This year’s biggest shopping day is just around the corner. Black Friday. As an avid consumer of everything from technical gadgets to household items and equipment for children, we are very aware of, and well prepared for, what ends up in the shopping cart tomorrow. That being said, somethings has already been bought as Black Week has become a more important event this year than last year, due to the pandemic. Some stores have even run with Black Month! Consumer-involved Norwegians have been feasting on good (and perhaps not quite so good) offers for several days already. But the purchases that we have already made, we are absolutely certain that will not be any cheaper tomorrow anyway.
How to make the best deals on black friday
So how can we be so sure of that ?! Doing research before each purchase over a certain amount (you set the limit yourself) only makes sense. No matter how much money you have in the bank, you will want to pay as little as possible for a product, something else would just be stupid! Doing great deals is also satisfying not only for the wallet but also for the mind. Knowing that you are making great deals and being confident that this is actually the case gives a peace of mind.
What is important to think about before Black Friday?
In the past, stores had sales once, perhaps twice a year. Nowadays, there is often some form of sale all year round. Despite this, Black Friday is still something many customers are “waiting for”, and Black Friday has really taken off in Norway in recent years. First it’s Black Month, then it’s Black Week, then it’s Black Friday, then comes black weekend. After the “black period”, Cyber Monday and of course Cyber Week start. And before all this, we have also had Singles day for those who like to shop from China. When all this is over, the so-called Christmas sale starts before we end the year and start the new year with New Year’s sales. Sorry, I completely forgot the Boxing day sale! It is by and large a period that is very lucrative for the stores, and they are fighting hard to hijack you as a customer.
We have seen a huge increase in online shopping in recent years, but since the pandemic started, it has skyrocketed. The Norwegian Post office writes in a press release that they have experienced a formidable increase in e-commerce in all the country’s counties. In the second quarter of 2020, the increase on a national basis was over 60 per cent measured against the same period last year. The same is true on a global scale as well, according to the UN.
Prices in online stores have become very easy to compare and the stores are aware of this. Although online stores compete primarily on price, there are also several other things that come into play when we shop online; terms of sale, delivery options, free shipping / free return or not. Price guarantees, moneyback guarantee for x number of days, interest-free installments or “buy now, pay next year”, to name a few. Also, customer service and support availability is something we as consumers are more and more concerned about. It should be easy to get in touch with the store! So it is not only the price that determines where we shop.
So, how do you proceed?
Plan well in advance
We use Notion.so for a lot in our everyday life, also to plan purchases. Here we can write shopping lists that we keep up to date with different tags, prices and other information.
We always do research of what we plan to buy. Is there a new and updated model of what we are looking for? Often the price of an older model decrease when a newer model hits the market. So in some cases it may make more sense to wait, but not always. Black Friday is often used by both manufacturers and stores to get rid of older models. Does the old model have what you need or should you go for the latest one? If you can get what you need in an older model, you can often get very good deals during this period.
Checking the price history of the product is usually the most important thing. What is the lowest price this item has had? How long ago did it come on the market? Here you can keep your own statistics and follow, but there are tools that make this very easy for you.
Get an overview with pricespy.co.uk
There are several sites where you can do this, but in this post we will look at pricespy.co.uk. You get a lot done in your preparations with Pricespy as a tool.
Ranking
When it comes to research, Pricespy has a ranking system for the vast majority of product categories. If you have done your research and are sure of the item you are going to buy, you know which model you should get. If not, a ranking of the different product groups can help you. Perhaps the one you had initially decided on is way down the list, and perhaps there is a model that is much better and that is even cheaper.
Price alert
This is the most important feature Pricespy offers, and something that should be used all year round, and not just during the Black Friday period. With a database of several stores, and bots that scan online stores, Pricespy notifies you by email if any of the products you have put a price alert on, decrease in price. If you have the Pricespy app on your phone, you can get the price alert on your phone instead.
Shopping lists
Instead of using Notion.so as we do, or post-it notes on the refrigerator as some does. You can create lists on your Pricespy account, so that you can follow the different prices in an easy way. One for Christmas presents, one for Black Friday, one for things you need in the new house, etc.
Price history
What’s really ingenious about Pricespy is when it comes to price history. Here you can check what the lowest price of the product has been, and in this way be sure whether you are making a good deal or not. Has the price gone up and then been reduced just before Black Friday? Well, here’s the answer.
Shopping experience rating
It’s one thing that a store has the lowest price. Yet, if the price is “too” low, something might be off. Then it may be a good idea to check the store’s rating before making a decision on whether it’s worth paying the price you get. It may be that it takes a long time before you receive the item. In some cases you could end up not receive the item at all and have to buy it later at the regular price.
Summary
We are now well on our way into this year’s major sales period. It’s Black Month, then it’s Black Week, then it’s Black Friday, then comes Black Weekend and after that it’s Cyber Monday and of course Cyber Week. And do not forget Singles day! And when all this is over, the Christmas sale begins.
If there are products you are looking for that cost a lot, regardless of whether it is electronics, white goods, sporting goods, clothing or whatever it may be. It is worth it to spend some time on research before venturing out into the jungle of offers. Take the time to find the right product at the right price, avoid impulse buying, and use the tools available to ensure that you actually make good deals. Then you will with good reason be left with a good feeling!
Last year we bought some Dungeons and Dragons books and smart home products. This year there will be a bread baking machine and a new computer monitor on our list.
We want to hear what you are going to buy so comment below!
This post is also available in: Svenska Norsk bokmål
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