7 Ways To Prepare For Black Friday
With Black Friday just around the corner, it can be all too easy to get caught up in the frenzy, buying things you might not need – or even want – just because they’re in the sale.
Black Friday can be great for grabbing some of those bigger purchases ahead of the festive season. But are you really getting the best prices possible?
Andy Barr, co-founder of online price tracking website www.alertr.co.uk gives his top tips on how to prepare for Black Friday – and how to know if those deals you’ve found really ARE too good to be true.
Research previous sale prices
Having a look back at what product prices were in previous years will help you gauge the kind of prices you can expect this year.
A lot of retailers tend to drop the prices of the same items year on year. So if there is a certain item you are hoping to find at a cheaper cost, you can research to see if this has happened anywhere before.
Chances are, if it hasn’t, then it might not drop this year. Always have back-up buys that you can go to instead if your desired item doesn’t make the sale shortlist.
Use online price tracking websites
Using price tracking websites like ours at Alertr will help you to view the price history of an item. Signing up and tracking the items you want to buy on Black Friday will help you see if you are getting the best deal.
You will be alerted when an item you are tracking has dropped in price, so you will know exactly when a sale is happening – and if the Black Friday sales start any earlier, or prices drop further during ‘Black Friday week’.
Write a list of what you wish to buy in the sale
Pic: iStockphoto
…and stick to it. Or have a strict budget. In any case, stay away from impulse buying.
Planning ahead is so important when it comes to Black Friday. Consumers can be all too easily led into buying products they don’t really need, just because they think it is a good deal or may be selling out.
Write a list of the things you would like to get, and stick to it. Impulse buying random other things can be your biggest enemy, and will leave you short on cash for Christmas.
Also have a budget in mind, and don’t spend any more than that figure. It’s far better to have a bit of money left over rather than overspending to get one more thing, leaving you short in the long run.
If you don’t get all the items you wanted in the sale then it probably just wasn’t meant to be.
Don’t assume you’re getting the best deal
Many retailers tend to increase their prices two weeks before Black Friday in order for it to look as if they’ve dramatically dropped the price. In fact you could actually be getting a better deal now, compared to what you would on Black Friday.
From research, the Alertr team have found that you could actually get the best deals up until November 15 before prices are put up ahead of Black Friday sale drop. Don’t be fooled by the word ‘sale’.
Think ahead for birthdays – save in the long run
If you feel Black Friday is the best time to buy, then plan ahead for other birthdays and celebratory occasions later on in the year.
Prices could go up a lot by the time you want to get that special gift for someone, so planning ahead and buying early will hopefully save you money and be less of a stress in the run up to their birthday.
Beat the queues, shop online
Black Friday sales are known to be hectic if you’re shopping instore. People fighting over items and queues longer than Brexit… why not take that stress away by shopping online in the comfort of your own home, for this day at least?
You can add everything you need to your online basket and pay when you’re ready, all while binge-watching your favourite Netflix series. It will feel like Christmas once all those deliveries start arriving at your door!
Compare prices of same items in different retailers
If you think you’ve found a good deal on one website, wait a moment. Check if there is the same deal or better elsewhere.
You don’t want to make the mistake of buying an item thinking you got a great deal, only to realise 10 minutes later that it’s actually cheaper at a competitor store! Shop around for the best deal so you are not losing out.
