Black Friday was born in the United States, but it is already a celebration that has already spread to many parts of the world. It is an annual event that serves as the starting signal for the Christmas campaign and seeks to encourage purchases thanks to the offers and great discounts that apply to all types of products.
It is celebrated on the last Friday of November, the day after Thanksgiving, and has become an event marked on the calendar for many consumers, who try to take advantage of the opportunities and bargains not only that day, but all the ones that come. They occur during the days before and after.
In short, it has become almost a month of opportunities to save. If you are thinking about buying this Black Friday, in this article you will find some tips to get more out of the holiday, as well as recommendations to avoid scams.
Savings tips on Black Friday
If you plan to make purchases this Black Friday, preparing them in advance will allow you to find the best discounts and optimize your possibilities. Pay attention to these tips:
– Make a list of what you need. One of the best recommendations to save on Black Friday is to make a list in advance of the products you really need. It is very important to differentiate between what you really need and what you want on a whim, so doing this mental exercise by writing down the products helps enormously. This way you can decide later which ones you really want -or should- acquire.
– Look at the prices beforehand. Many people believe that on dates like Black Friday, stores raise the prices that products usually have so that, when the supposed reduction is applied, the price ultimately remains the same. An idea to avoid falling into this “trap” is to observe the prices of the products before that day and pay attention to how they evolve in order to buy the truly discounted ones.
– Compare prices in different places. Of course, comparing prices in several stores is a great help so you don’t end up paying more. Compare the price of the same product in several stores easily through specialized websites.
– Try the product in person and buy it online. A very good option is to go to physical stores the days before Black Friday to see the products and try them (such as clothing) and then buy faster online.
– Establish a budget limit. Define a budget and calculate the limit of what you can spend to avoid overspending.
– Go ahead to buy gifts. It is a good option for Christmas, however, you must make sure that the return date is after Christmas or Epiphany so that the person receiving the gift has the possibility of exchange or return.
– Be careful with shipping costs. Review the shipping costs and think if the purchase is really worth it; especially when adding products to the cart to benefit from the free shipping offered in some stores.
– Reflect and put emotions aside. The best thing is to reflect and not get carried away by impulses. Use the list you have made to differentiate between what you need and ask yourself if you would buy the product at another time or if you are only buying it for the offer they offer.
Recommendations to avoid scams on Black Friday
In addition to knowing how to save and buy wisely, it is important to take into account some recommendations to buy online safely. Take note of these tips:
– Make sure that purchases are made on an official website. Cybercriminals often create fake pages with very attractive advertising. You can also read the opinions and reviews of the products and check the URL of the website, if it has many letters, numbers and meaningless characters it is an indication that it may not be real.
– Be suspicious if a store shows a product with a price well below the market price. In many cases they are scams in which bank details are stolen. Also be wary of raffles where free prizes are promised.
– Do not trust messages from parcel companies, especially if nothing has been ordered. Cybercriminals know the volume of purchases that are made online and try to take advantage of it by posing as these entities by sending emails or SMS where they add a link that contains some type of malware.
– Observe the payment methods available and make sure they are secure, such as credit card or payment platforms like Apple Pay or PayPal.
– Verify that it has a general conditions section, data protection and cancellation policy. Before purchasing, check that the website where you are going to purchase the desired product has customer service by mail or by phone.
