"South Africans are savvy shoppers and we expect they will be seeking out all the best deals as per the Black Friday hype.”
The Shoprite Group said judging by the high level of customer loyalty the Checkers and Shoprite supermarkets enjoy, the group is expecting its stores to be very busy.
Alex Kabalin, retail executive at the V&A Waterfront, said the shopping centre had enjoyed a strong run for the past three years but are more conservative in their festive season trade outlook, coming off the back of a more subdued retail climate.
Reginald Bunton, centre manager at Gugulethu Square Shopping Centre, said he could not provide footfall stats as the centre is not fitted with foot counting devices. "Some national tenants base their turnover for the festive season over a six-week period. I have spoken with a few of them and was advised there was a slight improvement in sales over the same time period last year.”
Gwerega Mangozhe, chief executive at the Consumer Goods Council of SA, said this year has been challenging for the consumer goods sector mainly because of tough trading conditions characterised by subdued demand and sales.
Mangozhe said pressure on household incomes, which was exacerbated by high prices as a result of the depreciation of the rand against the dollar, affected spending, with families opting for essentials and spending less on big ticket items such as furniture and electrical goods.
“Retailers have, however, been responding by offering discounts on selected items to boost sales and also cushion the impact on stretched family budgets.
"Indications are that retailers are bracing for a busy festive trading period despite the current tough trading climate.”
Antoinette Coetzee, retail asset manager for Redefine Properties, said Black Friday marked the beginning of the 2016 shopping season.
Coetzee said when looking at key sectors and trends, food categories are expected to perform well over the festive season again this year, as will health and beauty.
“The effect of currency volatility on electronics and imported luxury goods, however, could see people being more circumspect in that segment of the market.”