Originating in the American retail market, ‘Black Friday’ was a term coined by Philadelphia police and dates back to at least 1961.

The term was used to describe the traffic jams and intense crowding of the downtown retail stores that occurred the day after Thanksgiving. Since then, it has been regarded as the beginning of the US Christmas shopping season. 

Although not a term of endearment, it didn’t take long for retailers to flip the script on the negativity of the name, turning this day into a huge sales pull, offering massive discounts on a variety of goods stocked in their stores. The ‘black’ refers to turning a profit – retailers making profits as opposed to being in the ‘red’.

DON’T MISS OUT ON: Rugs Original’s BLACK FRIDAY SPECIALS

Black Friday made its debut in South Africa somewhere between 2012 and 2014. Despite starting initially with a select few retailers offering discounts, it has now become a major event on the retail calendar, followed by Cyber Monday to extend the period. 

Irrespective of its domestic origins, Black Friday is a cash cow for local retailers, with in-store and online sales running into the billions.

However, in recent years, the discounts offered to consumers has been lacklustre in comparison to their American counterparts. 

One business that refuses to offer watered-down, everyday discounts, is Rugs Original, South Africa’s largest importer of Persian, Oriental and Machine-Made rugs.

According to Trevor Blumberg, Rugs Original Managing Director, “the intention of Black Friday, in our minds, is to provide our shoppers with never-to-be-repeated prices, regardless of whether they are shopping at one of our stores, or via our integrated website, and this year will be no different.”

The brand is set to bring to market discounts of up to 50% off a host of their ranges from today through to November 24, with a further bonus of 10% off, bringing the discounts up to 60%, from Black Friday until the end of November.

The ranges on offer will extend to their Persian collections, Indoor collections, Outdoor collections, Round rugs, Runners, and Kids Original brand, which consists of playmats, sleeping bags and kiddies machine-washable rugs.  

The rationale behind extending their Black Friday offering to a full month comes from the concern of customers crowding in stores during a time where we’re all trying to practice social distancing.

Here’s Blumberg again:

“Hosting the sale over an entire month will allow customers to visit the store at their leisure, in the knowledge that they will have space and time to select the perfect rug for their home or office. The safety of our consumers and staff is incredibly important to us.”

With stores located in major shopping centres throughout South Africa, as well as a fully interactive online store, Rugs Original is the perfect place to find your dream rug this Black Friday.