The Ultimate Black Friday Disappointment: When ‘Shockingly’ Low Prices Aren’t Enough

Many people, including Thanh Son from Cong Hoa, Tan Binh District, spent their weekend shopping during the Black Friday sales. Son shared that he visited the Aeon Tan Phu shopping center to hunt for discounted items.

A well-known global t-shirt brand was offering discounts of up to 40-50%. On regular days, their t-shirts are priced at almost VND 3 million, but during the sale, they were reduced to VND 1.6-1.8 million each.

Being a loyal customer of the brand, Son was excited about the deep discounts. However, the discounted items were mostly available in extreme sizes, either too large or too small. Additionally, the sale items included colors that are less popular, such as yellow, red, and orange.

“At first, I intended to buy a lot of clothes, but after searching through the discounted items, I couldn’t find anything suitable, so I left empty-handed,” Son shared his disappointment.

Similarly, Thanh Hang, a resident of Phan Dinh Phung, Phu Nhuan District, visited a fashion store on Tran Quang Dieu Street, District 3, to take advantage of the Black Friday deals. Many women’s clothing items were on sale for as low as VND 39,000, VND 79,000, and VND 99,000. However, like Son, she left the store disappointed after 30 minutes of unsuccessful browsing.

“The clothes on sale were mostly outdated, too old, or made from unattractive fabrics. Some had ugly stitching or faulty zippers,” Hang explained.

Hang expressed her disappointment with the Black Friday shopping experience, stating that it felt underwhelming and frustrating. Many of her friends shared similar experiences, spending time and effort without much success.

Ngo Thi Mai, the owner of a shoe store on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, District 3, shared that during Black Friday, her store took the opportunity to clear out old and outdated inventory. With a 50% discount, the shoes sold very quickly, and their revenue doubled or tripled compared to regular days.

Vu Dinh Khanh, a marketing and communications expert in Ho Chi Minh City, explained that Black Friday is often a time when brands try to offload their excess inventory or leftover products. Therefore, consumers should be mentally prepared before heading out for Black Friday shopping sprees.

“You get what you pay for,” Khanh said, “Deeply discounted products may not fully satisfy customers. However, reputable brands should provide more detailed descriptions of their sale items on their websites and social media platforms.”

He further added that well-known brands should include additional information about their discounted products, such as size and color options, to help their vast customer base have a clearer understanding of the sale items. This would save customers time, build trust, and foster a stronger relationship with the brand.