Friday 29th November is Black Friday. It’s supposedly a day when you can find great bargains and save money either on Christmas shopping or things that you need yourself.
But does Black Friday still deserve all the hype? Or is it old news? And are there genuine bargains to be had or is it all just a marketing opportunity to clear out old stock?
The good news is that it is still possible to get some great bargains on Black Friday. But you need to wise up in order to do so.
In this article we explain what to do before, during and after Black Friday, in order to make the most of Black Friday 2024.
The key to getting a good Black Friday bargain is to be prepared. Decide in advance what you want to buy so that you can be single-minded and look for specific things, rather than getting distracted by bargain prices and buying things you don’t really want or need.
Once you know what you are looking for, there are three things that you can do in advance.
Take time to compare different brands so you can decide which you prefer. Also make sure you understand the essential features of the item you want to buy. This will help you to get the exact product you are looking for on the day, rather than a similar item at a bargain price but which doesn’t do everything you want it to.
You won’t know if something is a genuine Black Friday bargain unless you have a good idea of the pre-Black Friday price. So as part of your advance research, look at a range of retailers to see what the genuine full price is, and also if any retailers already have pre-Black Friday offers available. This will enable you to make a fair judgement on Black Friday as to whether you are getting a real bargain.
As you are doing your product research, also make a note of the retailers you would prefer to buy from. This may be because of their reputation, their after-care or your own previous experience. But have a preferred list to check out on the day.
Most big brands take part in Black Friday, including Amazon, Apple, Argos, Asos, Boots, Currys, Dyson, John Lewis, Lookfantastic, Mango, Ninja, Samsung, Sephora, Shark, Very, and Zara. But take time to Google specific retailers of your choice to see if they will be taking part.
If you are well-prepared before Black Friday, the day itself should be very easy. And hopefully you will end up with the bargain you are looking for.
Whether you are shopping in person or online, check the retailers that you have already shortlisted as your preferred options. See which is offering the best bargain on the item you are looking for. Make sure the item meets the specification you want : it’s important to check the model number to be sure. And when you are confident you have found that bargain, go ahead and get it!
But what do you do if you find the perfect item, but even the best bargain is a little more than you wanted to pay? Don’t be rushed into making the wrong decision. It is easy to get caught up in the Black Friday hype and end up spending too much money. Hopefully your advance research will help you to avoid this in general, but for your specific item you need to make a wise decision.
If it is something that you really need or want, and you’re definitely getting it at the best possible price, it may be worth considering a small personal loan to plug the gap. And it is possible to get loans same day : check out Munzee same day loans page to see how we can help.
If you are buying from a store or site you have not used before, it is worth checking what their returns policy is. Particularly if you buy from a physical store, be mindful that you don’t have an automatic right to get your money back unless there is anything wrong with it.
Many stores allow you to return unused items within a certain time period for a full refund but this may not be the case. So check the returns policy, otherwise if you change your mind about an item you may end up getting stuck with it.
Life happens, and it may be that despite preparing to bag a bargain on Black Friday, something else happens and you somehow miss out. Or maybe you do bag that bargain but then realise it’s not what you wanted after all. Or – even worse – you suspect you’ve been scammed.
In any of these situations, here’s what to do after Black Friday.
The good news here is that many retailers are now extending Black Friday well beyond one day. Some retailers start their offers early, and many continue after Black Friday itself. So even if you miss out on a specific Black Friday only offer from one retailer, you should hopefully be able to find a similar deal elsewhere.
Also bear in mind that Cyber Monday takes place on Monday 2nd December. Cyber Monday was originally developed to offer shoppers an opportunity to continue their Black Friday shopping online once back at work. And some retailers launch additional online-only offers on Cyber Monday. But the boundaries between Black Friday and Cyber Monday are now increasingly blurred, with many retailers making it a four day shopping bonanza.
As a consumer the same rights regarding refunds and returns apply to Black Friday sale items as normal priced items. This means that if you buy an item that is faulty, not as described or does not do what it’s supposed to do, you are entitled to a full refund.
If you buy online you have a 14 day cooling off period during which you are entitled to a full refund for any reason at all, as long as you tell the retailer within this cooling off period and then return the goods within 14 days after that.
It is a little less clear if you buy from a physical store then change your mind about an item. As we saw earlier, many stores will give a full refund if the item is returned, unused, within a specified time period (usually 14 or 30 days). But this does vary between retailers so it is important to check the returns policy when you buy.
Experts always warn online shoppers to be extra vigilant on Black Friday as typically there is a 22% increase in fraud losses reported during this time. On the day itself you need to be particularly on the lookout for counterfeit or fake products. But even after Black Friday you may have issues with items not turning up, or phishing texts or emails related to the purchase.
So always be vigilant, and never give out personal or financial information online or by phone unless you are absolutely sure that it is genuinely needed. If possible use a payment platform such as PayPal, Google, or Apple Pay, for extra protection when paying for your orders.
For further advice about staying safe when shopping online, check out our article How to buy and sell online without getting scammed.
If you think that you have been scammed, then contact your bank or payment services provider immediately. They may also advise you to contact the police on 101 and also report the scam to Action Fraud – the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. Also be aware that recent changes to the law now require UK banks and other payment service providers to refund fraud victims up to a maximum of £85,000 within five days.
We hope that this article provides helpful information on how to make the most of Black Friday 2024. And remember that if you are looking for loans same day to bag a bargain, Munzee offers same day loans which may be able to help.
And do visit us here again soon for more financial and lifestyle tips from Munzee Loans.
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