Readers: Black Friday will be huge this year

Media buyers and planners think it will be a cheery holiday season for retailers, with spending on holiday purchases up and a healthy turnout for Black Friday.

Some even say ad spending is rising to end the year as retailers push to get on the air after being frozen out by political ads the past two months.

But this little holiday boom won’t last.

Buyers’ outlook for advertising next year is pessimistic, with concerns about the health of the economy continuing to put a damper on spending.

That’s according to a survey posted last week by Media Life inviting readers to weigh in on Black Friday and beyond.

It found that buyers and planners believe it will be a generally cheery holiday season.

Asked whether the average shopper will spend more this year than last year on Black Friday, when they shelled out an average $398.62, 62.5 percent of readers predicted that spending will be up.

Only 37.5 percent thought spending would be down.

They also think more people will be out looking for bargains this weekend than last year, when 226 million shopped either online or in person. Asked how many people will come out this year, the largest chunk of readers, 37.5 percent, predicted 228 million.

Another 12.5 percent said 230 million or more will shop, while an equal percentage predicted that last year’s number will hold steady at 226 million.

Readers were divided on whether spending on advertisements for Black Friday is up or down this year. Just under 38 percent said that it’s down, but only because the day has become so hyped up that shoppers seek out information about Black Friday sales on their own and there’s no need to advertise to them.

A quarter of readers said Black Friday advertising is up, and another quarter chose to write in their responses, saying that it’s about equal to last year.

Asked whether online ad spending for Black Friday was up, readers were again divided, with half saying yes and half saying no.

They were similarly split on whether overall holiday ad spending will be up, with half saying yes and half no.

“You could hardly buy a spot during October, so all of that money is now going to be spent in Nov. and Dec.,” noted one buyer.

But others said uncertainty about the economy and the fiscal cliff is holding advertising back.

That uncertainty is clearly going to carry into the coming year.

Asked whether ad demand is up or down generally as the year ends, half of readers said up and half said down.

And they are not anticipating a great rebound in 2013. Media Life asked, “What is your outlook for 2013 ad spending?”

The largest number, 37.5 percent, said it is “somewhat pessimistic.” Twenty-five percent apiece chose “somewhat optimistic” or “neither optimistic nor pessimistic,” while 12.5 percent picked “very pessimistic.”

No one chose “very optimistic.”
 

Tags: 2013, ad dollars, ad spending, advertising, black friday, black friday ad spending, black friday shoppers, economy, holiday, media life, online, online ad spending, outlook, people, surveys, yes