Hi Folks,
This time last year we had our heads stuck together planning our Black Friday campaign. This year we have made the decision not to do a Black Friday event. There are a few reasons for that and we hope that by sharing those with you you’ll support us in that decision.
Black Friday is a recent phenomenon in Ireland that condenses discounted sales over a short timeframe. And while we all love a bargain, it's not all rosy.
- Huge amounts of stock get produced only to be sold at heavily reduced prices (fast fashion)
- It puts a strain on the environment during production and transport of those goods
- It can have a negative effect on retailers and their staff
And let’s be honest, it’s not always great for the consumer either when we’re buying things only because they are cheap.
In a year where plenty of stock has already been produced and is waiting on the shelves to be sold, the event can be a win-win for everyone. It's beneficial to the customer who gets a great deal and to the retailer who moves things off the shelves.
This year is different though. The watersports industry is experiencing very significant supply issues. Some brands produce in China where factories were closed and then not producing at their usual capacity. Others had to make tough financial decisions and reduce their production for this season. Both are direct knock on effects of Covid-19.
For us that means, that our shelves are not stocked as plentifully as in other years. We could sell what we have at discounted prices during Black Friday but then we may not have enough stock to see us through Christmas and beyond. The alternative would be to order a lot of extra stock for the Black Friday event. But it might not be from the brands we usually deal with. Or the same quality.
When we make decisions like this, we try to go back to why we do what we do. We want to offer a comprehensive range of high quality products at competitive prices and with great customer service all year round. We want our customers to have a better time in and on the water and we want to support our staff.
So we need to ask ourselves the question how we can best achieve that. Is a Black Friday event conducive to any of these goals?
We believe that the answer is no. It is not the best we can do for you, the environment, our staff and our business. Certainly not this year.
That’s why we’ve decided to opt out.
See you on the water soon,
Colin & Nina
