Welcome to 2022, when e-commerce and online shopping is not a myth anymore. These days, nearly 1 out of every 10 Ghanaians you come across shops online or does some business online. E-commerce has become so widespread that even in typical villages and remote towns where one may struggle for a stable internet connection, products are being delivered daily. The ‘’magic of e-commerce and its exponential growth is overwhelming yet very beneficial in our modern era. The success of e-commerce and online shopping has been made evident by the increase in sales during specific online campaigns. Notable among such online sale campaigns is ‘’BLACK FRIDAY’’. Every year in November, online shops all over the world celebrate this day with so many amazing offers. However, in Ghana, there seem to be some funny misconceptions about what ‘Black Friday’’ really is.’Jumia, Africa’s leading e-commerce platform went on the streets of Accra to sample a few of such answers from Ghanaians.
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A special Friday when everyone wears black – It is very tempting to translate ‘’Black Friday’’ literally as a Friday when everyone wears black. This is made easier to believe because a few years back, the Government of Ghana launched a campaign to promote local designers by encouraging everyone to wear an African print outfit on Fridays. This was popularly known as ‘’Friday Wear’’. Many Ghanaians upon hearing of ‘’Black Friday’’ tend to believe that it is a special Friday in the year when everyone is expected to wear black.
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The day when a popular person/people died – In Africa and many other parts of the world, black is often associated with darkness, death, or misfortune. It is however no news that a lot of people think that ‘’Black Friday’’ is associated with the death of a person or people. When asked, many Ghanaians had this misconception that ‘’Black Friday’’ is a day when a popular person or people died. They believe it is set aside to commemorate these special people. A few even cited examples such as the deaths of some presidents, musicians, and other important personalities which occurred on a Friday.
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The day India beat Ghana 100-1 in a football match – Any Ghanaian born in the 80s and ’90s may be familiar with this extremely popular fairytale story about how Ghana and India played a football match many years ago. It is purported that in that match, India beat Ghana by 100 goals to 1. Some Ghanaians claim the match was played on a Friday hence the name ‘’Black Friday’’ because the result came as a shock to everyone since Ghana was a better footballing nation than India at the time. The authenticity of this story has still not been proven. If any of our elders can prove this, then Ghana has to stage an act of revenge. 100 goals to 1 is definitely a world record.
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A day when customers can shop for free – Probably the closest meaning yet among the lot. A few people also have this misconception. They tend to believe that ‘’Black Friday’’ is a special day set aside by online shops to give out all products for free. FREE? Well, this may not be the truth but it’s also not very far from the truth. The type of discounts and deals available on offer during ‘’Black Friday’’ sales are so good, they are close to free. One can be forgiven for having such misconceptions because the deals available are just too good to be true. However, the real truth is that ‘’Black Friday presents a super opportunity to save a lot while shopping for your desired essential items.
Of course, the above statements are funny and full of misconceptions. This makes you wonder, what then is ‘’Black Friday’’? Historically, the term dates back to the early 1960s, when police officers in Philadelphia (USA) began using the phrase “Black Friday” to describe the chaos that resulted when large numbers of suburban tourists came into the city to begin their holiday shopping. Globally, this has evolved into massive online sales where discounts range between 5-99%. Normally, the sale is tied to a particular day, often the last Friday in November (The day after Thanksgiving in the USA), and may extend throughout that weekend. However, online shopping platforms like Jumia have over the years introduced a whole new dimension to this highly beneficial sales campaign.
With the current economic climate in Ghana, Jumia is running its Black Friday sales festival from 4th – 27th November 2022. This is to enable consumers to have enough time to enjoy the best deals on top-quality products across various categories. While there will be explosive deals every Friday throughout November, every day is a great day to shop. There are so many deals on the Jumia app, many flash sales, and treasure hunts. Fun games and many more freebies to be won. On every other platform, prices of goods and services keep increasing due to currency fluctuations and high costs of production, shipping, etc. This Black Friday, expect the same old affordable deals on Jumia. With up to 50% discounts, pickup stations activated, warehouse operations optimized, lot’s of marketing and engagement activities, and customer service teams ready to assist with all complaints and order placements, it promises to be rewarding for both sellers and consumers. #DealsDadaNaa #JumiaBlackFriday
