Off. This is how many sellers who wanted to make their first sale of the day on the morning of this Friday, November 24, described the beginning of the day along Nueve de Octubre Avenue in Guayaquil, where a large part of the warehouse is concentrated. It was Black Friday, one of the most anticipated commercial dates of the year for these companies, but the start was not what they expected.

Most stores opened at 07:00 to attract the first customers, but the response was not as expected. However, for Cristian Cruz, administrator of the Marcimex agency, located on Nueva de Octubre and García Avilés streets, the response from his clients has been good. The warehouse first opened its doors, from 06:50, on Thursday the 23rd and this Friday the 24th.

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Cruz assured that before the doors of the business opened, about 10 people were already waiting for offers in these two days. He discovered that his customers were mostly looking for televisions and white goods. As for growth expectations, he estimated that they expect between 15% and 20% more sales than on normal days.

Meanwhile, for Jefferson Flores, administrator of the Almacenes España branch located on the same central avenue, between Escobedo and Chimborazo, the movement was not what was expected for the beginning of Black Friday. The store was opened at 07:00, but there was no response from customers.

Flores admitted that the situation was not only due to Black Friday, but that the entire year was difficult to sell retail and stated that the market in general has gotten a little complicated. He reminded that for Black Friday 2022 there was a greater movement, although slightly less than in previous years.

This, despite the fact that Black Friday coincided with the Ecuadorian soccer team’s 2022 World Cup match in Qatar, which slowed down traffic and delayed sales into the afternoon and evening; Nevertheless, Flores assured that last year sales did start, especially of televisions, which did not happen in 2023.

“9. In October there was no great influx of people, although it is common in previous times, at this time quite a few people could be seen passing by. In our branches in the north, the same is visible, and here in Nueve de Octubre, low, really low,” complained the manager.

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However, Flores said that since last week, when they started with discounts, customers have been asking a lot about combinations of white goods (kitchens with refrigerators), and he hopes that during this Friday and weekend, when the promotions and discounts will remain, sales will begin materialize and will be able to meet their sales expectations of what corresponds to 40% of sales this month.

The poor response to demand is compounded by the planned power outages in the area starting at 10 a.m. “Power cuts don’t help either, although people aren’t buying either,” said a vendor at a warehouse on Boyacá Street. He assures that from 7 a.m., when the store is open, to 9 a.m., the first sale has not yet been made. “It’s low, there’s nothing yet, but there’s still the rest of the day and the weekend, it’ll move,” said the advisor, who preferred booking, with hope.

This situation even led the Chamber of Commerce of Guayaquil to adjust its projections on the sector’s sales for this Black Friday. Juan Carlos Diaz Granados, the union’s executive director, indicated that local sales in the commercial sector for Black Friday 2023 were initially estimated to rise 4% to total $254 million. However, with the power outage, estimates changed to $232 million in sales, down 5% from a year earlier.

Meanwhile, around 10:00 the panorama in one of the busiest and most commercial avenues in Guayaquil did not seem to have changed. Stores full of vendors, music and balloons, but very few shoppers attracted by the discounts.

In contrast to the weak demand in electromechanics stores, those that offer food and cleaning and personal hygiene products record a large influx of customers. In the case of Coral Hypermarket, located on Carlos Julio Arosemena Avenue, customers were attracted by discounts on products such as detergents, rice, oils, beers, among others. Carmen Vásquez arrived from the center of Guayaquil to look for offers. The client brought detergent, oil and rice. “It’s cheap, the detergent that costs $12 is given 2 for 1, the same with other products,” said the woman.

Juan Carlos Guerrero, the manager of the facility, indicated that the Black Friday discounts started on Thursday the 23rd, a day in which they recorded 16% higher sales compared to a normal day, and they are waiting for the answer on the 24th and the weekend. similar or even bigger customers .

“The opening of the store had to be done half an hour earlier because there were already a lot of people outside and the line of cars went all the way to Guayarte,” said Guerrero.