“Black Friday 2025: when it will be and how not to fall for tricky discountsBlack Friday 2025 falls on November 28. Economist Oleh Pendzyn explained that in Ukraine, real discounts are only possible at the
initiative of the manufacturer, as retailers have limited opportunities due to low margins and exchange rates. He advised checking
the average price of a product several months before the sale to avoid artificially inflated prices.
”, — write: unn.ua
In Ukraine, Black Friday is celebrated on the last Friday of November – in 2025, it will be November 28. This traditional event originated in the USA: the day of sales falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Initially, the name “Black Friday” appeared in Philadelphia in the 1960s to describe the large flow of people and traffic jams in stores after the holiday. Subsequently, this day turned into a large-scale commercial event that stimulates pre-holiday shopping, and discounts and promotions acquired a global character.
Real discounts depend on the manufacturerAccording to the expert, large discounts during Black Friday in Ukraine are possible only when the manufacturer himself organizes a promotion to sell off his warehouses.
Black Friday, that is, big discounts, is not a retail initiative, but a joint program with the manufacturer. And there, indeed, it is a way for the manufacturer to clear their own warehouses, to sell off products before the New Year that were not realized to a certain extent.
In the case of imported goods, retailers in Ukraine have very limited opportunities for discounts due to low margins and currency fluctuations. Therefore, formal discounts in Ukrainian stores are often just a marketing ploy, not real savings for the buyer.
Therefore, in Ukraine, Black Friday is purely formal, it is more of a marketing ploy by analogy with large countries, where discounts can indeed reach quite powerful values and which the manufacturer takes on.
How not to fall victim to fake promotions as a buyerThe economist advises first to find out the average market price of the product over the past two to three months. If the price is artificially inflated on the eve of Black Friday, and the discount looks significant, it is most likely a marketing trick.
That is, if you saw that three months ago the price was, say, 1000 UAH, and approximately two or three weeks before Black Friday the price suddenly became 1500 UAH, and directly on Black Friday you were told that there was a 30% discount and the price suddenly became 1100. Well, then, then it’s probably just a marketing ploy.
He also emphasized that retailers can only share their trade markup and do not sell goods below cost. Therefore, discounts are usually offered on goods that sell poorly, not on popular products.
What is a discount during Black Friday? It’s when the seller shares part of their profit with you, right? Well, they won’t sell it to you cheaper than they bought it.