Black Friday is a huge opportunity for the nation’s retailers, but it is one fraught with danger.

The recently introduced festive spending spree is expected to break the £1 billion barrier in sales for the first time on November 27, with over £800 million spent online.

However, slashed margins, limited stocks, and in-store hysteria has left some retailers wondering if the festive frenzy is really worth the hassle.

The concerns this year prompted Asda, credited (or blamed) for importing the North American tradition to the UK from parent company Walmart, to pull out of the event altogether.

Indeed it was their stores that attracted much of the broadcasted chaos last year, and it’s unclear whether that move may mark the beginning of the end for Black Friday in the UK.

It will be customers who ultimately decide whether the holiday continues, and they are likely to vote with their feet (or mouse) to keep it. With that in mind, here’s Neighbourhood Retailers top tips for remaining in the black after Black Friday.

1. Limit your Black Friday offers – While the temptation is to slash prices across ranges to ensure you target a wide customer demographic, it may be more practical to limit the discounted products so you are still participating but keeping a margin on some lines.
2. Evaluate your IT, store and logistics – Are your tills and servers all operating perfectly? Is your store clear of tripping hazards and well-lit in every area? Is your parking free of obstructions? If you’re hoping for an influx of demand during Black Friday, plan for the best outcome by ensuring everything is optimised and in place. Why plan for defeat?
3. Keep customers informed – Managing customer expectations can be the difference between a good experience and a negative one. Get on social media and tell customers what deals they can realistically expect to find. Avoid language like “door busting offers” or “first 100 customers” – you may be asking for trouble.
4. Extend your deals beyond Black Friday – Keep your customers engaged throughout the year to sustain sales, and don’t put all your eggs into the Black Friday basket.
5. Don’t be brief in your briefing – Create a detailed staffing plan that designates a location for each worker. Based on the size of the crowd expected, determine the number of workers needed in various locations to ensure safety.
6. Put your most experienced staff on the front lines – Many stores hire temporary staff for Christmas, but they may be more suited to the goods received area or wrapping presents, as your most experienced staff will be required to handle everything from pricing queries to crowd control. Put your best on the floor to provide high-quality customer service.
7. Product spacing and traffic management – Spread sale items throughout the store to prevent overcrowding in one spot. Aisles featuring a lot of offers should be wide enough for more than one customer to navigate at a time. If you have a limited number of certain sale items, place them behind the counter so customers don’t grab, tackle or fight to get one.
8. Bring the Christmas Spirit – Keep spirits high with music, decorations, and even smells (spiced cider, pine cones, etc.). Create an environment of celebration that your employees and customers will enjoy. The pleasant experience will bring them back throughout the year.
9. Training alleviates many problems – Some last-minute refresher training for all employees can be helpful to ensure smooth running. Focus on store safety, customer service, and product location, especially those on sale so enquiries can be handled quickly.
10. Maximise the impulse buys – Everyone in your store will have a list of people and presents to get, so place impulse items where customers will be inspired to pick them up as they’re waiting in line to pay for their purchases.