For shopaholics, Black Friday is one of the most exciting days of the year. Every year, hundreds of thousands of bargain hunters all over the world pull out their credit cards to shop for electronics and other items that are marked down in price during this one-day event. However, if you prefer to avoid the crowds and traffic, you can still enjoy the sales by staying in!
Luckily, we’re here to give you some insider tips that will help you save money and get a head start for next year’s big sale day. Read on for more information about how to prepare for your online Black Friday shopping so that you don’t miss out on any of the great deals.
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is the Friday after the US holiday of Thanksgiving when retailers offer items at low prices to get rid of the unsold inventory from their recent sales. It’s one of the biggest shopping days of the year and is a great time to score some cheap Christmas gifts for family and friends.
Black Friday marks the start of the December shopping season, followed by Cyber Monday. This year, the Black Friday sales will officially start on Friday, 25 November 2022. Though some retailers hold Black Friday sales on the Tuesday or Wednesday before the actual Friday, making it a week-long sales event.
1. Make a list – and stick to it!
On Black Friday, you'll save a lot of time and energy if you start with a straightforward list of things you would like to buy. This will help you remember all the items you need and will help keep you from making impulse purchases so that you don’t overspend on items that you don’t need.
2. Do your research before the event
Black Friday is an extremely lucrative day for retailers, so you’ll see some changes in the pricing of items compared to the rest of the year. The best way to make sure that you don’t end up overpaying is to do your research and monitor any price changes before you start shopping.
You can also use price comparison websites to save you time or sign up for price comparison alerts. This way, it will notify you whenever your desired product drops in price. You can also try to compare prices with a few different retailers and see if there are any cheaper options out there.
3. Keep an eye on social media
One of the best ways to keep track of all the Black Friday deals happening is to join a social media group or community. Social media sites, like Facebook and Twitter, are great places to find deals, reviews, and information about Black Friday.
Put your social media stalking skills to use and keep an eye out for the right deals on social media as soon as they come out. You can even set alerts, so you’re notified the second they’re posted. You can also search for hashtags and keywords related to Black Friday to get a broader view of what's happening on other sites.
4. Bookmark your favourite websites for quick access
Another great way to make sure that you don’t miss out on the best Black Friday deals is to bookmark your favourite websites to your homepage.
By bookmarking your favourite websites, you won’t have to go through the trouble of searching for deals all over again. Instead, you can simply click on the bookmark and be taken directly to the website. This allows you to stay on top of the shopping season and find the best deals without the hassle of searching for them.
5. Sign up for brand newsletters for early access
Sign up for the mailing list of the shops you like and/or shop at most often. That way, they will notify you as soon as they have new deals available, so you can take advantage of that deal quickly.
We also suggest that you follow your favourite retailers on social media, as we mentioned earlier. They will often post about their latest deals on their social media profiles, so you can easily keep track of those too.
To wrap things up
On Black Friday, it might be tempting to squeeze in last-minute purchases or to grab every good deal you see, but this could leave you disappointed – both financially and emotionally. Instead, try to go into Black Friday with an open mind and a plan.
Before you head out to the shops or put items in your virtual basket, make sure that you’ve done your research, stuck to your shopping list, and kept yourself up to date on social media.
Be prepared to be patient and to persevere, as there are many ways to save money during the shopping frenzy. But most of all: it’s always important to be smart and stay safe during the festive season, so guard yourself against the scams out there!
