What Kind of Black Friday Shopper Are You?

Black Friday and Cyber Monday will be upon us at the end of this month. Although it began as an occasion for American consumers, this bumper weekend can really be enjoyed by shoppers in all countries, thanks to the internet. Many South Africans are looking forward to placing their orders. Some of you may have done so already. In fact, that all depends on what kind of shopper you are. Are you someone that does your research and plans in advance? Are you a bloodhound when it comes to bargains? Or are you someone who just shows up and browses in the hopes that something good will come along? There’s room for all kinds of shoppers on this extended bargain celebration! However, we have to tell you that it really pays to have certain strategies in place and to do things in a certain uniform way if you want to make the most of Black Friday. We decided to compile the ultimate list of Black Friday advice, which you can apply to your shopping to get the best results, regardless of your mood and disposition or the usual way you approach online or in-mall retail. Whether you’re going to be doing all your shopping online or will be lucky enough (or unlucky, depending on your point of view) to be caught up in the bargain-day melee, these tips and reminders will help you to be an expert Black Friday shopper – and walk away with great deals of real value to you.

10 Shopping Tips to Get the Best Deal on Black Friday

1. Do Your Research

   Take your shopping seriously! Research the ads, look at all the deals on offer, compare prices and make sure you’re on all the relevant mailing lists. By the time the stores open, you need to know the retailers, the deals and the terms by heart. This will lead to less fuss and a far easier shopping experience.

2. Watch Out for Scams

   There are plenty of them out there. Retailers are looking to make money off the occasion. But, unfortunately, so are the criminals. Be careful of promotional emails, beware of deals that seem too good to be true and verify everything that comes your way.

3. Carefully Search Ads and Apps

   Know what you’re looking for and then search with that in mind. Download any necessary apps and check them every day; check print and online advertising regularly. The deal you want is waiting for you to discover it.

4. Compare Prices Before You Commit

   You may think you’ve found the perfect deal, but don’t commit until you’re certain you’ve tried all the alternatives. The retailer offering you that great deal has competitors who would love to undercut them and grab your custom! So, shop around.

5. Be an Early Bird

   Keep an eye on what American retailers are doing on Thanksgiving. Some of them trade on the holiday or open up for pre-orders or even start taking orders late in the day. Be ready to strike as soon as they open.

6. Plan the Logistics

   This is more for those who will be there at malls and stores to physically enter the battle for deals. You can’t let this be a random event! You will have queues to stand in and lots of shops to get to. So, draw up a game plan, and then execute it with military precision.

7. Stay Awake on Thanksgiving

   The time zone difference will benefit those who are outside of the U.S. South Africans can go to bed at their normal time on 28 November and wake up in time for the clock to strike midnight. Check which state your retailer is in and work your timing around that. This is because you need to be ready to go online as soon as 29 November comes around. As mentioned earlier, some retailers start to introduce their specials early, while many of them wait until the stroke of midnight.

8. Take the Ads with You

   Price checking is a valid bargain-hunting tool. Most retailers will entertain it, but you need to prove that you’ve found a better deal than they are offering. So, show them your ad, provide a URL, etc. This is more likely to be effective prior to 29 November. On the day itself, many retailers don’t have the time to consider price comparisons unless their pricing really affects their ability to sell. In the mayhem of Black Friday, price check policies tend to revert to a ‘take it or leave it’ ethos, mostly because demand is high and retailers have already marked down as far as they can go.

9. Use Your Credit Card for Additional Savings

   Be careful of running up credit card debt (it’s all too easy on this crazy weekend). However, also know that charging to your credit card can offer a variety of benefits. Check with your bank or credit card company on what these are and how you can enjoy them. Be sure to maintain a positive balance and stick to your budget. If you do choose to charge your purchases, limit your spending, stick to your budget and keep a positive balance.

10. Check Store Policies

    Always make sure you are familiar with retailers’ policies on returns and other matters. This will not only guide you in terms of where you shop, it will also determine what you can and can’t do in the cooling-off period and in the event of unwanted gifts.

How to Prepare for the Black Friday Shopping Frenzy:

As we said above, you can’t get the best out of Black Friday without having a plan in place. Here’s what you need to make up an effective Black Friday shopping plan:

• Make a wish list, know what you’re looking for. Be a hunter, not a gatherer.
• Research your favourite retailers, and download their apps to keep abreast of their offers as they arise.
• Plan your day and don’t shop alone. Take family and friends with you and delegate duties and queues. If you’re shopping online, allocate websites to the team you’ve gathered so that you can place all the necessary orders promptly.
• Budget! Budget! Budget!
• Set an alarm clock. Whether you’re going to the store or shopping online, set an alarm to make sure you get in the game on time.

6 Essential Shopping Hacks for Black Friday and Cyber Monday!

Now, here are 6 hacks to help you alleviate some of the sale day hassles:

1. Be Prepared

   The game plan is all-important. So, we’ll emphasise it again. Do not go into Black Friday or Cyber Monday unprepared. Your plan is the most important hack on this list.

2. Forget About Price Matching

   You can’t waste time with too much haggling on the day and most retailers couldn’t be bothered either. If you find a great deal, take it!

3. Shop Early

   Why wait till Black Friday? A lot of merchants will now accept advance orders, so make your purchase before the rush starts.

4. Shop Incognito

   If some retailers can get away with selling to you at a higher price, they will. If their sites’ algorithms detect that they’ve already shown you a particular item at a specific price, they may keep offering the same price to you – even if the store has actually reduced the price even further since you last looked at it. Use an incognito browser window and you will always see the latest updated price.

5. Black Friday Doesn’t Always Equal Great Deal

   Recognise that just because it’s Black Friday, it doesn’t mean that everything is a great deal. Sometimes you might grab a particular deal, only to find that the price goes down even further just before Christmas. As a rule of thumb, only grab a deal if it is a truly amazing discount. A mere 10% to 15% discount here or there isn’t worth calling a Black Friday deal.

6. Check the Fine Print

   Many retailers make exclusions from their sales, despite the big posters saying “50% of all stock.” Check the fine print and be familiar with what will be discounted and what won’t.

How to Create a Black Friday Budget – And Stick to It

Aside from your game plan, this is the most important part of your Black Friday shopping strategy. Follow these four steps to create a budget – and then stick to it.

Step One: Make a List of Everyone You Want to Buy For

Tally up the number of people/items on your list. If you’re only buying for yourself, then make a list of the things you want.

Step Two: Check Your Resources and Establish what You Can Actually Afford

How much money do you actually have to spend on Black Friday deals? Set a realistic number. And, don’t be tempted to include your available credit card balance in the total!

Step Three: Calculate what You Can Spend on Each Person or Item

Divide the total available amount by the number of people you’re buying for or the number of items you want to buy, and this will give you an average unit price. Use this as a guideline. Obviously, some items are more expensive than others. Considering both your total and your average unit price, you can prioritise and decide what you really need to get and what can be left for another time.

Step Four: Match Your Budget to What’s Available

Keep your budget in mind and look at the offers that come up. Make your purchase decisions on the basis of your total available amount and your average unit price. Do your best not to deviate from this.

5 Do’s and Don’ts for Shopping on Black Friday!

1. Do Create a Game Plan

   We hear you, “We get it. Enough with the game plan already!” However, it bears repeating. Be a shopper who plans, not one who browses. You can browse at any time of the year!

2. Don’t Rush:

   Don’t feel pressured to grab a deal that seems good. Take your time, shop around. Even if you miss something today, a better deal may arise very soon.

3. Do Focus on Quality

   Following on from the previous point, focus on the value you are getting in each deal, and be shrewd about deciding if it’s worth it.

4. Don’t Focus on Quantity

   It’s not a competition to see who can grab the MOST deals. It’s about finding the BEST deals.

5. Do Create a Budget and Stick to It

   Another one that bears repeating. No deal is worth going into debt for. Plan your finances carefully and stick to the plan.

There you have it! A comprehensive guide to Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping. Whatever type of shopper you may be, try hard to be an organiser, a planner, a strategist and a hunter. That’s the best way to nail this weekend.

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