Deals and discounts make a comeback as Black Friday sale catches on

The sales and discounts are back both online and offline, now for Black Friday on November 24 and Cyber Monday soon after. E-commerce firms, retailers and marquee brands are wooing customers with deals that only Diwali brought till recently. A Western concept signaling the start of Christmas shopping, Black Friday is increasingly becoming an integral part of the retail frenzy in the country.     

The flagship e-commerce initiatives of the Tata Group —Tata CLiQ, Tata CLiQ Luxury, and Tata CLiQ Palette are hosting their annual and much-anticipated Black Friday Sale with a catchy tagline ‘Thank God It’s Black Friday’. They are providing offers across a spectrum of categories, including apparel, beauty, accessories, footwear, home, jewellery and watches. The sale is live on Tata CLiQ and Tata CLiQ Luxury from November 22 to November 27 and on Tata CLiQ Palette from November 17 to November 27. 

The company’s Thank God It’s Black Friday event is catching “The Black Friday Sale has always been an exciting time as we look at providing consumers with never-seen-before offers on leading global and Indian brands across a wide range of categories,” said Gopal Asthana, chief executive officer, Tata CLiQ. The company is of course expecting the momentum of the festive season to continue right through the Christmas and New Year. The brands at play include anything from Hugo Boss to Jimmy Choo and  Prada to Versace with discounts of up to 85 per cent. 

Amazon Beauty, one of the categories of the e-commerce major Amazon, is hosting the third edition of ‘The Beauty Sale’ which coincides with the Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  The sale, which is being hosted from November 24 to 26, will have up to 60 per cent off on all beauty products and up to 50 per cent off on luxury beauty products, the company said. Besides 8000 deals on 300 brands, there are 8 pm deals lasting till the midnight.

“Over the years, we've observed a heightened awareness among Indian customers regarding both skin and hair health and indulgence, leading to increased investments in premium products,” said  Zeba Khan, director, beauty, personal care and luxury beauty, Amazon India. This edition of ‘The Beauty Sale’ is designed to elevate the beauty experience, Khan said.

An Amazon spokesperson said that Amazon.in is also offering top deals across consumer electronics and furniture with up to 80 per cent and 75 per cent off respectively till November 26.  Amazon’s rival Walmart-owned Flipkart didn’t comment.

Bala Sarda, founder and chief executive officer, VAHDAM India, India’s largest homegrown wellness brand, which offers Indian teas and spices, said: “Last year we received a great response for our Black Friday - Cyber Monday sale in India. This year it’s happening just two weeks after Diwali, which usually is the biggest sale time in India.”  However, the company sees it as an opportunity to reach out to consumers who might have missed out on the Diwali offers. The focus products for both sales are vastly different.

While Diwali purchases are mostly from a gifting perspective in India, Sarda said BFCM is more about making those purchases that consumers have on the wishlist, waiting for the right time and price that works for them.

Anticipating the surge in popularity during BFCM  sales in India, NeceSera, an eco-friendly loungewear brand, is gearing up for an impactful weekend, projecting a substantial 70 per cent increase in sales. It is rolling out discounts of up to 50 per cent for the first time. “Product categories like ours, even though are year-round essentials, are often not the focus point during the Diwali sale rush,” said Riddhi Jain, founder And CEO, NeceSera. 
 

“This gives our customers an opportunity to restock on their wish-lists.”

Anastasia Beverly Hills (ABH), the American cosmetics company best known for its eyebrow products, has seen Black Friday gaining popularity amongst the Indian audience over the last few years.

“Brands have adopted Black Friday as a promotional tool to augment interest and capture the market alongside with the objective to uplift sales,” said Medhavi Nain, head of marketing, Anastasia Beverly Hills India.

Mini Sood Banerjee, assistant director and head of marketing, Amorepacific Group, the South Korean cosmetics brand Amorepacific Group, said the concept of Black Friday is a fascinating opportunity for Indian consumers to explore and experience products they've been eager to try. 

Malls are cashing in on the relatively new trend too. Gajendra Singh Rathod, director of Malls, South India, The Phoenix Mills Ltd, said: “Featuring an impressive roster of over 200 brands offering irresistible deals, this Friday is set to be an unparalleled retail spectacle, drawing in a multitude of enthusiastic shoppers.”

Then there are others like the CRED store, the e-commerce leg of fintech firm CRED. At its annual Black Friday sale, the company said it is offering rewards such as BMW G 310 RR (motorcycle), Tiffany Air Force 1 (sneakers) and iPhone 15 Pro Max.