Black November 2024: research conducted by Rcell reveals retail market expectations, early planning and investment in technologies

Over the years, Black Friday has gone from being limited to a single Friday of discounts, extending throughout the month and now being called Black November. With the proximity of this event so important for retail, Rcell, one of the largest technology distributors in the country, conducted a proprietary survey with the main regional retailers in 13 states of Brazil. The results indicate a widespread expectation of increase in the average ticket and total sales volume for this year.

The survey finds that about 70% of retailers interviewed they expect a growth in revenue compared to 2023, which had the highest historical sales in units intensive email marketing, WhatsApp for communication and promotions, and active telemarketing were highlighted as the main tools to engage customers and drive sales.

“A Black November this year is the great opportunity for Brazilian retailers, both to increase their revenues and to strengthen their brands in the market. Positive expectations predominate, and the data we collect show that, with strategic planning and efficient use of marketing tools, retail can achieve significant results on this long-awaited DATE”, says Alexandre Della Volpe Elias, CMO of the Rcell Group.

The survey also revealed that it 75% from retailers planning for Black November promotions begins two months before the event. The main strategy adopted to prepare for the increase in demand is the anticipation of negotiations with suppliers, thus ensuring an adequate inventory to meet the sales flow.

Another point highlighted in the study is the attention focused on the customer experience, where 73% of retailers adopt improvements based on customer feedback and have prioritized the communication of offers, logistics, assortment of products on offer, payment terms, product information, in addition to investment in technology, improving navigation and usability of websites and applications.

“The focus of retailers is on ensuring that each contact is an opportunity to positively surprise the consumer, reinforcing trust in the brand. This concern to listen to customers and take into account the feedback received shows the constant effort to create a shopping experience increasingly aligned with the needs and desires of the public”, explains Elias.

The study also showed that 50% of the public purchasing decision maker is female and the predominant age range ranges from 35 to 50 years. Besides, uh 80% of respondents stated that the average ticket purchases range from R$ 500 to R$ 1,500.00. To reach this audience, retailers bet on channels such as social networks and WhatsApp to increase the effectiveness of offers and promotions focused on smartphones, home appliances, electronics and informatics.

Evaluating on the consumer side, according to a survey released by NielsenIQ GfK Brazil, the year 2024 shows a good performance in the main seasonality of the year. Compared to 2023, Saldo Janeiro had a growth of 5% in revenue, Consumer Week increased 23% in unit sales and 10% in revenue, and Mother's Day had a growth of 14% in units and 5% in slicing, and Black November tends to follow this movement.

The trend is that in 2024, due to the weather event La Nina during the period, products such as coffee maker, washing and drying, hair dryer and products related to greater comfort and practicality on cold days. Overall, according to the study, the category that also tends to maintain the good result is that of refrigerators, with an increase of 15% in demand.

The survey also highlights that consumer behavior tends to change with respect to 2023, that is, they they will be more comfortable investing this year and one of the main reasons for investment is the exchange of broken or old products and purchase of products on recommendation.

The consumer profile is another fact that draws attention in the research: 57% are women up to 44 years, consolidating the female audience as a buying decision. The choice of retail type is another considerable point during Black November, with 64% opting for retailers that offer the best prices, 28% for those that have free delivery, 25% opt for availability, 17% for installment and 16% for the ease of comparing products. The latter highlights one of the reasons retailers invest in technologies and better navigation of their sites.

Another important fact is that the online channel has stabilized in recent years, but still continues as a protagonist of seasonality: throughout the year around 25% of the journeys are purely physical, at Black November they represent 22%, reflecting the importance of digital during the month of promotions.

Although investment in digital marketing strategies, along with attention to customer experience stands out as a differential for retailers seeking to differentiate in this competitive period, adjusting offers to the new scenario of new consumer demands proves even more advantageous for maximizing sales, making Black November not only a profitable event, but aligned with emerging trends. “The combination of strategies and the anticipation of new consumer behaviors can ensure much more expressive results”, concludes Elias.