Bargain shoppers, style hunters, tech freaks and parents are now making plans for the busiest shopping day of the year, Black Friday. But not everything will be worth buying, whether you are shopping from local stores or online. So, what should we not buy on Black Friday?
For many retailers the day after Thanksgiving is nothing more, but a way to attract customers with big ads and promotional videos. Often, stores offer vague deals and not so deep discounts as it seems at first sight. We have put up together a short list of items that we can safely consider as bargains and others, which won’t see big discounts. We’d better wait until mid December or even after Christmas for some items. So, what not to buy on Black Friday?
High-end laptops
According to e-commerce experts, there will be great Black Friday deals on the cheaper and lower-class laptops, simply because they are more popular than high-end models. No one wants to spend too much anyway.
Branded HDTVs
Most stores will offer great discounts on big, branded HDTVs, but these sets will be cheaper in January. Department stores and large chains will offer some savings, but you’ll waste your entire Thanksgiving night and the following day just to get it. The best chance for finding a deal is shopping online from big, varied websites such as Amazon.com or Target.
Winter clothing
Black Friday sales are usually full of discounted coats and sweaters, but this season’s clothing will see real markdowns after Christmas. It’s the same with boots, hats, and different winter accessories. However, some online stores are even currently having sales – Macys.com, 6pm.com, and MyHabit.com, but even if something looks really cheap, compare its price at several other places before buying.
Exercise equipment
Exercise equipment is very popular around Christmas, but the really good deals on dumbbells or treadmills are in late Spring, when no one is buying it, because outdoor is much more popular.
Toys
Surprise! Despite the hype, Black Friday sales rarely offer good deals on toys and games. This is especially true for big stores, which discount only few of their items, while the others keep their ridiculously high prices. Even if the label says “Discount”, the price was previously increased by 60%, so a 50% discount isn’t much of a saving, right?
Black Friday is more or less hype. But there are ways to plan and get ready for the biggest shopping day of the year. We definitely don’t recommend you waiting in line for hours just to get your kids their favourite toys for $10 less. Online shopping is the better alternative, especially if you subscribe for email notifications from the websites for their deals and sales or sign up for their membership reward programs.
