Black Friday: 27/11
Small Saturday: 28/11
Cyber Monday: 29/11!

As Asda CEO, Andy Clarke, rules out Black Friday in its UK stores, citing the need to avoid “holding customers hostage” over sales, amid fears of the repeat hysteria and adverse publicity from 2014, we explore what these dates could really mean for your business. Last year £800 million was spent by shoppers on the one day alone.

As retailers consider what promotions they want to target, on-line and in-store, smaller operators could be taking advantage of promoting their brands to both existing and potentially new customers.

Staying active on will be essential as consumers will search for terms you could take advantage of. Ensuring your SEO reflects your offers will help as will taking advantage of the Saturday initiative which is all about “shopping small”. Some consumers like to look for unique, different and relevant offers and approaches, so think carefully about how you can do this. ’s Black Friday UK is already buzzing with deals and retweets.

Some companies have already started to share pre-Black Friday deals, alongside Cyber Monday deals. Techradar, which offers reviews of technical gadgets and software, is amalgamating and promoting technology deals, offering exclusive deals by email sign up, and with links to major retailers. Offers for TVs, phone packages, iPads and gaming are easily found in one place, and with a high google ranking too.

Other ideas are to offer freebies to complement a bigger purchase, BOGOF deals, partnering with other local complimentary businesses, to offer wider services which could benefit both companies, e.g. graphic design and print services, or even gift cards for each of the three days. If you have a walk-in business, organise a social event, and/or an extra discount if someone wears something black, for example. Whatever you decide, advertise your events and walk-in offers on your website, on noticeboards, local venues, and via your other usual methods. Finally, keep your ideas meaningful and remember to ensure that you connect emotionally with your customer. Use feedback to inform your decisions for next year.

As for ASDA, they have decided to spread their offers over November and December. Only next year will the chain, owned by Walmart, know whether or not this strategy will have paid off.