Dublin: As the shopping extravaganza of Black Friday approaches on November 24 in Ireland, there are indications that the customary splendour associated with the event might be waning. Unlike previous years, the online advertising landscape lacks its usual lustre in the pursuit of customers.
According to AIB (Allied Irish Banks), Irish consumers exhibited an extraordinary increase in spending on clothing during the last Black Friday, with a staggering 300% surge compared to a typical day. The bank disclosed that a remarkable 85,000 transactions were recorded on clothing websites on Black Friday, averaging to one transaction per second. This stands in contrast to the usual 20,000 daily transactions. AIB compiled data from over one million anonymous card transactions conducted on the previous Black Friday.
The data reveals that clothing dominated overall spending, surpassing categories like electrical goods, hardware, health, beauty, and jewelry. Notably, online spending on electronics peaked at €2,200 per minute, marking a substantial 226% increase compared to a regular shopping day.
On average, users spent €1,000 per minute on hardware (five transactions), €190 on health and beauty, and €175 on jewellery (both at two transactions per minute). Apparel expenses averaged at €75, electronics at €119, hardware at €204, health and beauty at €77, and jewellery at €137.
The peak hours for online shopping on Black Friday were observed between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., with another surge from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. During these peak hours, four transactions occurred per second. Interestingly, women tended to prefer online shopping at 10 a.m., while men showed a preference for 10 p.m.
Beware of scams.
As anticipation builds for increased online shopping this Black Friday, AIB issued a cautionary reminder to consumers to stay vigilant against phishing emails. The bank highlighted the potential for 50 million global fraud attempts during this holiday season.
Irish Samachar English News