4 Simple Steps to Taking Care of Business on Black Friday
The day of sales and discounts has turned many a reasonable person into a crazy, deal-hungry nut job, and with dreams of saving hundreds on big-name brands and Wishlist items, who can blame them? Back in the day Black Friday sales lasted one day, and one day only, but as luck would have it, and with the rise of internet shopping, the holiday often ends up being extended throughout the whole weekend and ending with Cyber Monday. With so much time to shop and so many deals to scour, it can feel overwhelming and even painful, which is why you should follow these 4 simple tips to make it easier than ever.
Step 1: Beware the Rona
I don’t need to tell you how stressful and horrific 2020 was, you lived it. The events of the pandemic have forever cast a shadow on all things crowd-related, and this year, Black Friday 2021 is no exception. We want to go out and feel the shopping adrenalin, touch, and pick up goods before buying them, but is it safe? If you simply must have the in-store shopping experience, it goes without saying that the first order of business is to protect yourself. Wear your mask, wash your hands, bring sanitizer with you to use in between handling items. Make the trip as quick and efficient as possible and avoid others as much as you can whenever possible, taking into consideration that being in a crowded mall limits your chances of doing that. To be clear, the best option of all would be the stay home. You have the internet, and access to pretty much every deal out there, so why risk it?
Step 2: Beware the unprepared
It’s not uncommon for shops to start offering various discounts throughout the month leading up to Black Friday, so be sure to sign up for email alerts on your favourite stores and brands and make your shopping list early so you can pull the trigger on a good deal when you see one. Flash sales are another super helpful and often overlooked money-saving hack. If you’re getting email advertising it can be annoying, but it also means you’ll know before anyone else does when your favourite items are discounted. Vouchers, discount codes and special offers for members are all part and parcel, so sign up early, and watch your emails, and be sure to follow social media accounts for more of the same.
Step 3: Beware the scammers
I don’t need to tell you that Black Friday is the perfect opportunity for scammers to use their wiles – you’ve probably lived it. Scams come in many forms, from emails offering a discount if you click a link (NEVER click a link you don’t recognize. Ever. Just don’t do it.) offering huge discounts on items on which price was inflated a couple of weeks ago (saving you exactly $0), to items arriving in poor condition, being poor quality, or simply not arriving at all. Do your due diligence when it comes to researching brands, stores and reading reviews. Yes, it takes a bit of time, but won’t you be relieved when the item arrives in one piece, is good quality and you actually saved your hard-earned cash when buying it?
Step 4: Beware the great outdoors
At the end of the day, if you can stay home, do it. Unless you physically need to try on clothes (again, Black Friday is probably not the best time to do this) or hold something in your hand before buying it, or you need it right this second, chances are the internet will give it to you for a better price and a lot less stress. You have all the tools at your disposal to research shops, read reviews, add items to your Wishlist in advance, and with a simple click of your mouse it’ll be on its way to you. Yes, you’ll need to exercise a tad more patience in waiting for your parcel to arrive, but overall it’s a small price to pay for easy shopping in the safety and comfort of home. Preparation is the name of the game, and if you only take one piece of advice from this list, let it be this one.
