What Does A Slower Paced Black Friday Mean? Here Are 4 Trends To Follow In 2022

Dare we say there’s less Black Friday frenzied energy in the air this year?

Yes we’re eager to spend. But maybe this year we feel like we're buying with clearer heads. We’re feeling less derailed because we're feeling less pressured to buy all the things. And maybe we're planning out and making more meaningful purchases as a result.

In 1890, the economist Alfred Marshall recognized the larger benefits of buying in this way. His words were,

“The world would go much better, if everyone would buy fewer and simple things, and would take trouble in selecting them for their real beauty… preferring to buy a few things made well by highly paid labour than many made badly by low paid labour.”

It's a new era!

And businesses are ready for it. They're moving themselves (and their employees) away from "pressure to buy" and "produce at a rapid pace" environments of previous years and are opting instead to deliver product sales at a slower pace.

Let’s get specific on 2022 trends. We take a look at 4 Black Friday trends to follow in 2022 and examples of stores that are driving them forward. In no particular order:

*Discover more brands like these in our Discovery section.

Trend: Slowvember

Definition Slowvember means more time to make meaningful purchases, possibly towards essentials. Typically Black Friday sales extend until Cyber Monday. But with Slowvember, it's common to see promotional periods extending for up to a month. The result: encouraging reflection before purchasing, and better treatment of employees who are encouraged to work at a more sustainable pace to fulfill orders.

Examples of stores on board with this trend:

Ergonofis 🇨🇦

What they do: Eco-friendly & built to last standing desks

Shop their sale: https://ergonofis.com/collections/black-friday-sale

The Ordinary 🇨🇦

What they do: Cult skincare products

Shop their sale: https://theordinary.com/en-ca/slowvember-faq.html

Trend: Made-To-Order

Definition: Businesses are manufacturing products after the product has been purchased. Higher quality is more important than speed this year. And buyers don't mind waiting longer for a purchase to arrive than in previous years.

Examples of stores on board with this trend:

Alohas 🇺🇸

What they do: On-demand sustainable fashion

Shop their sale: https://www.alohas.io/

Saatva 🇺🇸

What they do: Luxury mattress company

Shop their sale: https://www.saatva.com/mattresses

Trend 3: DIY Repairs And Store Repairs

Definition: Why buy if you can repair? Businesses are offering educational ressources on how to fix old items instead of buying something new. Now's the time to learn how to patch, darn, and repair your old stuff. Some businesses are also reminding us to they do repairs even on Black Friday.

Examples of stores on board with this trend:

Patagonia 🇺🇸

What they do: Retailer of outdoor clothing

To learn repair tricks for your gear: https://www.patagonia.com/repairs/

Taylor Morris Eyewear 🇬🇧

What they do: Eyewear brand

Shop their sale, but don't be shy to bring in your glasses for repair that day too. They encourage it: https://taylormorriseyewear.com/

Trend : Bartering

Definition: Exchange your gently used item for another item.

Examples of a store on board with this trend:

Freitag 🇨🇭

What they do: They turn old truck tarps and other recycled materials to make bags, and apparel and accessories made of biodegradable textile

Swap your bag: https://www.freitag.ch/en

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