How small London businesses are competing with the big guys on Black Friday

Black Friday has become notorious, known around the world for its stampedes, shootings and broken bones as shoppers storm the gates of big retailers for deep discounts. 

The yearly frenzy has become so extreme, there's even a website called Black Friday Death Count that tracks the number of injuries and deaths in what's become the most dangerous shopping day of the year in some countries. 

The retailers themselves aren't shy about ratcheting up the hype either, some, such as Best Buy even go so far as to invite journalists to document the yearly feeding frenzy. 

"Best Buy Canada is inviting media to capture lineups of consumers and the excitement of shoppers as they snag some of the biggest savings of the year," a press release from the company said Monday. "Early crowds are expected."

So, how do small businesses compete? 

'For us, it's more about our community'

'For us, it's about our community'

7 years ago

Duration 0:24

kayla gibbens

Kayla Gibbens, the owner of Über Cool Stuff in downtown London, isn't a big believer in Black Fridays.

Last year, she held a Christmas Open House at her Carling Street store. It was so successful that she planned to do it again this year. 

"It went really well," she said. "We gave out hot apple cider, we gift wrapped and we gave out coupons for 30 per cent off." 

Gibbens said there's no point competing with the big retailers, since most of the people who are willing to stand in long lines and brave the frenzied crush of shoppers, aren't going to change their minds.

"I find with my location, we're not the same as a giant retailer and it is really hard to compete with some of their prices," she said. "But, I find the way we handle it works out really well for us."  

'Black Friday is one of our busiest days' 

"We are gearing up," said Daniel Phillips, the owner and founder of London-based clothing retailer Illbury and Goose. "It's an industry standard, we need to participate as best we can against these multi-million dollar corporations." 

Phillips decided on holding Black Friday sales about four years ago and hasn't looked back since. He uses the day to express his appreciation for his customers by offering deals. 

"You have to," he said. "Customers are even asking us in October what we're doing for Black Friday." 

"As a small business its hard to compete with the big box stores and for me it's hard not to compete in something like this," he said. "Black Friday is usually one of our busiest days in November."

'Just let Black Friday be'

What a small business decides to do on Black Friday should depend on how well it has been doing throughout the year, according to Steve Pellarin, executive director of the London Small Business Centre. 

"If they haven't been finding a way to compete through the year, it's going to be tough to make up that ground on Black Friday," he said. "A lot of businesses feel it's difficult to compete." 

Pellarin said for small businesses, sometimes it's easier to "just let Black Friday be." 

"It doesn't have to be the fantastic sales," he said. "Make it about the relationship, make it about the local, make it about the community and really the smart local retailers have already figured that out and are doing it year round."