"Black Friday often unjustly has a negative connotation. Nevertheless, it is the ideal day to bet on sustainable products, because these can then be discounted. The intention to live more sustainably is there, but often these products are too expensive," says Sophie Claes, e-commerce specialist and founder of De Gele Flamingo
"That is why both retailers and consumers need to think about their buying and selling behavior and together make Black Friday a Green Friday."
Make Black Friday a Green Friday: it is the ideal time to bet on sustainable products.
Black Friday: a day when not only the shopping streets are filled with people looking for the best bargains, but also - especially - the online stores. Figures from BeCommerce show that this day is good for a record turnover for retailers: in 2019 the turnover amounted to no less than 137.5 million euros.
Black Friday also accounted for 126 million euros in turnover in 2020. And that only in Belgium! However, there is a negative connotation in the air around Black Friday: it is a day when people buy unnecessary stuff on a whim, and retailers come up with bad deals.
The fact that Black Friday is not always experienced as a positive day is of course not a good thing for (online) retailers. That is why retailers should try to look beyond just giving super discounts, and think about ways to make shoppers buy more consciously, for example by focusing on sustainable products.
Black Friday is the ideal day to make more sustainable purchases: sustainable products are more expensive than their non-sustainable variant, however can be discounted on Black Friday.
There are plenty of people who intend to live more sustainably, but who are not always able or willing to do so because sustainable products are a lot more expensive. They can do their bit on Black Friday.
Make Black Friday a Green Friday and let people see the added value of sustainable products.
Sustainability has been our success formula at De Gele Flamingo for years: we only sell sustainable and local products, such as wooden toys. Why? Such items are more expensive, but thanks to their high-quality character, they last a lot longer. They are also a lot safer for children as they do not contain polluting and unsafe plastic.
By betting on discounts for sustainable products on Black Friday, people will be more likely to buy them. In the long term, they will see that sustainable products are really worth their money and are a good investment.
Not only for their families, however also for the environment and society. It is also a great way to get acquainted with new brands, and this at an affordable price.
Compare it to making your home more sustainable: insulating and installing more sustainable energy sources such as a heat pump are expensive investments. But in the long term, you will earn back these investments twice as much: your house is of high quality and sustainable and you are doing your bit for the environment.
Thay is why we should not underestimate the role of the consumer himself: be open to sustainable products, because only with the help of the consumer can retailers become more environmentally aware.
It is therefore now or never for (online) retailers and consumers: turn Black Friday into Green Friday
Since its foundation in 2013, De Gele Flamingo and founder Sophie Claes have been committed to offering a sustainable and local range of productts. The Online Family Concept Store sells children's, baby and lifestyle items and has experienced enormous growth in recent years, with a turnover of 5 million euros in 2020. Sustainability is also central in the first physical store, which opened its doors in 2021.
