2015 Black Friday UK SME spend data
– 40% uplift in retail spending around Black Friday
– UK retailers using Vend processed £910k worth of sales just on Black Friday, up from £650k on an average Fri in November
– 13% increase in sales volumes on Black Friday and a 29% increase in average sales value. The average transaction value on Black Friday was £22.
– 79% increase in the number of discounts applied by retailers, compared to the November average.
– However, post-Christmas discounting is still much higher than Black Friday – our 2014 data shows that on on 29th Dec the number of discounts jumped by 131% compared to Black Friday.
– Fashion & Apparel stores saw the biggest benefit from Black Friday – spending in their stores increased by 92% compared to average, followed by Electronics & Computer stores (66%) and Sports & Outdoor (55%).
– Christmas still likely to outspend Black Friday
– Vend’s 2014 data shows that the weekend following Black Friday (6th & 7th Dec) retail spending increased even further, and continued to rise every weekend leading up to Christmas.
– Spending increases by 27% from Black Friday to its peak on Saturday 20th December.
– Big spending doesn’t always spell great news for retailers, as Black Friday impulse buys can create high levels of returns and refunds.
– Vend’s 2014 data showed that customer refunds from October-December are at their highest point following Black Friday on the 9th Dec (64% higher than average). Refunds then spike again on the 30th Dec to near-identical levels, following Christmas.
Increase in retail spend by major city over Black Friday compared to average Friday in November:
1. Bristol (79%)
2. London (62%)
3. Birmingham (60%)
4. Leeds (48%)
5. Manchester (47%)
Increase in retail spend by vertical for Black Friday compared to average Friday in November:
1. Fashion and Apparel (92%)
2. Electronics and Computers (66%)
3. Sports and Outdoor (55%)
4. Health and Beauty (54%)
5. Home and Lifestyle (47%)
