The battle for the consumer’s rand intensifies
South Africa’s technology and durables sector is heading into a highly competitive Black Friday season. According to NIQ South Africa, manufacturers and retailers should expect relatively flat unit and revenue growth compared to 2024. Consumers remain cautious, selective and intensely value-driven, shaping what could be one of the most aggressive promotional environments the sector has seen in years.
NIQ South Africa Managing Director Zak Haeri says Black Friday growth in tech and durable goods has peaked. The momentum that once delivered double-digit surges has levelled off, with discount depth rather than product novelty doing most of the heavy lifting.
Haeri notes that the low-end and mid-range categories will dominate competition as cash-strapped consumers look for functional value, energy efficiency and reliability rather than premium features alone.
Smartphones and TVs face tough conditions
The smartphone market is expected to show a decline in sales value this November, although unit sales will rise. Discount-heavy promotions in the low- to mid-tier bracket will drive this behaviour, with challenger brands launching deals earlier in the month to capture intent before the market saturates.
Televisions, the hero product of many Black Friday weekends, are projected to experience moderate declines in both volume and revenue. Consumers are spending more time researching and comparing deals across retailers. Shallow or misleading discounts will be punished, with shoppers turning quickly to competitors offering transparent savings.
Appliances, computing and unexpected winners
The IT hardware category is expected to continue its recovery, led by growing demand for mobile computing. Remote work, hybrid offices and cloud-based workflows are still influencing buying patterns across South Africa.
Home appliances will see small revenue declines but rising unit numbers. Manufacturers are reportedly preparing aggressive discount strategies to drive volume, especially in entry and mid-range product lines. Vacuum cleaners are shaping up to be an unexpected star performer, with NIQ forecasting good revenue growth off flat unit sales. Cooking appliances should also grow, while cooling products are expected to remain under pressure.
Haeri says consumers are still enthusiastic about Black Friday, but are now intensely price-sensitive. NIQ data shows a dramatic increase in deep discounting: in 2024, 20 percent of tech and durables products were sold at 50 percent off, compared to almost none in 2022 and 2023.
How the discount cycle usually unfolds
Black Friday campaigns typically unfold in phases. Early November focuses on clearance stock and entry-level offers. By mid-month, brands shift their attention to mid-tier shoppers with attractive bundles and category-specific deals. The final week is usually the premium battleground, where flagship smartphones, high-end TVs and advanced appliances receive their deepest reductions.
Cyber Monday still plays a role, but NIQ notes that activity falls off sharply after the Black Friday weekend intensity peaks.
Value-driven shoppers will test brands’ agility
To win in this environment, brands and retailers must deliver personalised, contextual and segmented communication. Bundles such as smartphones with accessories or gaming consoles packaged with software continue to outperform standalone product discounts.
Price-sensitive shoppers respond to strong entry-level deals, while value-conscious buyers look to mid-market options. Premium customers adopt a different rhythm, often researching early and purchasing in the final week once flagship discounts go live.
Haeri highlights key success factors for Black Friday 2025. These include an omnichannel strategy that matches how consumers move between online and in-store research, early marketing activation, sharp value messaging, targeted discounting, personalised outreach to existing customers and real-time optimisation of promotions as buying behaviour shifts.
The bottom line
Black Friday remains South Africa’s most important week for technology and durable goods, generating roughly double the sales and revenue volumes of any other week of the year. But the rules have changed. Brands that win in 2025 will be those that understand a more analytical and value-focused customer and respond with precision, relevance and transparency.
The days of easy Black Friday wins are over. The days of smarter, sharper competitive battles are here
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