3 common Black Friday mistakes to keep in mind when looking for deals
Thanksgiving is here and for some it’s a two-for-one on celebrations as the day after is Black Friday! Here’s some dos and don’ts for the shopping frenzy.
The pre-Christmas holiday shopping season is here. Although several stores in the United States have already begun to make available various deals and discounts on hundreds of items, Black Friday, the most popular shopping day, is approaching.
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), approximately 72.9 million consumers purchased items in person, while 87.2 million consumers purchased online during Black Friday 2022 and it is expected that a similar number of people will take advantage of the offers on hand this year.
Like every year, in 2023, Black Friday will be celebrated the day after Thanksgiving, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Therefore, Black Friday will occur on Friday, November 24.
If you want to take advantage of Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals, it is important that you know the mistakes to avoid to have a better experience. Here three common mistakes you should keep in mind when looking for deals.
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Don’t go out without a plan
Shopping holidays, like Black Friday, can be a great option to avoid spending too much on certain discounted items or prepare for the holidays. However, it's not about spending for the sake of spending, which can end up wasting money, so it's important to have a plan.
A recommendation is to think about whether a certain item will be useful, necessary or beneficial. You can also set a budget limit so you don’t spend more than you can afford or create a list of items and stick to it.
Don’t rely only on product reviews
This is one of the most common errors, but it requires attention, both to know what buyers say about a product, and to identify “fake reviews” that could give erroneous information about the item.
The best way to know if an item is good is to research and read several reviews thoroughly, including those that include photos or videos, and not just go by the overall rating or stars, as these numbers may be “inflated” by fake ratings or reviews.
Don’t get carried away by discounts
It is important not to get carried away by big discounts, as these could be “inflated”. On some occasions, stores raise their prices before shopping holidays to make it appear items are have major discounts but that actually are not real.
In this situation, if you already have a specific product in mind that you want to buy, the recommendation is to check the price before it goes on sale and really know if it has a discount. You can also compare the sale prices from one store to another.
On the other hand, it is important to review purchasing policies, such as price matching. Some stores often return money if during a shopping holiday the price of a product continues to drop for which the consumer bought earlier but at a higher price.
It is also important to check what each store’s return policies are, as they usually change during sales and the Christmas holiday.