Why Jigsaw is shunning Black Friday sales
British fashion retailer Jigsaw is shunning this year's Black Friday sales because it feels that its products "stand for something".
The company this week posted a 'Black Friday Manifesto' on its website detailing the reasons for staying clear of slashing prices for the day-long sales event.
"When we design our collections, we have the freedom to start with the product, not the price. We begin with the fabric – we work with the finest mills and factories - then the pattern for each item is cut by hand in our design studio in London," it read.
"This approach allows us to give our products a true value. When we price a jacket, you can be confident that it will remain at that price all season...Unsurprisingly, we won’t be taking part in Black Friday. Our products are reduced by nothing because they stand for something. We do have black in our collection; that’s as far as we will go."
Last year Jigsaw discounted its products by 10 per cent on Black Friday, a relatively small amount compared other retailers, and a tactic that allowed it to enjoy strong sales as it moved closer to Christmas. Speaking in January this year as Jigsaw announced its Christmas sales results, Peter Ruis, chief executive, said the fact that the fashion chain held off from discounting meant it had enough stock when demand picked up and the weather turned colder.
Jigsaw will instead run a traditional Christmas sale online on Christmas Eve and in store on Boxing Day.