Dresses, boots, and sneakers topped the list of most popular buys, with the largest purchasing demographic in Gauteng, with visitors up by more than 300%. Peak shopping times were recorded between 08:00 and Noon. The customer service team underwent training to cater for increased call traffic, keeping the call waiting time to an average of 20 seconds, which is only a slight increase to Zando’s average call waiting time of eight seconds.

“We anticipated the heavy volume of on-site shoppers and customer phone calls for the Black Friday sale and wanted to make sure our customers could enjoy the deals hassle-free, so we carried out extensive stress-testing on all infrastructure ahead of time,” says Sascha Breuss, CEO of Zando. According to Breuss, the high number of sales made through their Zando fashion app highlighted the upward trend of mobile shopping. “The shift in South Africa toward mobile shopping has been a slow one, but with Zando’s various safe online payment methods as well as our unique Cash on Delivery footprint this convenient way of purchasing is paving the way forward for a very exciting future in retail and technology.”

The public took advantage of Black Friday deals in an effort to save where they could ahead of the festive season, which often sees bloated prices. “Things are getting very expensive and our salaries are not getting any higher so I stocked up on necessities as well as indulged in a few luxuries and Christmas presents for family,” says Cape Town-based shopper, Candice Burgess. According to the latest BankservAfrica Disposable Salary Index (BDSI), the nominal year-on-year difference for the average South African take-home salaries increased by 3.5%. However, when taking inflation into account, actual real disposable salaries declined for the fifth month in a row, the longest period of decline on record.

“We understand it’s tough for the South African consumer so we always try and introduce savings where possible. We also offer free delivery and full refunds for products returned,” says Breuss. Zando won Best Mobile Shopping Experience and Best Overall Shopping Experience at the 2016 PriceCheck Tech and E-Com Awards.

For more information, visit www.zando.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.