Yahoo Finance Ebay's top predictions for Black Friday 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed shoppers to consider what kind of businesses they spend their money with, as more Brits want to support small independents.
On Black Friday last year, 40 items were sold each second on eBay UK (EBAY), with 90% of those purchases made from a small business selling through the online platform.
eBay is home to more than 300,000 UK small business sellers as almost a third (30%) of Brits are also planning on selling unwanted items ahead of this Black Friday.
Here, the experts at eBay share their top predictions for Black Friday 2021:
Shop small
Two-thirds (66%) of Brits are planning to buy Christmas gifts from small businesses on Black Friday, which falls on 26 November this year.
"The diversity and scale of sellers on our marketplace makes it easier for customers to have more choice when doing their festive shopping this year. With the ongoing supply challenges, if shoppers can’t find what they’re looking for, they can turn to any of the other 300,000 and more small businesses on eBay," the e-commerce platform said.
Read more: UK consumers hit hardest by supply chain crisis
Buy a thing, sell a thing
A quarter (24%) of shoppers are planning to take on extra hours at work to help cover the cost of Christmas shopping, according to eBay.
Selling unwanted items can also help to raise extra cash for the festive season — a third (30%) will fund their Christmas purchases by selling their pre-loved items.
eBay is encouraging this "one in one out" system of buying and selling to help with the the cost of Christmas as well as supporting sustainable consumerism to protect the environment.
"With rising cost of living pressures, we are also seeing that people are getting savvier by selling items they have lying around the home to help fund Black Friday and Christmas — this comes with a bonus that they also feel good that they are doing their bit for the planet by keeping things in circulation," said Murray Lambell, general manager of eBay UK.
Refurb wins
Half (50%) of Brits are planning to shop more consciously this Christmas and eBay predicts that Black Friday shoppers will choose more refurbished products from its Certified Refurbished hub in 2021.
This is "a way to get as good as new tech and appliances for a fraction of the cost and that are better for the planet".
"All certified refurbished items are in Grade A condition, have been given a trusted stamp of approval by eBay and come with a one-year warranty so you can shop great deals from top brands with confidence," eBay said.
Read more: Costa Coffee to serve M&S food
Cleaning up the deals
Refurbished vacuum cleaners will be the most sought-after items this Black Friday, according to the experts. Shoppers can expect to benefit from "heavy discounts" on brands such as Dyson and Shark.
For Christmas shoppers looking to give a technological gift, Apple (AAPL) and Samsung (005930.KS) refurbished smartphones will also be high up on the list.
Fashionistas will be looking for athleisure clothing and shoes from brands such as Adidas (ADS.DE), Puma (PUM.DE) and New Balance, the experts predict.
Santa’s come early
Brits are eager to get ahead this year, with 3 in 4 people (77%) planning to do their Christmas shopping on Black Friday in 2021.
"In a time where there is uncertainty around stock and supply, what eBay can offer to shoppers is our secret weapon — a diversity of more than 300,000 agile UK small business sellers with a distributed supply chain that can give them more choice — whether they are looking for the new, the refurbished, the coveted, or the hard to find this festive season," said Lambell.
"We predict the country will experience its ‘smallest, savviest’ Black Friday ever this year with people across the UK turning their focus on supporting small businesses while gearing up to take advantage of the incredible deals eBay has on offer and make money by selling things they no longer need."
