Women turned off Black Friday 2015 after last year's chaos, study shows

Concerns over crowded stores and bad experiences with late deliveries of online orders last year have hit consumers’ interest in the Black Friday event, according to analyst Verdict.

The survey of 10,000 shoppers found that only 37% are planning to take part in Black Friday compared with 47% last year, according to a new survey.

“Last year, many experienced the stressful nature of securing Black Friday deals and discounts,” said Verdict. “This negatively impacted the enjoyment of shopping both online and in store, making this year’s event less appealing for female shoppers.”

The latest research is in contrast to figures released last month suggesting more shoppers are planning to spend on Black Friday, compared with last year. Other predictions suggest footfall will climb 11.5%.

Verdict found that young shoppers and parents are driving spend. The survey showed around half of 15-to-34 year olds were planning to make purchases. Half of parents are expecting to spend, but only 30% of shoppers without children are planning to take part.

Online will remain the focus for Black Friday spending with two thirds planning to do their shopping solely via the internet, the survey showed. A fifth will only visit stores, while 16% of shoppers will shop across both stores and online.

Retailers that will benefit the most are electricals and clothing and footwear, according to the survey. Half of Black Friday shoppers will be looking for clothing and footwear bargains, while 44% are planning to make electricals purchases.