Black Friday remains one of the most intense times of the year. For many retailers, it’s the time of year when they generate a quarter of their sales: peak sales are therefore ten times higher than on a normal day, and the slightest error in forecasting demand and sales can turn into a critical shortage… or costly overstocking.
This period therefore highlights the need for very precise inventory management, supported by reliable reliable sales and demand forecasting toolscapable of anticipating flows in order to secure margins.
But behind this operational challenge lies another, much more strategic issue: that of price image. Even if Black Friday generates significant volumes, it also imposes pressure on prices, which can undermine a brand’s perceived value.
Faced with consumers who are better informed, more demanding and more attentive to price consistency, brands are redefining the place of price in their value proposition. This is prompting many retailers, especially premium brands, to rethink their approach. A strategic repositioning around price image, perceived value and consumer expectations.
The challenges of Black Friday for retailers: inventory control and demand forecasting
Black Friday is first and foremost a A key time of year when retailers generate 25 to 40% of their sales. It’s one of the few times of year when retailers sales volumes reach exceptional levelswhere every out-of-stock condition translates into an immediate loss of sales, and every surplus into a loss of margin.
In this context, performance is not just a question of price, but of the brand’s ability to meet demand. Synchronizing marketing, logistics and the supply chain to ensure product availability is essential.
To achieve this, brands need to anticipate with precision thehe quantities needed, the expected turnover rates, the channels that will outperform, and the products that will concentrate demand. This calibration is crucial: even the smallest error on a top seller can have a major impact on sales and customer perception.
The risks are well known:
- Disruptionwhich diverts major flows to the competition, undermines the experience and gives the impression of an undersized supply chain.
- Overstockingwhich forces us to apply tactical discounts in order to sell out, erodes margins and blurs the price image by giving the impression of artificial initial pricing.
Black Friday generates several challenges, 4 of which we invite you to discover here : Black Friday – 4 major challenges
Today, many retailers rely on sales and demand sales and demand forecasting tools able to cross-reference sales history, trend signals, seasonality, real-time sales, speed of rotation and even behavioral data for better forecasting. This finely-tuned projection enables them to align their inventories with actual demand.
Why do some brands decide to reposition themselves? The price image issue
1. The perception of a “fair price” undermined by massive promotions
The accumulation of commercial operations: sales, flash sales, French Days, private offers has profoundly altered the perception of the “right price”. Consumers are better equipped to compare, analyze and track price variations, and ask themselves: ” If this product is 50% off today, why was it full price yesterday? “
This questioning creates a blurring of the price image. Consumers no longer really know what the right price is. Confidence in pricing diminishes, and the perceived value of the product, or even the brand, suffers.
Black Friday accentuates this tension: it attracts massive numbers, but it also pushes prices so far apart that they blur the usual references. By seeking immediate volume, some brands are undermining a perception they have taken years to build.
2. Perceived value: an asset that brands are no longer willing to sacrifice
“When massive reduction reflects a low-value image”.
Price is never just an amount: it embodies a brand’s quality, know-how and universe. For consumers, it is a powerful benchmark.
This is why promotions that are too strong or too repeated immediately weaken perceived value: they can lead people to believe that the initial price was not legitimate, or that the product is no longer sufficient in itself.
For premium brands, committed brands or those with a strong identity, this signal is even more critical. Their promise is based on consistency, trust and clear positioning. A price strategy that fluctuates too much blurs this discourse, weakening credibility and diluting the differentiating image they’ve spent years building.
Maintain a clear, assertive positioning
More and more retailers are choosing not to follow the traditional Black Friday model, not out of commercial disengagement, but because their positioning no longer allows them to play the massive discount card without inconsistency around their brand. Brands that have built an image based on quality, sustainability, transparency or service value know that aggressive discounting blurs their message, weakens their credibility and dilutes their value proposition.
In reality, refusing to participate fully in Black Friday is not an act of distancing oneself from the consumer, but an act of consistency. A premium, responsible brand or one with a strong identity cannot, from one day to the next, apply drastic reductions without contradicting what it stands for: a fair, constant price, aligned with their positioning.
Aligning words and deeds: especially for brands committed to sustainability.
For brands committed to sustainability, participating in Black Friday creates a dissonance that’s hard to live with. Displaying a responsible discourse while supporting a period associated with over-consumption, artificial volumes and price pressure exposes brands to a major risk: losing credibility.
Aligning words and deeds is therefore becoming a strategic imperative. Brands claiming environmental commitments, rational production processes or a fair pricing policy throughout the year cannot, in the space of a few days, multiply discounts without contradicting their own brand narrative.
An aggressive Black Friday gives the impression of “marketing” sustainability, with no real depth.
This is why some brands are choosing either to move away from the traditional Black Friday model, or to reinvent it: operations geared towards repair and second life, days dedicated to transparency, highlighting eco-design, donations to environmental projects, or a commitment to maintaining a fair price without artificial discounts.
By assuming this coherence, they reinforce :
- the trust placed in them by their customers,
- the credibility of their CSR commitment,
- the perceived value of their products,
- the solidity of their long-term positioning.
Black Friday consumer expectations
We now live in an era of instant comparison. In a matter of seconds, a customer has access to dozens of prices, histories and reviews. Marketplaces make a major contribution to this radical transparency, making every price inconsistency immediately visible. The slightest unjustified deviation becomes an irritant, even a reason for mistrust.
At the same time, criticism of hyper-promotional models is intensifying. Debates around over-consumption, fast retailing, just-in-time production and artificial discounts are increasingly entering the public arena. This awareness is leading some consumers to see Black Friday not as an opportunity, but as a symbol of excess.
They select brands that are aligned with their convictions, consistent over time, and transparent in their pricing policies. This change is profoundly transforming the overall perception of brands.
What consumers are looking for :
Frictionless overall experience, from site to checkout
Targeted, clear, useful promotions
Real availability: not a false bargain that breaks after 15 minutes
Transparency on product origin and price justification
Reliable delivery, with honestly announced deadlines
Responsive customer service, especially during a sensitive period
Black Friday: new strategies to control brands’ price image
Exclusive advantages: mising on value rather than reduction
Faced with these challenges, many brands are reinventing their approach to Black Friday. Their aim is no longer to break discount records, but to preserve their price image and customer relations.
Refusing the price war becomes a powerful act. It’s the affirmation that prices are thoughtful, sincere, built to reflect the true value of the product. This posture reinforces perceived stability and attracts a less opportunistic, more loyal consumer profile.
Other brands have chosen to reposition their offer not on discounts, but on added value. They are focusing on differentiating services such as free delivery, personalization, expert assistance or relational advantages such as early access, loyalty privileges and exclusive content. Some opt for bundles designed to highlight an enriched value proposition rather than a simple discount.
Price then becomes an axis of identity. A marker of seriousness. Proof of consistency. In this logic, Black Friday is no longer a moment of rupture, but a commercial moment perfectly integrated into a global strategy.
Alternatives to Black Friday: towards a more responsible and rewarding trade
Faced with the risks associated with massive discounting – loss of perceived value, price inconsistency, weakened price image – many brands are rethinking their approach and exploring credible alternatives to traditional Black Friday. These initiatives aim to preserve brand consistency, strengthen customer loyalty and integrate social or environmental values into the retail experience.
1. Green Friday: leveraging sustainability
Green Friday is a direct reaction to the excesses of classic Black Friday. It places the emphasis on reasoned consumption and sustainability: responsible products, second life, reparability or carbon offset initiatives. Instead of selling off products, brands promote their reduced environmental impact and demonstrate a credible commitment to CSR-conscious consumers.
2. Black for Good: trade and solidarity
Some brands choose to turn the event into a lever for social action. Black for Good combines sales and donations, donating a portion of sales to solidarity causes. This approach creates a double benefit: generating revenue while reinforcing the image of a responsible, committed brand, thus aligning marketing and corporate values.
3. Blue Friday: reasoned and ethical promotion
Blue Friday focuses on measured, justified promotions, often accompanied by ethical initiatives or transparent price communication. The aim is to maintain perceived value while contributing to sales momentum, without sacrificing price image or credibility.
4. Beauty Days and experiential events
Some brands, particularly in the beauty, fashion and lifestyle sectors, are shifting the focus from discounts to the customer experience. Beauty Days, VIP days or exclusive events offer premium services, personalized advice, workshops or loyalty benefits, putting added value at the heart of the sales strategy. Price becomes secondary, and it’s the customer experience and relationship that create appeal.
5. Value-added offers and bundles
Another alternative is to offer bundles or inclusive services rather than simple discounts. Free delivery, alterations, personalization, complementary products or exclusive content enrich the overall perception, while maintaining consistent pricing.
Black Friday and price image: mastering the event to boost customer confidence
Black Friday is not just about discount offers and massive discounts, it has become a real exercise in operational and strategic mastery. It puts inventory management, pricing maturity and the overall coherence of brand positioning to the test. Every break, surplus or inconsistency in pricing can have a lasting impact on price image and perceived value. Successful retailers have understood this: success is no longer based on sales alone, but on the ability to synchronize marketing, logistics and supply chain while preserving brand credibility.
Against this backdrop, alternatives to the traditional Black Friday are multiplying, embodying a new strategic approach: Green Friday, with its focus on sustainability and responsible consumption; Beauty Days, which emphasize experience and advice rather than discounts; Blue Friday, which combines promotional offers with ethical actions; and Black for Good, which links commercial events with responsible, solidarity-based initiatives. These movements enable brands to preserve their price image, strengthen customer confidence and assert their positioning without giving in to the discount race.
For retailers, mastering Black Friday today means much more than just offering promotions: it means deploying precise management, securing product availability, building a consistent customer experience and demonstrating alignment between words and deeds. Brands that adopt this approach transform Black Friday into a moment of value consolidation and differentiation, where price, quality and commitment take precedence over mere sales volume.
