Black Friday sales are set to surpass £9 billion this year in the UK, according to data from VoucherCodes.
The weekend will see shoppers make sure that sales climb 15.1 per cent year-on-year, with 2020’s holiday taking home £7.949 billion.
The total is also set to eclipse the number set pre-pandemic by 6.8 per cent (£8.566 billion).
According to VoucherCodes, online shoppers will spend around £3.38 million per minute over Black Friday, with ecommerce spend set to rise by 20.3 per cent, despite bricks-and-mortar stores being open.
Separate research from ecommerce giant Shopify has revealed that 55 per cent of consumers plan to buy during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
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Black Friday sales will see over a third (36 per cent) of consumers are planning to spend more than in 2020, an average of £363 over the weekend.
“Customers across the UK will be shopping and spending on all channels for Black Friday/Cyber Monday, and it’s more important than ever for brands to learn where their customers are looking for deals, learning about their product, and making their purchases so they can continue to personalise experiences,“ Shopify managing director of EMEA Shimona Mehta said.
Shoppers will use social media to complete purchases more than they have in previous years according to Shopify’s research, indicating a shift towards social commerce.
About half of younger shoppers (ages 18-34) are planning to purchase from Facebook (55 per cent) or Instagram (49 per cent) and about a third from TikTok (34 per cent) or Pinterest (32 per cent).
Lounge co-founder Melanie Marsden said: “Social commerce is growing rapidly, particularly among younger generations, and we’re fully expecting our customers to want shop through their favourite channels, whether that’s Instagram, TikTok or Pinterest, more than ever this Black Friday.“
