costs. The labour market also looks likely to come under mounting pressure despite its current resilience. |
| In the near-term, there is the possibility that some consumers will bring forward purchases of big-ticket items in the belief that their prices are likely to rise appreciably over the coming months. | In the near-term, there is the possibility that some consumers will bring forward purchases of big-ticket items in the belief that their prices are likely to rise appreciably over the coming months. |