TESTIMONIALS – Just one month before Christmas Eve, the discounted prices displayed in stores and on the internet are attracting customers.
You can barely see her broad smile behind the huge box she struggles to carry. Sophie is the proud owner of a brand new television – «OLED 4K UHD»boasts the packaging – of a famous South Korean high-tech brand. “I saved 1000 euros, it’s a great deal”, rejoices the mother of the family. She will still have poured nearly 2000 euros, receipt in support, to afford this state-of-the-art television set at a third of its price. Behind the doors of the FNAC Saint-Lazare, from where Sophie and her TV escape, a continuous stream of customers take the escalators.
Here, Black Friday, which officially takes place this Friday, is displayed on all the walls. This commercial event, which comes straight from North America, has been very successful in France for several years, both online and in stores. And is now spread over an increasingly large number of days. Last year, the Black Friday operation allowed the FNAC-Darty group to record its peak attendance of the year, with no less than 50 million visits to its site and in its stores. This year again, the last week of November should prove lucrative for the brand, despite inflation weighing on household budgets.
Tempting offers
In the telephone section, on the first floor of the store, Ahmed carefully examines the display models. He came all the way here to buy a discounted iPhone, but his attention was caught by a phone from a competing brand that was displaying a promotion “exceptional” of 30%. “A smartphone of this quality for less than 600 euros is very tempting”he notes, a connoisseur.
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Ahmed has been thinking about changing his phone since the summer, but preferred to wait until Black Friday to seize “best deals of the year”. It must be said that the budget of 800 euros that he is ready to allocate to his new phone represents more than half of his monthly salary. “I could never have afforded such a phone without the promotions”he explains before going to pick up his purchase on the ground floor of the store.
Among the small black signs in the colors of the event, some promote refurbished phones. FNAC has entered into a partnership with the company Reborn, which specializes in the reconditioning of high-tech devices. Together, they offer tempting offers on the occasion of Black Friday. A way to ward off the criticisms fed from associations for the defense of the environment. “There are no green promos!”however, believes an association interviewed by AFP last week, uncompromisingly condemning the commercial event.
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“I feel that everything is increasing”
Not far from Fnac, the sidewalks of department stores are in full swing. Eyes widen before the windows decorated in Christmas colors. In addition to the usual flow of tourists, a few barges come to take advantage of the bargains. Marie, her hands laden with kraft bags, makes her way. She works near here and escaped for an hour from the office to buy some presents one month before the end of the year celebrations. “Anticipation is the key to paying less”smiled the young woman.
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Black Friday allows him to buy “nice giftsto his family and friends without breaking his tight budget. “I feel that everything is increasing and I am very careful, but it is important for me to please my loved ones”, says Mary. Happy with her purchases, she ensures that she will continue to sniff out bargains in the afternoon. Online this time.