How to Hold a Black Friday High Street Shopping Event in Covid Times

Posted On: October 30, 2021 By: blueprint_admin

Shoppers are back on the high street, but the threat of Covid-19 hasn’t left completely. With many new cases every day, there is understandably some concern amongst customers about shopping in person as we enter the busiest time of the year for retail. So with that in mind, we have written this article to help you prepare to hold a Black Friday shopping event in Covid times.

Although originally an American event, Black Friday is now firmly entrenched in the UK’s shopping calendar, marking the beginning of the run-up to Christmas. Black Friday falls on the 26th November in 2021, the day after the US celebrates Thanksgiving, and it is the day when the shops offer big discounts to entice shoppers through the door.

If you want help making sure this is a safe and successful experience, here are some tips for handling the Black Friday rush.

One Way Systems

Since restrictions were eased across the UK, many shops stopped using the one-way systems that were meant to keep a flow of traffic running through the store and prevent shoppers from having to pass each other. There is no longer a requirement to socially distance, but with large numbers of customers expected in the shops for Black Friday and beyond, it could offer reassurance to nervous shoppers if you were to put them back in place.

The other advantage of one way systems is that you can send shoppers on a route that passes all of the items you want to promote. It also increases impulse buys, as people see items they would not have noticed if they had free reign to wander wherever they pleased. This is why you always come out of Ikea with loads more than you went in for!

We stock barrier posts and rope to help you create the ideal shopping route around your premises, as well as display boards to help you guide customers on the journey.
Antivirus Items
Other reassuring items you could use to help boost customer confidence at busy times include handing out face masks to those who want to use them. There is no requirement to wear a facial covering in public, but many people will wear them when they are readily available. The more mask wearers in the venue, the more likely anyone nervous of crowded spaces will be to want to come and shop.

You could also make sure there is an acrylic screen at the point of sale to act as a barrier at the point in the process where there is sustained contact between people. Also, make sure you have hand sanitiser available for people to use as they enter the store. All of these measures help improve hygiene and provide a positive perception of your shop for customers.

Pre-Promote Your Safety Measures

Most stores will run a marketing campaign ahead of a big Black Friday sale and in normal times, this would concentrate on the upcoming deals. However, this year you should also let people know that you are doing all you can to be safe.

If people understand that you have Covid safety measures planned for the big day, they are more likely to decide that a Black Friday high street shopping event is worth visiting. Prevent them from heading online to grab their bargains and let them know that they can enjoy the bricks and mortar experience in a safe manner too.

Let them know about your one-way system, whether you are only taking card payments, and all the other measures you have in place. It could help some wavering shoppers feel confident in visiting.

Make Sure Your Displays Are Looking Good

Of course, as well as thinking hard about safety, you need to make sure your displays are ready to attract shoppers during a Black Friday high street shopping event. Make great use of mannequins to show off clothing to its fullest potential, both for the upcoming party season and for those winter essentials to stay warm in the bitter weather. Load up your slatwall and gridwall to display your products and get that layout perfect.

It might be the first time that some shoppers have come back out to the shops with real intent, so wow them with a display that will show them what they have been missing from the high street experience.

For help with all of the above and more, talk to us today.