Black Friday in Palma: Discount Battle Puts Small Shops Under Pressure

Black Friday in Palma: Discount Battle Puts Small Shops Under Pressure

Many shoppers, crowded streets — but not everyone benefits

On Saturday morning the centre of Palma was lively as usual in the run-up to Christmas: taxis briefly honked on the Passeig des Born, refuse collectors cleared their vehicles, and small groups formed in front of the shop windows. In front of some fashion stores on Carrer de Sant Miquel people queued, bags rustled, and a child tugged at its mother's hat. Similar scenes played out in the large shopping centres Fan Mallorca and Porto Pi: full car parks, queues at the entrances and sales assistants taking a deep breath before the next customers rushed in.

Key question: Why does Black Friday bring many passers-by to Palma but mainly benefit large chains and online platforms — while smaller shops are often left empty-handed?

The bare facts can be summarised briefly: discount battles attract shoppers. Many used the offers to do their first Christmas shopping. Since stores are open on that Sunday, promotions often run for several days. At the same time, the trade association Afedeco criticises that small shops can hardly compete with the huge discounts of large chains and the prices online.

The problem has several facets. Large chains operate with central purchasing and logistics structures; they can buy goods in large quantities and offset discounts through margins. Online retailers reduce prices without store rent and with flexible supply chains. Small boutiques, on the other hand, pay rent in city-centre locations, invest a lot of work in personal service and often have only limited storage capacity. When hundreds of people stroll down Avinguda Jaime III on a Saturday, the number of passers-by rises — but that does not automatically increase the profits of retailers who already work with slim margins.

What is often missing in the public debate are concrete figures and local perspectives. It's not just about visitor flows, but about revenue per customer, return rates and long-term customer retention. Advertising for discounts generates short-term attention. But whether it brings regular customers to the small bookshop on Plaça Major or the household goods store in the El Mercat district remains open. Also rarely mentioned is the effect on employees: those who have to open on Sundays or work extra shifts face stress at the end of the month instead of clear prospects.

An everyday picture from Palma: Mrs Elena, owner of a small children's clothing shop on Calle Sant Feliu (name changed), opens the door, re-ties price tags and looks at the till. Yesterday she had few customers, although shop windows two streets away attracted people. She says that regular customers often want advice — something rarely appreciated in a quick Black Friday deal.

There are concrete approaches that could work in Mallorca and they are practical:

- Cooperative discount campaigns: Small retailers join forces to run joint promotions with a unified marketing presence in the streets. This reduces advertising costs and creates a recognisable alternative to the price flood of the chains.
- Local online platforms: A shared online presence for many small shops with click & collect options can catch customers who compare prices but want to pick up locally.
- Staggering special offers: If municipalities or trade associations coordinate specific weekends for discounts, the rush is spread out and small shops gain predictability.
- Support for logistics and purchasing: Cooperative procurement models reduce purchasing prices for smaller retailers.
- Transparency for consumers: Campaigns that highlight the value of advice and sustainability help change purchasing decisions.

Such measures require commitment — from shop owners, the municipality and local associations. A simple notice from city hall that the town plans action days together with traders is not enough. Targeted support, practical tools and visibility for local offers are needed: pop-up spaces, micro-events in side streets, shortened opening hours on working days in favour of longer, cooperatively promoted weekend openings.

Conclusion: Black Friday brings crowds to Palma and fills car parks at Fan Mallorca and Porto Pi. But the loud chorus of discounts is muted for many small shops. If we stop only talking about how full the streets were and also ask how the revenue was distributed, we can begin to build real answers. Otherwise the hectic anticipation will leave behind only more bags, a less stable retail sector — and a street that seemed briefly livelier but could lose diversity in the long term.