More bang for your buck? Retailers offer better deals on Black Friday amid excess inventory
Black Friday is undoubtedly one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
Best Buy on London, Ont.’s Wellington Road opened at 8 a.m. on Friday with 50 people lined up outside, the store leader said.
Many arrived early in order to beat the expected afternoon rush.
“Since it’s not a holiday, just a regular Friday, we will be extremely busy after four o' clock,” said Erin Plet, Best Buy’s store leader.
“I picked up a TV and a stand for it. I thought I’d take advantage of the Black Friday,” said Nick, a shopper who acknowledged a lot of people are spending a little more this time of year.
Despite high inflation many didn’t want to miss out on the deals of the week.
“We have actually have seen a lift in store sales versus the last couple of years because of COVID — there was a shift to online for a few years,” Plet said.
“It’s amazing…we just came for two dash cameras and a backup camera but we couldn’t take our eyes off the other deals,” said another shopper. “I’m probably going to buy something else too.”
There were mixed reviews on Friday by shoppers, as some were happy with the prices, while others thought they could be better, since several retailers began their Black Friday sales weeks in advance.
Last year retailers struggled with having less inventory. But this season, however, some businesses have too much, which is why discounts might be better this time around, according to one retail expert.
“Consumers probably won’t buy anything unless it’s really, really discounted,” said Bruce Winder, an author and retail expert. “The other thing is select retailers have inventory and these retailers are motivated to blow out that and liquidate it before the New Year.”
And the discounts won’t come to a halt on Friday with Cyber Monday just around the corner.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.