Black Friday despite Corona chaos: Admission controls at MediaMarkt and Saturn - now there is a risk of queues

Black Friday is imminent.

Now customers and companies such as Europe's largest electronics retailer MediaMarktSaturn have to comply with the announced corona rules.

Ingolstadt - While the federal government in Berlin is working on new measures in view of the skyrocketing corona numbers, shops are preparing for the upcoming Black Friday.

At the retail sales event, which traditionally focuses on discounts and encourages people to buy products, there are still unanswered questions due to the epidemic situation.

Black Friday 2021: MediaMarkt and Saturn are preparing for the onslaught of bargain hunters

The two electronics retail chains MediaMarkt and Saturn have been part of Black Friday for years and enjoyed a high number of customers before the pandemic.

Bargain hunters have to be prepared for long waiting times on Friday - also depending on the respective legal situation.

In times of the fourth wave of infections, it is "primarily a matter of equalizing customer flows and, in particular, controlling the frequency in the stores," as a spokeswoman for MediaMarkt and Saturn confirmed.

In order to ensure the "best possible health protection for our customers and our employees", the operator MediaMarktSaturn has already extended Black Friday to Black November.

As early as the beginning of November and at the beginning of this week, campaigns were advertised in various product areas online and in the stationary markets.

Black Friday 2021: Strict customer restrictions at MediaMarkt and Saturn in Bavaria possible

Black Friday could also be a challenge in Bavaria.

The requirements of the federal, state and local governments for pandemic containment are decisive for the process on Friday, as the Ingolstadt-based company confirms.

The minimum number of customers in the respective shops depends on the new regulation on infection protection measures in Bavaria.

“For stationary retail, the number of customers is limited to one person per 10 square meters.

With a 7-day incidence over 1,000, the number of customers should also be limited to one person per 20 square meters, ”said the spokeswoman.

So, in communities with higher incidences, long lines will be unlikely to be avoided.

In the past year, the lack of controls and other disregard for rules in the branches caused outrage among many customers.

The corresponding specifications provide for the exact monitoring of the number of customers in this regard.

At MediaMarkt and Saturn, this is guaranteed "by means of digital admission controls"; the concept has been established in the stores since last year.

A display at the market entrance uses colored indicators based on the traffic light principle to show how many customers are still allowed to enter the store.

Black Friday: Where to find the best deals, what else customers need to know.

(ajr)