Black Friday: Tips to spot the REAL deals – protect your wallet

Although Black Friday is on November 24 this year, retailers have already begun offering deals. It can however be difficult to tell if these deals are legit or simply a marketing tactic from retailers to sell more products. As reported in the Citizen, financial experts are warning consumers to be more mindful when it comes to spending money this Black Friday. It may be tempting to splurge on discounted items, but it’s essential to do your research first.

Are you planning to shop for the essentials this Black Friday or simply looking for the best discount on a product? Here are some tips to help you shop smarter and ensure you aren’t a victim of deceptive deals.

USE EMAIL UPDATES TO COMPARE STORE PRICES

Don’t be tempted to purchase products from the first store with a good discount. Compare prices by simply browsing through the websites of a few of your favourite stores. If you have subscribed to email updates from different retailers, you can browse through their newsletters to compare the prices of products.

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LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL DISCOUNTS ON THE STORE CARD OR STORE WEBSITE

Do you have a store card or rewards card for your favourite retailers? Retailers sometimes offer special discounts to store cardholders, which you could receive in addition to Black Friday discounts. Some online retailers also offer customers a discount on their first purchase if they sign up for their email newsletters. Check the website for these discounts to save even more!

LOCATE THE ORIGINAL PRICE OF A PRODUCT

It’s common to find “3 for 2” deals or “Buy one get one free” deals for Black Friday, but are these deals legit? Locate the original pricing of products and compare this price to the Black Friday store promo. To do this, do an online search for the product. You can also use last month’s store newsletters or in-store pamphlets to find the original price of the product.

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BEWARE OF SUSPICIOUS DEALS

If the offer looks too good to be true, it could be! According to an article by McAfree, scammers can create fake websites and URLs that look identical to legitimate companies. It’s best to go to the website directly, rather than click on email links. Double-check the website and stay safe by using anti-virus software.

PRINT DISCOUNTED PRICES IF SHOPPING IN-STORE

Choosing to shop in-store? Make sure you print out those Black Friday email deals you receive. You can show it to sales representatives to ensure you receive the product for the price that it was advertised.

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