A shopping centre in HCM City. The biggest promotion of the year, Black Friday, has come to town with discounts of 90 per cent. — VNS Photo Thu Ngan

Black Friday, the biggest retail promotion of the year, is ubiquitous in HCM City with most shopping centres and stores offering discounts of up to 90 per cent.

In recent years, this event has been becoming popular in Viet Nam, and this year it seems to have started very early with many shops beginning the promotion programme at the beginning of the month. It refers to the fourth Friday of November.

Walking around the city, it is easy to see boards mentioning discounts in front of stores.

Runway, a famous retail chain that distributes luxury fashion goods in Viet Nam, announced Black Friday sales at all its stores in HCM City and Ha Noi.

This is the biggest promotion it has ever had, Runway told Viet Nam News, adding that it is only for one day, today.

Brands like Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Chloe, Emilio Pucci, Erdem, Jil Sander, Marni, Pinko, Tara Jarmon, Theory, DVF, Enfold, Helmut Lang and No.21 will be sold at discounts.

The biggest shopping malls in HCM City’s District 1, Sai Gon Centre and Takashimaya, will offer Black Friday discounts of up to 50 per cent today.

Their fan pages also mention gifts for lucky customers.

Crescent Mall in District 7 has its own unique way of celebrating Black Friday: sales at night.

In recent years, on Black Friday occasion, all shops in this shopping mall remain open until midnight and offer many attractive promotions.

This year, Crescent Mall will have Black Friday sales on Friday and Saturday nights, from 10pm to midnight, with discounts of up to 50 per cent.

There will also be lucky draws worth totally VND2 billion.

Thanks to the growth of the internet and social media, busy people too can shop on Black Friday even if they do not have time to go out.

Just log into Facebook and it is easy to find many attractive deals.

Most shops selling fashion products, decorative items, cosmetics, and even food are offering discounts and delivery services so that customers can enjoy Black Friday without having to go out.

Some sellers even help customers order products from foreign countries at discounts.

A trader told Viet Nam News that he offers customers the service of ordering on foreign websites.

“I am busy with so many orders as foreign websites started their sales nearly a week ago. The busiest days are yesterday [November 28] and today when it is actually Black Friday.”

A District 7 resident, who wants to be anonymous, told Viet Nam News: “I have saved for months for the biggest promotion day of the year. Now it is time to spend. I have bought many things online and will continue to buy this weekend.”

Advertising platform Criteo said of all the sales events at the year-end, Black Friday sees the highest surge.

Last year, it saw sales and traffic increase by 149 per cent and 61 per cent, respectively.

The trend would continue this year, it predicted. — VNS