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BLACK Friday next week will see Britain’s biggest online spree, due to the Covid lockdown.
With non-essential shops shut until December 2, web spending on November 27 is set to hit a record £1.93billion — 70 per cent up on last year.
An army of more than 150,000 couriers is in place to deliver the goods, but experts say huge demand will trigger hold-ups and some orders may not arrive before Christmas.
Royal Mail has already seen week-long parcel delays and retail insiders say social distancing in warehouses is adding to waits.
Prof Joshua Bamfield, from the Centre for Retail Research, said: “The big increase in delivery demand will be difficult to satisfy.
“If shoppers who order later have still not received deliveries the week before Christmas, they’ll be biting their fingernails.”
A VoucherCodes.co.uk study says this Black Friday will beat the £1.5billion online spending record on Cyber Monday — the first in December — last year.
Delivery firms have recruited an extra 67,000 staff in preparation. But Mike Hancox, chief exec of Yodel, said: “It’s been like Christmas for six months – and we now expect another 20 per cent on top.”
Professor Joshua Bamfield added: “If shoppers who order later have still not received deliveries the week before Christmas, they’ll be biting their fingernails.
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“Social distancing in warehouses is also limiting retailers.
“Black Friday’s online spending will see a massive increase on last year, due to most shops being closed.
“But essential retailers such as supermarkets also sell Christmas products so will do good business on Black Friday.
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