With 91% of manufacturers planning to raise prices in the second half of 2023, it’s more important than ever to make the most for your money when shopping. This could mean that a lot of people are waiting for Black Friday to make expensive purchases, as well as general seasonal and holiday items.
But does Black Friday live up to the hype? Are Black Friday Deals Worth It? And is it worth taking the time to track down the best discounts and wait for the door hunters in November? We think so. Read on to find out why.
Is Black Friday worth it?
You can find sales throughout the year, so do you need to shop on Black Friday too? Even if you’ve got some really great deals this year, we’d say the Black Friday deals are definitely worth a look.
Black Friday is worth shopping for, but not every deal is a good one. Just because an item is offered does not mean it is at a discount.
The Black Friday season could start as early as November, if not earlier. And sales after Cyber Monday extend the season into early December. During that time, you can get great deals across almost all categories, including items you rarely see discounts. Apple products are one example. Depending on what you’re shopping for, Black Friday can be the cheapest time to buy.
But not every deal that appears during the month of November is a good deal. This sales season will benefit savvy shoppers who plan ahead. For the unwary, it can be easy to make bad purchases. To help prevent that, we’re going over 10 ways you might be doing Black Friday wrong. We also offer tips for changing your shopping strategy to make the most of this holiday sales season.
When is Black Friday 2023?
Black Friday is November 24 of 2023. The annual shopping holiday falls on the day after Thanksgiving, which is also the fourth Friday of November. However, early Black Friday deals tend to start several weeks before the holiday itself and can be worth shopping for.
10 ways you’re doing Black Friday wrong
1. You don’t make a plan
Thousands of sales happen during the Black Friday season, and the most important thing you can do to get great deals on Black Friday is to make a plan in advance. If the store impresses you with its online or in-person promotions, you’ll likely jump in not-so-good sales and overspend as a result.
See also: When do Black Friday ads appear?
How much planning you do depends on you, but you should start well in advance of Black Friday. October is ideal when the first sales kick in, but if you can’t stomach the quest before Halloween, the next best time is early November!
Set a budget for yourself so you know how much you have to spend, and make a shopping list. If you’re feeling a little more diligent, you can look at current prices and start reviewing sale circulars as soon as they come out. Then when sales start to come in, you can easily pay attention to the deals you like without being distracted by other offers.
You can use sites like DealNews and track prices like camel camel camel To see if the sales are good deals or slight discounts. If the price drop doesn’t sound great, don’t jump on the deal right away — instead, wait and see if something better comes along.
2. You assume all sales are good sales
Sale could mean the product is $5 off or $500 off. You’ll want to pay attention to whether you’re getting a small discount or huge savings rather than assuming everything is a bargain. Many sites list a percentage off sale prices, but even these can be deceiving. They may list the discount off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, and some products are typically sold for less than the MSRP. This means that you may be entering into sales that look more impressive than they are.
Avoid impulse buying because the store lists an item as for sale. Check the price to make sure it’s a good deal.
3. You’re waiting for Black Friday to start shopping
You can’t wait until Black Friday to start shopping anymore, as the first Black Friday deals start popping up in October. Early sales may not be the best of the holiday shopping season. But if you don’t check, you won’t know if there is a deal to buy.
You can’t wait until Black Friday to start shopping anymore, as the first Black Friday deals start popping up in October.
Keep your shopping plans in mind, but look at early deals to see if there are discounts on the items you want. It may also be wise to order products early this year if a UPS workers strike There is a backlog of packets. You may need to allow more time for your holiday gifts to arrive!
4. You ignore or rely on door catchers
Doorbuster deals online or in person are usually great deals with very limited quantity. To get it, you’ll want to pay attention to when sales start and be in the right place. For brick-and-mortar retailers, you’ll want to stand in line if there’s a door stop you really want. For online retailers, you want to be sitting online ready to click buy at the right time. Retailers tend to announce these sales early, so you’ll know to be prepared.
At the same time, relying on door deals to make your holiday shopping budget a misstep can also be wrong. Doorbuster promotions are great, but their limited quantities mean there’s no guarantee you’ll get them. you do not have to Expect To get it too, no matter how prepared you are. Don’t make the door lighthouse your only holiday gift solution. And if you don’t get what you want, resist the temptation to buy lower deals just because they are there.
5. You’re skipping Cyber Monday
Just as Black Friday sales start early, thrift season is getting late. Cyber Monday and the week after that continues the deals with the focus on online deals. Sales on and around Cyber Monday can be just as good as — or better than — those on Black Friday.
This means that you shouldn’t feel pressured to buy on Black Friday if you don’t find the deal you want. More sales to come! Make sure to keep your eyes open during the week after Black Friday as well.
6. You don’t care about gift cards, store credits, and discounts
Some of the best deals we see during the Black Friday season feature reasonably low prices that come bundled with gift cards or other discounts. Of course, the base price will not always be the best. But if you’re going to use a gift card or store credit, these can make for the best deals you’ll ever get. (Read more about the best gift card deals in 2023 here!) Some items may also have discounts that you won’t get right away, but will add up to great discounts at the end.
The caveat with these deals is that you have to make sure you’re going to spend your gift cards, use your discounts, or redeem those discounts. If you buy a bundle with a gift card and let the gift card expire, you won’t get a very good deal in the end.
7. You don’t do trademark checks
If you’re shopping for a new TV this holiday season, know that there’s a big difference between buying the best LG phones and buying a budget Hisense. Some deals – especially door hunters – may not announce brand details in advance. This means that the great Black Friday TV deal you’re hoping to buy may not be as great as it seems at first glance.
Even if you don’t particularly care about the brand of the product you’re buying, it has a huge impact on the price. And if you end up on a budget purchase, you may not get as good of a deal as you think. You may end up with a product that isn’t exactly what you want or one that doesn’t last even a year. The result is that you are shopping for the same item again next Black Friday!
8. You are making impulse purchases
Impulse purchases are rarely a good decision. Never acquire something because you see it for sale. Instead, consider your budget and check prices to make sure you’re getting a real deal before you buy.
9. You expect price matching, free shipping, or other extras
Other than the low prices, the add-ons you’re likely to find are a mixed bag. Even stores that normally do price matching tend to have restrictions during Black Friday season and may suspend the policy during that time entirely. Other store prices will not match online deals or prices will only match designated retailers, and you can’t expect any retailer to be willing to match the price of a sold-out door deal.
Read the fine print! You’ll then know if you get a gift card, instant credit, or discount you’ll need to redeem it after the event to get the advertised savings.
If you rely on price matching to save, be sure to check out the store’s price matching policy and be prepared with the information you need to get a lower price.
Free shipping is another plus that we often take for granted, but never for granted. Companies like Amazon and Walmart expect you to sign up for their shopping services to get free shipping. Other retailers may only offer free shipping with a high minimum purchase – if any. In fact, many retailers have raised the minimum order to get free delivery. Basically, don’t set an online shopping budget expecting free shipping from all retailers.
But there are still some ways to save money on shipping. If you’re buying online from a physical retailer, the in-store and curbside pickup options are usually fast and free. And if you buy from Amazon or Walmart and don’t subscribe to Amazon Prime or Walmart+, know that both programs offer a free 30-day trial that you can use to help with your holiday shopping.
10. You expect the same lower prices from 2022
In the past year we have seen continued issues with inflation, and despite reports of a decline, Prices are still higher now than it was a year ago. Even without considering it, though, manufacturers are reporting plans to raise prices during the second half of 2023, as mentioned earlier. This could include Black Friday.
While we hope to see great deals this year, prepare for the fact that you may not see prices quite as low as before. But even with that uncertainty, Black Friday is still worth it. For households still feeling the pinch of inflation and higher prices in general, Black Friday deals are likely to offer some much-needed relief in the form of the year’s best savings. And that can make a huge difference to your holiday shopping.
Can’t wait for Black Friday? Check out the best deals available right now, and follow us on Facebook for more helpful shopping tips.
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DealNews may be compensated by the companies mentioned in this article. Please note that although prices sometimes fluctuate or expire unexpectedly, all products and deals mentioned in this feature were available at the lowest total price we could find at the time of publication (unless otherwise specified).