Shop early and save this Black Friday

Black Friday began as an American retail tradition following the US Thanksgiving celebrations. But it has been picked up by New Zealand retailers to stop losing Kiwi shoppers to Black Friday sales online overseas.

It now rivals Boxing Day as the day when the most discounted deals are offered here. And Kiwi consumers have adopted it enthusiastically.

In reviewing last year’s Black Friday sales, First Retail Group managing director Chris Wilkinson said it has redefined when Christmas spending starts for retailers.

Black Friday is now the start the Christmas retail season, with consumers becoming more ‘‘planned and purposeful’’ in what they spend on, and deals they look for.

Last year, nationally, we spent $11.6 billion in the lead-up to Christmas, due largely to the Black Friday sales, according to Paymark, which operates the eftpos payment system.

So today we are highlighting some of the best Black Friday sales and deals on offer for you.

It could be the ideal Christmas gift for a loved one, a stocking filler, or a big ticket purchase you’ve been sizing up.

Gadgets and clothing have been among the most popular purchases in past years during Black Friday sales. But trading has also been higher at supermarkets and service providers like hairdressers.

Spending on Black Friday sales helps shoppers get a bargain, but it also has a tangible effect on how and where we live.

Thriving local businesses are vital to a thriving local community.

Successful businesses create jobs that help us pay mortgages and keep food on the table, they provide us goods and services conveniently so we don’t have to travel big distances to get what we need, they help our town centres feel like vibrant hubs for our community, and they are generous sponsors of local events, clubs and charities.

We all know that the Covid-19 impacts this year have hit some businesses hard.

We need to support them. There is no better time than this weekend – the Black Friday sales.

We are calling on our readers to make sure this Black Friday we all get out and spend. It makes sense. We support our local shops, and we pick up good deals.

Shopping local brings us all greater benefit. It keeps the money you spend in the local economy, instead of being siphoned off overseas.

Spending money with a local business will see this money on average circulate to six more businesses within the community including supporting community and sporting groups.

We need local cafes and bookstores, hairdressers and quality retailers to give our high streets and local town centres a cosmopolitan vibe, making them a nice place to spend time.

The only way to do that, is get out there and spend.

Many businesses depend on the boost from sales in the leadup to Christmas. It is their key season.

Let’s make this an equally great start to the shopping season for our local shops to show our community support as we all push to shake off the impact of Covid-19.