The annual American retail sale Black Friday, which will be held tomorrow, has been gaining traction in Singapore over the last five years, especially with brick-and-mortar stores.
Traditionally held on the Friday after Thanksgiving in November, the shopping day was so named because stores would make enough money to keep them in the black.
Retailers here have been gearing up for the sale.
Department store Robinsons is slashing prices by up to 80 per cent from tomorrow till Sunday. All three of its outlets - in Orchard Road, Raffles City and Jem - will open from midnight tonight to midnight tomorrow. The store plans to give out free coffee to shoppers tomorrow at 9am. On Saturday, it will open at noon and close at 10pm. It will resume normal operating hours - 10.30am to 10pm - on Sunday.
IT, electrical and furniture retailer Courts is offering up to 23 per cent off on its website (courts.com.sg) and at its 14 stores from tomorrow till next Monday.
Over at department store Tangs, shoppers will be able to enjoy 12 per cent rebate tomorrow and on Saturday, up from the usual 6 to 10 per cent. Tangs will also be extending its operating hours on both days by an hour and will open from 10.30am to 10.30pm.
Housewife Leong Pei San, 52, says she is looking forward to the sale and plans to start shopping tomorrow morning.
She bought a washing machine last year from Gain City at 40 per cent off.
"I'm not really looking for anything specific this year, but I will still head to some stores since there are usually good discounts and shopping during such sales is really exciting."
Other large retailers taking part in the sale this year include department stores Metro, BHG and Tangs, shopping mall Ion Orchard and furniture chain Ikea.
Retail giants Harvey Norman, Courts, Best Denki and Gain City will also have attractive deals and special promotions for shoppers.
Here are some of the other deals available this weekend:
Aldo
From tomorrow to Sunday, the store is offering a 25 per cent discount on all regular-priced items.
BHG
From tomorrow to Sunday, shoppers will get discounts of up to 80 per cent. There will be other promotions at selected stores such as a $5 Grab voucher with a minimum spend of $150 at the Bugis outlet.
Goldheart
From today to next Monday, the local jeweller is offering shoppers 50 per cent off all jewellery collections except the Celestial diamond collection at all its 22 boutiques. For gold pieces, it is offering $2 off per gram of 916/999 gold plus 10 per cent off the workmanship cost.
Ikea
From tomorrow to Sunday, Ikea will be having deals both online and in stores. Some highlights include the Stocksbo two-seat sofa-bed at $349 (U.P. $499) and the Nordmyra Table at $99 (U.P. $189).
Ion Orchard
Shoppers at the mall can enjoy exclusive deals till next Monday at selected beauty, fashion and dining brands. For example, stationery brand kikki.K is offering a 30 per cent discount storewide from tomorrow till Monday.
Other offers include a $50 shopping voucher with any purchase from Italian women's fashion brand Pinko and a free lipstick from Korean brand Hera (worth $45) with any cushion purchased from the store.
JD Sports
Both JD stores at Ion Orchard and Jurong Point will have discounts of up to 50 per cent off selected items from tomorrow to Sunday. Besides the discounts, shoppers at the Ion Orchard store will also receive a bespoke custom tote bag when they spend a minimum of $200.
Marks & Spencer
From tomorrow to Sunday, shoppers who buy one item from the store will get the second one at 50 per cent off. The promotion applies only to regular-priced items, and terms and conditions apply.
Metro
The department store's outlets at Paragon, The Centrepoint and Causeway Point will open early tomorrow at 7.30am and shoppers will be able to get discounts of up to 90 per cent.
Sephora
Stores will open at 9am instead of 10am on Friday and customers will get 15 per cent off in stores and online at sephora.sg.
The Body Shop
Shoppers can get 20 per cent off their buys with a minimum purchase of two items. The discount is applicable storewide and at all its outlets till next Monday. Make-up products, except its limited-edition Christmas range, are buy-one-get-one-free.
Wing Tai
Customers can get up to 50 per cent off at Wing Tai brands such as Topshop, Topman, Burton Menswear London, Wallis, Warehouse, Dorothy Perkins, FOX Kids & Baby, Karen Millen and BCBGMAXAZRIA. WT+ members can enjoy an additional 30 per cent off their total bill, while members of the public can also enjoy the same offer with a minimum purchase of three pieces.
Correction note: This article has been edited for clarity.
