Poles and Black Friday – what is the day like in Poland?

Black Friday is gaining in popularity in Poland every year. Unfortunately, Poles’ purchasing decisions are increasingly influenced by rising inflation. With rising costs, will Polish customers be more willing to take advantage of offers prepared by brands for Black Friday? What marketing solutions will work best on the Polish market in these tough times? Today we will answer these questions!

Table of contents

• Poles trust promotions, but remain sensible
• Communication is key
• Successful methods of reaching Polish customers on Black Friday
• Black Friday 2022 in Poland

Poles trust promotions, but remain sensible

The tough financial situation is forcing Poles to actively seek savings. According to the latest report ‘Monitor Promocji 2022 ARC Rynek i Opinia’, 25% of Polish customers declare greater trust in promotional actions. 

Does this mean that every discounted product lands in their basket? Not really.

The data obtained in the report shows that Poles have definitely reduced their stockpile shopping (from 48% in 2021 to 38%). So if you were hoping that Black Friday shoppers would decide to buy your products in bulk – you may be unpleasantly disappointed. 

The percentage of consumers who, because of the promotions, decide to buy things that are considered overstocked or unnecessary has also fallen (from 21% in 2021 to 15%). 

The conclusion? Poles are more willing to take advantage of promotional campaigns, but at the same time they are trying to make more considered purchases. This year’s Black Friday will be a good opportunity for them to stock up on products they really need – such as clothing or electronics.

Black Friday has also been the hottest time to look for Christmas gifts for many years. Last year’s Tpay report shows that during the previous edition of Black Friday, Poles were most keen on products from the “Health and beauty” and “Home appliances/RTV and electronics” sectors. This year, this trend may continue. Poles are still longing for the family gatherings that two years of pandemonium have taken away from them. So they want to make up for it – both by spending time together and by generous gifts.

The key is communication

The multitude of promotional offers breeds enormous competition. When preparing for Black Friday on the Polish market, it is therefore worth planning an appropriate strategy – ideally based on messages that will effectively attract and retain consumers. 

So what do Polish customers want to hear on this occasion?

“Needed” better than “exceptional” 

“Luxury and extravagance” swap for “security, need and comfort of loved ones”. With the financial crisis, fewer and fewer people can afford premium products. Anxiety about the social and economic situation, meanwhile, increases the need for a sense of security and stability. 

Ecology increasingly less of a priority

Although Poles’ awareness of sustainability is growing, ecology is no longer a priority for them when shopping. This can be a big but additional advantage of your product or service. However, if the goods do not fit the criterion of absolutely essential – the chance of clicking ‘buy now’ decreases. 

“For you and others”

Let Black Friday be an opportunity not only to buy at lower prices, but also to do something good for others. Many brands in Poland are combining price reductions with charity work. This is an additional motivation for customers, who are eager to join in spreading the good. Also for their own internal satisfaction.  

Successful methods of reaching Polish customers on Black Friday

Which promotions do Poles use most often? Which marketing solutions work best in the Polish market? Here are some methods to use on Black Friday to increase profits.

1. Recognise the potential of a loyalty programme. 

The ‘Loyalty Programmes Monitor 2022 ARC Rynek i Opinia’ report shows that as many as 62% of Poles are members of at least one loyalty programme. The main reason for setting up an account in mobile applications or making membership cards is precisely because of discounts and promotions. This opinion is shared by more than half of those surveyed (54%).

2. Remember the deferred payment scheme. 

The survey ‘Poles’ finances’ conducted by Blue Media shows that more than half of the Poles surveyed are forced to reach for savings. This has resulted in the growing popularity of ‘buy now – pay later’ programmes.

3. Use the Poles’ favourite promotional methods.

According to data obtained by ARC Rynek i Opinia, the gold medal in this ranking goes to the traditional price reduction (67%). Second place goes to promotions such as ‘more products for the same price’ (44%), and the podium is rounded off by ‘purchase goods + free product/service’ (35%).

Incorporating these three elements into your Black Friday sales strategy significantly increases your chances of making a satisfactory profit. So does analysing your competitors’ behaviour.

Black Friday 2022 in Poland 

What activities are the incumbent brands planning to undertake in 2022?

Black Friday, Black Weekend or maybe Black Week? The vast majority of brands are planning to introduce special sales actions throughout the week (from 21 to 25 November). This is according to data obtained in the report ‘How Polish online shops are preparing for Black Friday 2022‘ prepared by Shoper. 

What are the other predictions for brands’ Black Friday activities?

• The majority of companies plan to inform customers about special offers by means of a message on the shop’s website (93%), information on Polish social media (90%) or as part of a newsletter message (60%).
• The main marketing actions planned for Black Friday / Black Week are price reductions (94%) and organic activities on social media (54%). Some brands also say they are allocating more resources to product campaigns on Facebook (39%).
• Retailers are mainly preparing Black Friday promotional campaigns based on a percentage discount (88%). Free delivery (38%) and a quota discount (28%) are also popular.

The specialists of the Tpay service have also shared their assumptions about this year’s Black Friday. They conducted a survey in which they investigated the attitudes and plans of Polish companies towards Black Friday 2022. We learn, among other things, that:

• 50% of those surveyed believe that this year’s Black Friday will be dominated by price reductions of 30%.
• One in three online shop owners plan to introduce discounts lower than in previous years. 
• This year’s changes to the run of the campaign include a shorter promotional period and a smaller marketing budget (both responses scored 17%). Interestingly, retailers expect to see no free delivery option (50%) and fewer price reductions (33%).  

Among the Black Friday activities, technical preparations should not be overlooked either. Many companies are allowing customers to choose additional product delivery options for this time. Retailers are also increasing the list of available forms of payment – especially fast and cashless ones.

We hope this article will help you plan an effective strategy for this year’s Black Friday. And if you’d like to learn more tips or start a collaboration – write to us! We are a marketing agency from Poland experienced in planning short marketing campaigns.