Black Friday falls every year on the last Friday of November, or the day that follows Thanksgiving, with retail chains and large boutiques selling their products at special prices, with a series of limited-time offers and promotions. The Black Friday tradition originates from the Unites States and has its roots in the initiative undertaken by large department store Macy's, which, in 1924, organised a parade on this day to inaugurate the start of the Christmas shopping period. Now, every year, vast numbers of people all over the world visit their favourite online stores to snap up the best bargains.
This year, Black Friday falls on 23 November and we recommend getting prepared well in advance: let’s take a look together at how to effectively save money and intelligently and securely complete your purchases.
Black Friday: tips for your purchases
The most common mistake that users risk making on Black Friday is finalising their purchases in a hurry for fear of missing out on a hot deal. This often results in putting superfluous products in your basket, items at less than convenient prices, or those with no possibility of return. Here’s a few simple rules to keep in mind:
- Identify the products beforehand Navigating online stores without clear ideas and awaiting promotions can be risky behaviour, since it invites the visitor to make impulse buys. Instead, it’s a much better idea to calmly sit down at the computer a few days beforehand and note down any products that you want or genuinely need on a wishlist. What’s more, we recommend subscribing to the retailers’ newsletters so that you are informed as early as possible of some of the offers that will go live on Black Friday.
- Visit the website in good time Retail websites are subject to a genuine siege throughout Black Friday and connections are often slowed down by the amount of traffic trying to access the servers where the platforms are located. Avoid visiting the site at the last minute so that you don’t miss out on any offers due to slow online navigation.
- Compare prices Before completing the purchase of an item on sale, shop around to compare the prices being offered by other online retailers selling the same product: you could find some even more advantageous deals.
- Check all the details Carefully reading the conditions of sale relative to the product that you're planning on purchasing can save you from any nasty surprises at a later date. Moreover, ensure that you have learned all you need to know regarding the identity of the seller and are aware of any eventual taxes to be applied to the basic price, the shipping costs, and the returns and refunds policy.
Black Friday 2018: what to buy
Black Friday provides the perfect opportunity to spoil yourself, buy useful items for yourself and your home, or to purchase a gift for someone special. It also represents the ideal annual occasion to beat the Christmas rush by making a start on your Christmas gift shopping and taking advantage of the various promotions to get your hands on the very best gifts at discounted prices. For instance, you could benefit from the offers to buy children’s toys, books and e-books, or accessories, gadgets and equipment for sports activities and hobbies.
But what are the best deals on Black Friday? The products to concentrate on, for the most part, are more expensive items and new releases, which are usually difficult to find at discounted prices.
In the electronics sector, you can set your sights on the latest smartphone models and computers, or - for gaming enthusiasts - promotions on consoles and video games. In today’s day and age, large clothing retail chains promote their garments at prices of up to 70% off, making it possible to purchase clothing from the latest collections at eye-popping prices.
Black Friday also constitutes the perfect opportunity to replace an obsolete home appliance with a latest-generation model that performs better and has a more beneficial energy classification. Moreover, by paying attention to the best promotions on fridges, ovens, microwaves and washing machines, you’ll be able to find the right offer to allow yourself to splurge and purchase the latest-generation technology at a special price, or make the most of the offers to fit out a new kitchen, a new home or even equip a second home with all the very best mod-cons.
