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It’s official, and it’s right around the corner; the French Days 2021 will take place from Thursday 27th of May to Wednesday 2nd of June in France. This is a unique opportunity for French retailers and e-merchants to set up and promote exceptional promotional offers and it’s also an opportunity for consumers to make good deals! In this blog, we take a look at the “French Black Friday” which has been driving the French e-commerce market every year since 2018.
The 2021 French Days’ edition affected by the pandemic crisis
In normal circumstances, the French Days are held twice a year. One during spring and one in autumn. This year, due to the global pandemic, the organizers had to reshuffle their schedule.
Initially scheduled to take place between the end of April and the beginning of May, the founders and partner brands have decided to coincide the start of the 2021 edition of French Days with the reopening of non-essential shops in France on May 19. The promotional campaigns will therefore be able to start at the end of May and allow retailers and e-merchants to relaunch their activity.
What are the so-called French Days?
Since the beginning of this blog we have been telling you about the French Days, but what exactly is this event all about?
Created in 2018, this promotional operation à la française is a direct response to Black Friday (very popular across the Atlantic). It is also a way for French merchants and retailers to fight against Amazon, which dominates global e-commerce with very competitive prices.
It all started with an initiate from 6 major brands (Boulanger, Cdiscount, Fnac-Darty, La Redoute, Rue du Commerce, and showroomprive.com) and three years ago the French Days gained an additional boost by being backed up by the French government. This initiative was supported and validated by the French government at the time. Delphine Gény-Stephann, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Economy, called on brands and the French e-commerce ecosystem to react. This operation aims to allow retailers and merchants (online and physical) to create promotional offers and flash sales to their customers over a short time and on a fixed date.
Today, the French Days are becoming more and more popular and are gradually becoming part of the French e-commerce landscape. The online platform of the French Days invites and allows all merchants and e-merchants to take part in the event independently.
The French Days in figures
- During the first edition of French Days, promotional offers generated over 43 million online visits.
- The two 2020 editions saw e-commerce sales rise by +12% and +6%.
- The top products sold: high-tech products, household appliances, fashion.
- Previous editions have each brought together nearly 200 retailers and merchants.
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Prepare your e-commerce logistics for the French Days activity peak
Even if the figures show timid increases in sales during the previous editions of French Days, everything suggests that this year will be different.
With, hopefully, a return to “normal life” and a reopening of the shops, the French Days come at the right time to help you boost your business. Take advantage of these days to make promotional offers and flash sales to attract your customers again.
Sales, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and French Days, different campaigns, same logistic challenge!
Sales, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and French Days are all-important promotional campaigns in the e-commerce sphere. However, they do not have the same duration or the same impact on retailers and e-merchants. Sales remain an important moment for physical shops, while Black Friday is more e-commerce oriented.
However, these events pose the same challenges:
- Processing a large number of orders in a short period of time
- Managing stock, packaging, and shipping
- Managing returns (which are increasing due to more impulse buying)
You need to be well prepared for this event, especially if you are a D2C brand. By using the services of a fulfillment partner like byrd, you will be able to manage seasonal peaks such as during the French Days and thus satisfy your most demanding customers.