As the shopping frenzy continued into Cyber Monday from Black Friday, marking the start of the shopping and festive season for South Africans, one of the country’s largest retailers has said one product was top of mind for many consumers.
Pick n Pay said on Monday that air fryers continued to reign supreme as the most coveted items among Black Friday deal seekers, marking an impressive seven-year streak.
“This has been the best year to date for air fryer purchases and we’ve doubled our sales already when compared to last Black Friday month,” Andrew Mills, Chief Marketing Officer at Pick n Pay said.
In response to the unabating demand for this popular kitchen appliance, Pick n Pay said it had proactively secured an increase in stock for this year's Black Friday event.
Mills told Business Report, “We didn’t want to disappoint customers so we brought in substantial extra stock – so much so that we were worried we’d have extra stock (left). But almost all of this stock was snapped up.”
Pick n Pay rolled out three air fryer deals, with one offering more than 50% off.
The Goldair 6.5L Digital Stainless Steel air fryer sold for R899, a saving of R1,000.
This was available both in store and online, including on-demand with Pick n Pay asap! and Takealot.
Mills noted the discerning preference of value-conscious customers, stating, "This year, customers sought digital, larger-capacity air fryers from reputable brands, and we ensured to deliver these sought-after deals. The level of interest surpassed our expectations."
The enduring appeal of air fryers lies in their combination of health benefits, convenience, and versatility.
“It has been seven years since the start of the air fryer trend, and it consistently holds the top spot among sought-after Black Friday deals, maintaining its momentum throughout the year. There are no signs of its popularity slowing down at this stage," added Mills.
Meanwhile, Standard Bank said that the highest value transaction made by a single customer was R1 million.
The bank shared seven top insights it collected from shoppers on Black Friday.
Black Friday 2023 - Top 7 Insights:
1. Proportion of customers spending online is higher compared to 2022 as well as total value of card not present transactions
2. Highest value of transactions done by a single customer for the day was R1million, whereas the highest volume of transaction done by a single customer was 148.
3. The single highest value transaction for the day was R900 000
4. Average total transaction value was up 4%, however average CNP transactions were up 8%
5. Wallet transaction volumes grew 81% year on year with Apple Pay contributing close to 90% of total Wallet Transactions by value
6. Top spending merchant category was grocery and supermarkets, contributing to 23% of total spend
7. Contactless transactions made up almost 50% of total transactions, up from 2022
BUSINESS REPORT