Black Friday Sales

[Daenion]

For the past few years I have been more closely watching prices and deals. It seems like the eternal cycle of sales brought down the overall black Friday sale concept.

There were some ok deals for sure but mostly barely marked down items being pushed in bulk. I felt like that was the case for the hobby too especially on coral side. A lot of the following meme rather than actual price cuttings and inventories seemed stale.

How was your experience?

 

[rtparty]

There are loads of deals if you are in the market for equipment. Not one major item jacked their prices up right before Black Friday

 

[Daenion]

There are loads of deals if you are in the market for equipment. Not one major item jacked their prices up right before Black Friday

Yes and no. As I said yes there are deals in gear however this is even Red Sea’s second one this year. They usually do 1 per year. So no not the best deals.

 

[rtparty]

Yes and no. As I said yes there are deals in gear however this is even Red Sea’s second one this year. They usually do 1 per year. So no not the best deals.

Didn’t say they were the “best deals” or that they were the only deals of the year. However, many items that have never been more than 10% off are 15-20% off right now. Vortechs were 25% off before Black Friday and the advertising even said that the 25% off was better than Black Friday would be.

The market as a whole is in the toilet with sales WAY down across the board. This means we are going to see more sales and promotions throughout the year to try and move product. Not sure how that’s a bad thing for those of us still in the hobby

 

[Someshmuk]

The whole concept of a black friday of deals across all markets has long since passed. There isn't a good enough reason for vendors to sell their products for the kind of deals (limited quanity at 60-90% off) that used to cause people to foam from the mouth pulling product from others hands. Better to know what you need to buy, hold off for 1 - 12 months and get it when the price is right for you.

 

[Daenion]

Didn’t say they were the “best deals” or that they were the only deals of the year. However, many items that have never been more than 10% off are 15-20% off right now. Vortechs were 25% off before Black Friday and the advertising even said that the 25% off was better than Black Friday would be.

The market as a whole is in the toilet with sales WAY down across the board. This means we are going to see more sales and promotions throughout the year to try and move product. Not sure how that’s a bad thing for those of us still in the hobby

Interesting take.

I would argue the prices in general have been artificially jacked up which in turn alienated most people and the falling sales due to lack of customers probably limits the companies' economies of scale. Therefore the constant discounts throughout the year create a temporary relief for the people still in the hobby however does not address the root cause and the hobby in general is heading towards the usual niche exclusivity club where new comers will be discouraged and the prices get worse for the remaining people since 100% retention rate is unattainable.

 

[rtparty]

Interesting take.

I would argue the prices in general have been artificially jacked up which in turn alienated most people and the falling sales due to lack of customers probably limits the companies' economies of scale. Therefore the constant discounts throughout the year create a temporary relief for the people still in the hobby however does not address the root cause and the hobby in general is heading towards the usual niche exclusivity club where new comers will be discouraged and the prices get worse for the remaining people since 100% retention rate is unattainable.

There is no doubt the hobby is in decline. The COVID boom is over and never coming back.

 

[ninjamyst]

This is the best black Friday sales for equipment. Sicce wave makers at 50% off has never been seen. The past two years been 25% off Sicce. Bubble Magnus skimmers at 35% is higher than the normal 25% Black Friday sale.

Even for corals, common frags are at all time low with tons of unsold $10-$20 frags at major vendor live sales.

What does this mean? A lot of people have exited the hobby now that pandemic is over and new entries is less than expected. Vendors are cutting prices to draw in buyers. With raising cost but forced to offer crazy sales, vendors are making less money than the previous few years.

I won't be surprised if we start to see a few vendors shutting down in 2024...

 

[Ocean_Queenie]

For the past few years I have been more closely watching prices and deals. It seems like the eternal cycle of sales brought down the overall black Friday sale concept.

There were some ok deals for sure but mostly barely marked down items being pushed in bulk. I felt like that was the case for the hobby too especially on coral side. A lot of the following meme rather than actual price cuttings and inventories seemed stale.

How was your experience?

I was disappointed in a lot of Amazon vendors for sure, they didn’t lower the price at all, but said Black Friday pricing on them, I wrote all my prices down like a month ago lol these are not fish related ha I did purchase from the places that had an actual discount, so that was good!

 

[exnisstech]

I'm pumped to get my actually discounted blue light special from Adam @Battlecorals I know what his normal prices are and his sale was a real sale.

 

[ninjamyst]

I'm pumped to get my actually discounted blue light special from Adam @Battlecorals I know what his normal prices are and his sale was a real sale.

You will love it. He does run the same sale every Black Friday.

 

[ninjamyst]

The amount of Black Friday sales thread and activity in them are dismal compared to last year. Maybe it's just an online thing since physical stores in Orlando area were packed.

 

[exnisstech]

The amount of Black Friday sales thread and activity in them are dismal compared to last year. Maybe it's just an online thing since physical stores in Orlando area were packed.

I think it just started way too early. It was more a black November rather than a black Friday. I'm not sure about everyone else but I was just numb from being pounded daily with sales sales sales and didn't even shop.

 

[ninjamyst]

I think it just started way too early. It was more a black November rather than a black Friday. I'm not sure about everyone else but I was just numb from being pounded daily with sales sales sales and didn't even shop.

I hope you are ready for cyber Monday!! Don't forget this weekend is small business weekend! Hahaha.

TSA ran a pre black Friday sale last weekend, then an actual Black Friday sale yesterday, and this weekend continues with small business doorbusters. It's actually kinda annoying because each sale has different blockbusters and some of them are really good but not worth going back 3 times....

 

[MarsReefer]

My LFS had amazing deals this year. They are trying to clear out stock since everyone local has most of the corals they have so they wanted to wipe out everything to make more room.

Literally had an entire tank of $5 frags, and a tank of $10 and $25 frags. You could get any zoa they had for $5.

Everything else was 40% off their already generous prices (much bigger frags than any of the online vendors).

I find local places are the best for deals.

 

[Gundy]

This is the best black Friday sales for equipment. Sicce wave makers at 50% off has never been seen. The past two years been 25% off Sicce. Bubble Magnus skimmers at 35% is higher than the normal 25% Black Friday sale.

Even for corals, common frags are at all time low with tons of unsold $10-$20 frags at major vendor live sales.

What does this mean? A lot of people have exited the hobby now that pandemic is over and new entries is less than expected. Vendors are cutting prices to draw in buyers. With raising cost but forced to offer crazy sales, vendors are making less money than the previous few years.

I won't be surprised if we start to see a few vendors shutting down in 2024...

I expect an economic down turn of some kind in the coming year. Depending on how bad it is, some online stores and local LFS will shut down. Unfortunately many people would also be forced out of the hobby as well. This would actually benefit the hobby to some degree and reset prices across the board. It would also hurt the hobby in that some manufacturers would not be motivated to create new products and improve existing ones. Time will tell.

 

[Daenion]

I expect an economic down turn of some kind in the coming year. Depending on how bad it is, some online stores and local LFS will shut down. Unfortunately many people would also be forced out of the hobby as well. This would actually benefit the hobby to some degree and reset prices across the board. It would also hurt the hobby in that some manufacturers would not be motivated to create new products and improve existing ones. Time will tell.

I completely agree with this.

I do believe a soft reset of the industry in general would be good for the consumer as the current "We will squeeze the remaining people for everything" strategy is not the most sustainable one.

I do hope people will not be forced out but the reset will lower the current in my opinion high barrier of entry.

It is already a very time consuming hobby. Time consuming and expensive would be the Warhammer territory which should be avoided!