For many shoppers, Black Friday sales are all about grabbing the best deals and saving money, with 58% of Australians planning to take part in the event this year. But for many, the discounts aren’t enough. In fact, about 50% of Australian consumers plan to use at least one strategy to save more money during this year’s sales, according to new research from Canstar Blue.
There are several ways to get the best deals during the Black Friday sales. (Image: Polly Hanning) A surge in online shopping has made saving money possible; almost half of people plan to shop online during this year’s sales.
How to find the best Black Friday discounts
Discount codes are the most popular method for grabbing a deal, with nearly a third of shoppers planning to use multiple discount codes when checking out online. The next most popular strategies are checking retailer apps for app-exclusive deals (21%), monitoring social media for flash sales or secret offers (26%) and buying through cashback sites (22%). Others plan to use gift cards bought at a discount to shop during sales events (16%). But is all the effort worth it? According to the survey, 13% of people think a Black Friday discount is a good deal. “You could be right, but you could also be wrong,” said Canstar Blue spokesperson Eden Radford. “Before checking out, take a few minutes to check the price and make sure you’re really getting a deal. Better yet, take a few minutes before heading to the store – whether online or in-store – to do some research to make sure you’re getting the absolute best deal.”
Best Black Friday deals
Almost every big brand now participates in Black Friday sales, from Dyson to Weber to Apple and Amazon. Big department stores like Myer and Rebel Sports will also heavily promote Black Friday sales. Basically, all the big retailers will participate – the key is to figure out when they are offering the best deals, especially if they are limited-time offers.
How to get the most out of Black Friday deals
Before you get caught up in the discount frenzy, here are some tips to help you score bigger deals (and overspend less) during this year’s Black Friday extravaganza.
- Set a budget: Figure out how much you can afford to spend and stick to that budget.
- Create a shopping list: Know exactly what you want to buy and don’t get distracted.
- Do your research: Compare quotes from at least three different stores before buying.
- Consider shipping costs: Make sure you factor the cost of every shipment into your budget.
- Buy only from trusted and verified websites: Make sure the website you are using is legitimate and that you always pay through a secure platform.
How to avoid Black Friday scams
, they are all well aware that this is the one day of the year when people won’t be suspicious of deals that are too good to be true. Scammers will use real brands to set up fake adverts and entire websites to steal people’s credit card data. Anyone who receives an email or text message offering Black Friday shopping deals should carefully check the link before clicking on it. E-commerce expert Sabri Sudy said scammers often set up fake URLs that are similar to actual brands. He recommends people Google search the brand or store that appears in such messages and check that the actual URL matches the one provided in the email or text message. You can find more advice on how to avoid scams through the ScamWatch website here. The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial advice. The information has been prepared without considering your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website, you should consider whether the information is suitable for your objectives, financial situation and needs.