From “discount frenzy” to a culture of smart consumption

The Black Friday fever has arrived, turning shopping malls, e-commerce platforms, and retail chains across Dong Nai into battlegrounds for deal-hunting enthusiasts. Surrounded by a flood of deep-discount offers, consumers can easily fall into the FOMO trap (fear of missing out) and make impulsive purchases.  

A fashion store on Phu Rieng Do Street (Binh Phuoc Ward) is offering discounts of up to 70%. Photo: Hong Thoai

The push to stimulate year-end spending is necessary, but even more essential is the shift from a “discount frenzy” mindset to a culture of thoughtful, responsible consumerism, thereby avoiding wastefulness.

Year-end sale hunting

This year’s Black Friday season has injected fresh energy into Dong Nai’s retail market. From major shopping corridors such as Nguyen Ai Quoc, Pham Van Thuan, and Phu Rieng Do to high-traffic locations like Vincom Plaza Bien Hoa, Co.opmart Dong Xoai, and Co.opmart Dong Phu, foot traffic surged from the very first days of the promotional week.

At several children’s fashion stores along central Pham Van Thuan Street (Tam Hiep Ward), demand has risen noticeably during this period. Tran Thi Thu Quynh, owner of a children’s clothing shop on Pham Van Thuan Street, said customer visits have nearly doubled compared to regular days. Shoppers tend to prioritize deeply discounted items and newly released designs. Customers stream in steadily from the afternoon until evening, especially on weekends.

Not only are brick-and-mortar stores bustling, but the online space is also seeing a spike in deal-hunting, with traffic on platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, Tiki, and TikTok Shop significantly higher than usual. Many online sellers report that consumers are now paying greater attention to warranty policies, product origin, and user reviews, moving away from impulsive purchases as seen in previous years.

However, the tendency to chase promotions remains widespread. Some shoppers admit that short-lived discounts or limited-quantity offers easily sway them. Nguyen Tran Tuong Vi (residing in Trang Dai Ward) shared that she has often purchased unplanned items because she “felt she would regret it if she didn’t.” This FOMO-driven mindset remains typical of major sale seasons, especially when brands continually create a sense of urgency to prompt purchasing decisions.

That said, many consumers are becoming more cautious. Bui Trung Dat (living in Tam Hiep Ward) said he often compares prices across multiple platforms before placing an order. Some products appear to be heavily discounted, but in fact, their prices had been inflated beforehand. Careful comparison, he noted, helps avoid falling into the trap of fake discounts.

This caution echoes warnings from the provincial market management force, which notes that during peak periods, such as Black Friday, violations like incorrect price listings, old stock disguised as new, or unclear product origins tend to increase.

For small businesses and household retailers in Dong Nai, Black Friday presents both opportunity and pressure. Many are forced to offer deeper discounts than expected to retain customers amid fierce competition from major chains and online shops. Several owners of garment and handicraft businesses reported that they must accept lower profit margins to clear their inventory, despite rising costs for rent, labor, and supplies. Balancing inventory pricing, sales-period revenue, and post-sale financial capacity has become a challenging equation.

Consumers need sustainable shopping habits

Dr. To Hoai Thang, lecturer in Business Administration at Dong Nai University (Tam Hiep Ward), noted that market economic dynamics and the influence of social media strongly shape shifts in consumer behavior today. “In an age of information explosion, consumers in Dong Nai, especially young people, are increasingly demanding greater transparency and practical value in products and services. However, off-balance shopping behaviors, such as showy consumption or trend-chasing, are also on the rise, placing pressure on businesses and creating broader social consequences,” Thang explained.

According to Thang, intense competition among digital platforms has made advertising increasingly noisy and difficult to verify, which can easily lead to impulsive purchasing, particularly when consumers rely more on emotion than actual need.

To avoid wasteful spending, Thang recommends that consumers think carefully before making purchases and that personal finance education be strengthened for students to help curb impulsive buying behaviors.

Significant discounts are always enticing, but smart shopping is the consumer’s true “win.” Before making a purchase, ask yourself: Do I really need this, or am I just buying it because it’s cheap? Comparing prices, choosing reputable sellers, and avoiding the pull of FOMO can turn every sale season into an opportunity to save, rather than a strain on your wallet.

From the perspective of the digital society and consumers on e-commerce platforms, Nguyen Linh Chi, a staff member in the Digital Marketing Department at Rainbow Production Co., Ltd., analyzed: “Today’s consumers are exposed to thousands of pieces of information daily, many of which are intended to shape purchasing behavior. Without adequate information-filtering skills, they are easily swept up by trends, resulting in seasonal consumption waves that significantly impact the local market. Establishing a transparent and safe information environment, along with strengthening official communication channels, is a key solution to guiding public awareness in consumption and preventing wastefulness.”

By Le Duy – Translated by Quynh Giao, Minho