Location was a major factor determining whether retailers won the custom of shoppers looking to benefit from Black Friday sales, according to the Malta Chamber of SMEs.
It noted that locations where large infrastructure projects taking place, such as Mosta which is undergoing extensive works to upgrade its village square and main road, were affected badly, while the windy and rainy weather meant shoppers favoured shopping malls. Indeed retailers in Malta and Gozo within shopping malls reported strong footfall from early hours last Friday.
Overall, the SME Chamber said feedback from retailers showed mixed results, with some reporting “very positive” results while others were met with decreased sales compared to Black Friday 2022.
The sectors most associated with Black Friday, such as electronics and appliances reported the best results this year, with most of them promoting offers throughout the month of November.
“The Malta Chamber of SMEs notes that Black Friday has once again shown that it’s one of the most important periods for business throughout the year.”
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It was explained that the findings of these investigations will be forwarded to the relevant enforcement authorities