Black Friday: Here are 8 ways to get the best deals

Black Friday is still a relatively new concept in South Africa, but it has not taken people long to get caught up in the hype and excitement.

That hype and excitement, however, could be the very things that leave you feeling blue as you may buy impulsively and actually lose money in the long run.

To help you prepare for this year’s Black Friday sales – especially as it falls on November 24, a day or few before many South Africans get paid their monthly salaries, here are some great tips.

The biggest piece of advice though, is that you start preparing for it now.

1. Prepare early

Many retailers start their Black Friday deals early, so look out for early promotions and discounts. Some online sites may not specifically call them ‘Black Friday’ deals and, rather, give them other names unique to their outlets and even carry the specials for more than one day. So wherever you are looking at shopping, gather some Intel on how their specials will run.

2. Start researching now

If you want to get the best deals on November 24 – and actually buy items you want or need, don’t think you can just log on to your chosen retail site and scroll endlessly. Well, you can, but doing so will waste time and could see you losing out on a deal you want because many retailers have limited quantities of certain items. So research the items you want to buy beforehand. Compare prices from different retailers to ensure you’re getting the best deal. Sometimes retailers advertise products at great prices and even show you how much the original price was, but on further investigation it is found that the ‘original price’ was inflated and you are not actually saving much, if anything at all. You may also find that that same product is actually on sale at a different retail outlet or online store.

3. List all the items you want to buy

Know what you want to buy and put them in order of preference so that, if you cannot afford to get everything you want or need, you at least get those that are the most important or urgent buys. Keeping a list will help you stay focused and avoid impulsive purchases.

4. Set a budget to keep your spending in check

It’s easy to get carried away with the discounts so set a budget for your Black Friday shopping and stick to it to avoid overspending. Your list will also help you keep within budget and buy the items you need or want the most.

5. Keep an eye on your favourite retailers

Subscribe to newsletters of your favourite retailers as they often send exclusive deals and early access notifications to subscribers. Knowing what products they will be featuring in their specials will also help guide you on where to do your shopping and allow you to compare prices before the day. Retailers also frequently post exclusive deals and promotions on their social media pages so follow them to stay updated.

7. Consider various brands

Sometimes, specific brands or models might not have significant discounts, but similar products from other brands could be on sale. Be open to alternatives. Researching your options beforehand will also allow you to consider what backup brands you are willing to consider buying.

8. Check the fine print

Before making a purchase, check the return policy, especially for electronic items. Make sure you can return or exchange items if they don’t meet your expectations. Also don’t forget to factor in shipping costs, especially for online purchases. Sometimes, high shipping fees can negate the savings from a discounted product.