The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

SEVERAL Nassau-based businesses launching local ‘Black Friday’ sales promotions saw a spike in business over the weekend, one telling Tribune Business that if more embraced the idea Bahamians might choose to shop locally on what has become the busiest shopping day in the US.

Super Party Centre, on Montrose Avenue, was among several Nassau businesses that advertised a Black Friday sale last week. Manager Destiny Albury credited the boost in business over the weekend to that sales promotion.

“Business has been picking up in the last two weeks or so, but I definitely think that the Black Friday sale promotion led to the pick-up that we are seeing now,” she said.

“I think this is something that could really catch on here. Most people tend to fly off for the Black Friday sales in the US, but if we have more local businesses get into this sort of thing we may see more of that business remain at home.”

Black Friday, the day following Thanksgiving in the US, traditionally marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season and has become known as a time when retailers offer significantly low prices on items such as electronics, with frenzied customers rushing stores to capitalise on bargains.

Latoya Miller, manager of Custom Computers at Harbour Bay, told Tribune Business: “We have had a lot more customers; we’ve had a lot of sales. A lot of people are coming in, the parking lot is full. This is actually our second sale for the year, but this sale has certainly gone much better than the first.”

Shenique Sawyer, manager of Adam & Eve in the Harbour Bay Shopping Centre, said: “Business is good. So far everything is going well. We have seen a lot of people coming into the store, a lot of traffic. I definitely think this is something that can really take off locally.”

The manager of another retail outlet, which also launched a Black Friday promotion, said: “We are doing OK. I would say it’s been quite successful. We are doing much better this week. I don’t think something like this will stop people from going to the US, they have gigantic sales over there, but it will definitely give us a boost in business.”