Black Friday (shopping) XXL" (XXL day) instead of Black Friday. An alternative was brought up by some online businesses in 2018, called "French Days", which goal is to replicate Black Friday during spring season (starting around the first day of May). In Germany, "Black Friday" retailer advertisements refer to "Black Week" and "Black Shopping" in English language, with sales lasting an entire week (excluding Sundays when most retail stores are closed). During this sale time, stores keep their normal working hours; and though goods are offered at reduced prices, the prices are no more significantly slashed than normal weekly price reductions. Apple was
99p Stores generally accepted that the alternative of having shops lie empty hurts other businesses. Co-founder Hussein Lalani branded the critics as snobs, but that people vote with their feet and during the credit crunch, budget-conscious shoppers want a place where they can get bargains. In January 2013, 99p Stores was nominated for the Business of the Year award at the British Muslim Awards. 99p Stores 99p Stores Ltd. was a family run business founded in January 2001 by entrepreneur Nadir Lalani, who opened the first store in the chain in Holloway, London, with a further three stores opening later that year.