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black friday sale This is the best time of year to save on tech, fashion, homeware, kitchen gadgets – you name it, there’ll be discounts in November.
However, with such a huge sales event, there’s a fine line between making genuine savings and splurging. No judgment here; We have done it all. These sales are designed to overwhelm and excite you, so it’s worth remembering that when you buy an item that’s on sale, you’re only saving money if you were going to buy it anyway.
With that general principle in mind, there are other great tricks that can help you make the most of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. As a consumer journalist As someone who’s been collecting money-saving tips for years, I’m here to help.
How can you tell a good deal from a bad deal? Which retailer membership plans are actually worth signing up for? How about avoiding scammers who use Black Friday to take my money? All these questions and more will be answered in my best Black Friday tips and tricks below. You can also check our Black Friday Round-up For the latest bargains whenever they drop.
Like Christmas, Black Friday starts earlier and earlier every year. Last year, companies like John Lewis, Argos and AO started their sales in early November. In past years, some of the best deals dropped a week before Black Friday, and remained the same price throughout the sale period.
The IndieBest team constantly tracks prices at top retailers, and we’ve done it right at the beginning of Black Friday air fryer deals, beauty deals, technology deals, furniture deals And many more.
The key to avoiding overspending on Black Friday is to make a list of the things you want and stick to it. Going into a sale unprepared may leave you distracted and your eyes squinting at the myriad of products offered, but ultimately, it’s only a savings if you’re going to buy it anyway.
As well as listing what you’re going to buy, I’d also suggest writing down the price, date, and retailer (although you may want to shop around – more on that later). This way, you’ll be able to compare the price of an item on Black Friday to see if it’s really a deal, and avoid being misled by the little red discount tag next to the price.
Many Black Friday deals aren’t as incredible as retailers would like you to think — and yes, that includes big-name stores, too.
There are two main tricks retailers can use to make a discount look better than it is. One of them is to increase the price before Black Friday. For example, if the price is £30 all year, they might bump it up to £50 at the beginning of November, just to drop it down to £45 on Black Friday. At first glance, it looks like you’re saving £20, when in reality you’re only saving £5.
One way to avoid falling victim to this is to keep an eye on prices. Sites like Camelcamelcamel (for Amazon) and PriceRunner (for most other retailers) will do the hard work for you: just paste the product’s link and you’ll be able to see when and by how much the price has changed.
Another word of advice: be wary of the red percentage figure next to the price. Obviously, you might assume that this would show how much the price has changed. However, this discount is often measured against the RRP (recommended retail price), which can be far higher than what the item is usually sold for. Again, price tracking websites are your friend here, because when a product is not on sale you can check how much it actually costs.
Some membership plans can make shopping on Black Friday more worthwhile – namely, Amazon Prime, Costco membership, and AO’s Five Star membership.
Although you don’t need Amazon Prime to shop for discounts during Black Friday, the retailer sometimes runs invite-only deals exclusively for Prime members during the event. You’ll also unlock access to other features like Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, and more. Amazon Prime Offers a 30-day free trial, after which it costs £8.99 per month or £95 per year.
till Five Star Membership Program is also worth considering. For £39.99 per year, you can unlock special member savings. I’ve seen some technical savings that are bigger than the cost of the subscription, so even a one-time purchase may be worth it. You’ll also get free delivery, free unpack and old device recycle service, and a 100-day return period.
So, you found a good deal? Now, you’ll want to make sure that it is Best Make a deal there.
First of all, I would suggest doing a quick online search to check if the same product is being sold at the same price or cheaper elsewhere. Then, I would also check out price comparison websites like Price Runner and Price Spy. If the price is the same at other retailers, I may consider purchasing at another retailer if it offers better features, such as free delivery or a longer warranty.
It’s worth mentioning that in all of our Black Friday guides, we’ve done this work for you, so you can rest assured that you’re getting the best deal.
Stuck between two retailers? One may have a lower price, but another may have a longer warranty period, better customer service or more flexible delivery. In such a situation, it is worth checking whether its price will match.
Many retailers will price match – e.g. till, boots, john lewis, Curries, EBAY And many more – but each has different terms and conditions. For example, many people don’t match Amazon’s prices; Some are price matched only if there is a physical store, and some are price matched only if the guarantee and warranty details of the product are exactly the same.
This can all be a bit technical, so make sure you fully understand your chosen retailer’s process before you decide.
When buying an item that costs more than £100, but less than £30,000, using a credit card gives you extra protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. This means that if something goes wrong, such as your purchase being defective or not arriving, your credit card provider is jointly liable and can give you your money back.
It’s a good rule of thumb to use a credit card during Black Friday and, in general, when purchasing big-ticket items. If you use a debit card, you may still be able to get your money back if something goes wrong by filing a chargeback claim, but Section 75 is a legal protection, so it’s far stronger.
Remember, if you use a credit card, you should always pay it off in full every month to avoid interest changes.
We are constantly being bombed Scams These days, especially online, but with millions of people shopping online, Black Friday has become a haven for fraudsters. It’s important to keep your wits about you to avoid losing money or giving out your personal information.
I’ve written about avoiding scams for years, so here’s my best advice in a nutshell: don’t rush into any purchases, be wary of any deal that sounds too good to be true, and be very skeptical of promotions you receive in your inbox. The last one is a little tricky, of course, since reputable brands will send you emails about their Black Friday sales. But make sure you check for spelling mistakes and suspicious-looking email addresses, and if in doubt, always visit the retailer’s website rather than clicking on any links.
9. Avoid no-name brands
Similar to the above, some online marketplaces are filled with no-name brands that make poorly made products. The IndieBest team and I will never feature these, and we strongly recommend that you avoid, avoid, avoid. Again, if the deal seems too good to be true and the price is extremely low, it’s probably not worth buying.
Check out IndieBest’s range black friday guide For really good deals from reputable brands. We’ve reviewed hundreds of products and only highlight deals from brands we trust.
On that note, check out our guide best black friday dealsWe’ll also be publishing a liveblog that we’ll update with the best deals as the sale drops, so stay tuned.
Save on popular tech, with our round-up The best Apple Black Friday deals