Black Friday hype grows in SA as online fraud surges

Black Friday has transformed from a single-day event to an extended shopping period that many South Africans look forward to each year. 

Andrew Fulton, Director of data analytics company Eighty20, says the psychology behind it is that shopping deals trigger the same dopamine reward centres activated by social media likes or gambling wins. 

This also explains why some retailers use flashy promotions and games such as spinning wheels to entice shoppers.

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“It's all those sorts of things to make sure that you feel excited about it, your brain field, this dopamine hit. That's why these kinds of Black Friday deals feel so exciting. It feels like you're really getting this amazing deal,” he says.

Fulton says that, while South Africa hasn’t experienced violent in-store incidents, online fraud increased by 32% during last year’s Black Friday period.

“I think one of the really dangerous things right now is using AI, you can pretty much replicate a Nike website or any other website, put a way to get cash off of that and really fool people.”

The good news is that consumers are shifting toward more practical purchases, with many South Africans using the opportunity to stock up on essential rather than luxury items.

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“It speaks to the economy; we've had five tough years. Salaries haven’t been keeping up with inflation,” Fulton says. 

To listen to Fulton in conversation with CapeTalk’s Amy MacIver, click below: