Black Friday has undoubtedly become one of the most anticipated and explosive shopping events in the shopping calendar. It’s the day when companies have a unique chance to attract customers and record sales. However, to turn this opportunity into success, it is essential to be technologically prepared. So, in this article, we explore how you can prepare your IT infrastructure and cybersecurity to ensure that Black Friday turns into a record sales day, not a “black Friday” for your business.
Here are some tips:
Analyse Current Resources:
The first step in preparing for Black Friday is a careful analysis of your existing IT infrastructure. Make sure you have enough processing capacity, storage and bandwidth to cope with the surge in traffic. To this end, perform load tests to assess the current limitations of your infrastructure. is essential. It’s also important to identify any weaknesses that could lead to problems on the big day.
Scalability and Redundancy:
To ensure you are prepared for any traffic volume, plan for an increase in resource capacity. Invest in data-center solutions that allow easy scalability so you can quickly add additional resources when needed. Also make sure there is an adequate degree of redundancy to avoid disruption in the event of hardware problems or possible cyber attacks.
Protect yourself from Cyber Threats:
Black Friday not only attracts the attention of shoppers, but also cybercriminals. They are looking to take advantage of increased traffic to launch attacks. To strengthen your cyber security, consider the following:
- Make sure software and patches are regularly updated to fix known vulnerabilities.
- Implement a continuous network monitoring system to detect suspicious activity in real time.
- A firewall and intrusion detection system are essential to protect your network.
- Educate your employees about cyber threats and implement sound security practices.
Data Backup and Recovery:
A well-developed data backup and recovery plan is essential. Back up your data regularly and make sure it is stored in a safe place so that you can quickly recover data in the event of a cyber incident or hardware failure. An effective data recovery plan will help you get back online quickly and minimise any negative impact.
Testing and Anticipation:
To be prepared on Black Friday, carry out thorough tests beforehand. Simulate traffic growth and perform stress tests to ensure your IT infrastructure and cyber security are ready to handle any scenario. Anticipate potential failure points and develop action plans to manage them quickly and effectively.
Fast communication and decision-making:
As Black Friday approaches, ensure effective communication between IT, security and management teams. Monitor in real time for any signs of trouble and be prepared to react quickly to minimise any negative impact on the business.
Black Friday is an unprecedented opportunity to boost sales and strengthen your business reputation. With the right IT infrastructure and cybersecurity preparation, you can turn Black Friday into a record sales day. Therefore, by focusing on IT infrastructure management, data-center solutions and robust security measures, you can ensure that Black Friday is not a “black Friday” for your business, but an opportunity for growth and success.
And now…a bit about the real history of Black Friday
Black Friday, known for its fabulous deals and shopping frenzy, has interesting origins. The term “Black Friday” was not originally linked to shopping, but to an economic crisis in 1869, when gold prices fell dramatically in the US.
In the 1950s or ’60s in Philadelphia, “Black Friday” began to describe the traffic chaos and crowding in stores on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Merchants tried to change the perception of the term and it seems they succeeded quite resoundingly. .
Black Friday has become a global shopping tradition, but how did this event come to influence the Romanian market? The history of Black Friday in our country has its roots stretching back over many years and has evolved significantly.
The first signs of Black Friday in Romania appeared around 2011, when a few online stores tried to import this tradition from the US. However, at the time, the concept was relatively unknown and did not gain significant traction. Over time, Black Friday has started to gain more notoriety and be adopted by an increasing number of shops and retailers. Attractive offers and substantial discounts attracted the attention of more and more consumers, leading to a significant increase in sales on the day. One of the key factors in the popularisation of Black Friday in Romania has been the expansion of online shopping.
This concept, in Romania, has travelled a fascinating path, transforming from an almost unknown event to a pillar of the shopping market. According to a report by market research company GfK Romania, Black Friday 2022 saw a remarkable 15% increase in sales compared to the previous year, reaching a total of €1.2 billion.
This economic boom has been fuelled mainly by the growing popularity of online shopping in Romania, which has seen an impressive 25% increase to €500 million. However, physical stores were not excluded from this growth, recording an increase of 10% with sales of €700 million. This trend has been supported by an increasing number of consumers choosing to go into stores to take advantage of Black Friday deals.
The most popular product categories were household appliances, accounting for 22% of total sales, followed by mobile phones and accessories at 17%, fashion and footwear at 15%, IT and software at 12%, and home and garden products at 10%.
In terms of brands, Samsung led the ranking with 12% of total sales, followed by Apple with 10%, Decathlon with 8%, eMAG with 7%, and H&M with 6%.
Black Friday in Romania is not only a shopping day, but also a significant economic phenomenon. This event generated a substantial increase in sales and became a turning point for retailers and consumers alike. With attractive offers and efficient technology management, Black Friday is eagerly awaited every year to mark a notable economic success.
