The Ordinary Slowvember
When other brands give less, we give more.
For the past seven years, DECIEM has taken a stance against Black Friday and its inherently rushed and panicked profile as a period of big savings. DECIEM offers a 23% discount on all products throughout the month of November in protest of the sales period– where pricing is not always what it seems to encourage consumers to research their purchases and buy only what they need. Now in its seventh year, the initiative stands as a continued protest against hyper-consumerism and the culture of impulse buying driven by deep-discount retail events.
Black Friday has evolved into a consumer sprint. Shoppers are driven by urgency, flash deals, and limited-time offers. In 2024 alone, U.S. online sales on Black Friday reached $10.8 billion, representing a 10.2% year-on-year rise. Yet many “deals” are engineered. A pricing study showed that 92% of the deals analysed were the same price or cheaper at other times of the year compared with any point in the Black Friday fortnight.
While Black Friday has become synonymous with urgency and overconsumption, DECIEM’s ‘Shop Slow’ messaging reflects its long-term commitment to promoting considered purchasing and valuing quality over quantity. This November, the brand encourages consumers to shop with intention, investing in products they truly need and love. Not simply those discounted for a day.
In support of that mission, DECIEM has developed a Guide to Spotting a Fake Deal, designed to help people see through the marketing noise of deep discounts and make more informed choices.
- Start with an intentional cart. Clear and edit promotional and marketing materials down to your essentials, and build wishlists for a curated cart. You can revisit it and check for price adjustments or added benefits any time.
- Recognize when you’re getting less for less. If you knew you were getting less product, would you still want it? Shrinkflation, which happens when products shrink in size or quantity while the prices remain the same, is something you can avoid. Though quantity by weight or volume is usually indicated on the front of the packaging, you may actually be getting less product at a lower price, thereby shrinking the value.
- Consideration over urgency. Take time to consider if your purchase is something you actually need or want or just a decision made under pressure. While savings are appealing, the best purchase is one that will be loved and used.
- Build benefits, not bundles. Are you buying more than you need? Bundles are tempting and often include items that aren’t suitable for you, whether discounted or full price.
- Know that “limited editions” sometimes aren’t. We all love an exclusive offer. Time-sensitive releases of small quantities, batch-release or scarcity tactics only tap into our have-to-have-it mindset. ‘Last chance’ or ‘low stock” products should mean just that–not that they’ll miraculously restock only to go on sale again week after week.Real deals don’t need pressure tactics.
- Don’t get squeezed. If you frequently shop a website, watch out for old or fluctuating prices that are newly labeled as Black Friday discounts. Check, compare and price-test each purchase.
DECIEM brand The Ordinary is now offering 23% saving across its entire product portfolio from now until 7th December.
