Are you already raiding Black Friday deals or Monday sales online? We all know that nowadays every merchant has a good reputation for making a fisherman’s dream come true as retailers slash or lower the prices of a limited number of items. But are these Black Friday deals really a “deal”?
Well, the day after Thanksgiving is called “Black Friday” for a reason. For retailers, it’s all about increasing their sales “in the black” – to make a profit. Profits are made not by offering goods at a loss, but by selling at very low prices to get you to their stores where they can try to use cowardly tricks to get your money.
To survive with your wallet this holiday season and make Black Friday profitable for you, not the stores, check out these five shopping tips:
1. Avoid big discounts and “extras.” As mentioned earlier, many retailers promote “Doorbuster” sales on black fridaybee and Internet Monday to lure you into the store or online so you can spend, spend, and spend. Oftentimes, stores offer a very limited amount of “door to door” deals that can force you to buy the same item at a normal price. This is a classic “bait and switch” type of scam. Stores can also try to sell you a cheaper product with an expensive warranty.
Or, the salesperson tells you that you need to purchase additional software, accessories, or other high-value products as needed, but this information has not been announced or included in the price. Usually, you find this information in the registry. If the price on the register is higher than the advertised for any reason, ask to speak to the supervisor and insist on the advertised price.
2. Shop early for ‘hot items’. Don’t be late and wait until the last minute to get the “hot stuff”. Plan your shopping strategy days and make sure you have alternatives. Proactively use shopping comparison sites and sign up for email alerts from your favorite stores.
3. Save yourself online. Fake sales or “bait and switch” tactics are also available online. For example, a website might advertise an item at a very low price but the product is not in stock, so they try to buy something else at a higher price.
Or, if you try to buy something only for sale, the retailer either cancels the order claiming that the product has been reordered or sends you a lower quality product you purchased. If any of these methods occur, exercise your consumer rights, including, if your order does not arrive on time or object to a denied charge on your credit card. For more information on avoiding theft and exercising users’ rights, visit http://www.ftc.gov.
4. Do not buy unnecessary warranties. Appliance and electronics sellers always ask if you want to extend your warranty when purchasing these items. In most cases, why not just refuse? These stores hold 50% or more of what they charge for a warranty, and studies show that the product rarely breaks during the extended warranty period—when the standard warranty expires after purchase and within two to three years. Also, a standard factory warranty covers many of the repairs included in an extended warranty
But if you’re looking for peace of mind or the cost of repairing a product after a standard warranty expires, check to see if your credit card offers similar coverage or better price negotiations. try to
5. Understand the return and price matching policies. If you know the store’s price match and return policy in advance, you can get the best price without any hassle. Many stores offer a price guarantee (if a competitor offers a lower price, it will be matched). However, items purchased on Black Friday and Internet Monday may be exempt from the general store policy. Some stores have a return policy which is a price guarantee for the store (if you lower the price, the difference will be refunded to you later if you order it).
If you know the product you’re planning to buy, and find a store with a price match guarantee that respects Black Friday prices, buys it in advance. When Black Friday turns around, you can find the best price, and you don’t have to worry about whether or not the store is out of stock. If the store is willing to pay the difference between its regular and Black Friday prices, buy it quickly.
Remember, to make a huge leap in great Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday sales, start planning now, research your purchases, and above all, spread the word.
