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As the festive season is just around the corner, the inevitable peak season rush – also known as the ‘Golden Quarter’ for ecommerce and retail businesses – is here.
With Black Friday this week, Gi Group, one of the UK’s leading HR and recruitment specialists, is unpacking the evolution of this spending phenomenon from a staffing point of view and sharing its ‘golden tickets’ to a seamless peak season for those working in retail and logistics.
Managing Director at Gi Group UK, Andy Carpenter, provides comment on the rapidly evolving landscape of Black Friday for the ecommerce and retail industries as peak season marks the beginning of the festive season for many businesses.
Andy said: “Black Friday arrived in the UK in 2013, originating as an American tradition. The once singular day event has extended up to two weeks in some UK stores and longer still with e-commerce operations, creating a seasonal shift for shoppers and businesses. This spike in sales naturally calls for a response to staff management, as logistics operators, manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers require a robust workforce. As specialists in the temporary work sector, particularly within warehousing, transport, logistics, automotive, manufacturing and industrial industries, we have honed our seasonal peak strategy.
“In 2024 we found that our highest peak for temp workers within the logistics industry were the weeks ending the 1st and 8th of December, which is Black Friday week and the week following.
“Once a period of mad panic, Black Friday and Cyber Monday represent a busy time for many of our customers, which means we have focused our approach to guarantee a seamless peak season – and this planning starts a long time before November. Intense sales on one particular day are now a thing of the past as businesses cut prices and offer deals from earlier in the month. This means that we must execute a tried and tested approach to ensure our customers receive the same high level of service they are used to year-round.”
According to Retail Week, Black Friday sales increased in the UK in 2024 with online spending on the day reaching £1.12 billion, up by 7.2% year-on-year.
“As we live in such uncertain economic times, spending is naturally a challenging thing to predict,” Andy added. “However, ensuring the right employees are brought in to support during peak season is paramount for businesses. From an employer’s point of view, ensuring staff are understood, cared for and supported are key elements to ensuring a smooth peak season. The nature of this employment can often mean people don’t feel part of the business, but in order to keep operations running smoothly, employee welfare is a key element employers mustn’t overlook. Placing the right candidates in the right roles is the first step but steady employment and workplace care go a long way.
“With an increased workforce comes increased responsibility and demands, which is why businesses can’t afford to make any mistakes, especially as budgets remain tight.”
Known as the ‘Golden Quarter,’ Black Friday typically marks the start of the festive season, which normally sees a huge increase in customer spending. According to the latest Office for National Statistics data, sales volumes in September 2025 hit their highest level since 2022, rising 1.5% over the year.
Andy added: “With continued cost of living challenges, UK consumers are searching for a bargain more than ever. Many people have been adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach to spending so this period of inevitable bargain hunting remains an important season for many businesses.”
