This is some welcoming news for those Americans (like me) who are currently out of the country and can't enjoy things like tax-free weekend or Black Friday. While I don't miss the "mad rush" that these bargain days ellicit, I do get jealous sometimes because buying things in Europe is expensive. So I was happy to discover that Black Friday is just a myth, a gimick, a rouse, to get us into malls to buy like crazy.
The point of Black Friday is to take advantage of discounts in preparation of the holiday season. Also its for those of us (like me) who don't like to procrastinate and like to have one less thing to do on the to-do list. You can't beat shopping for gifts almost an entire month in advance. So it's no wonder Black Friday and all its promises attracts so many to the checkout lanes.
Yet, myth number one states that the busiest day of the year is the Saturday before Christmas (poor procrastinators). In addition, all of these "deals" and "bargains" and "discounts" are just regular sales prices apparently. Some retailers even increase prices in anticipation of Black Friday to just lower them again and claim a sale.
Never take a price for granted. These days with just one of us working, my husband and I are very cautious when it comes to a new purchase. Especially something pricey like a TV or a computer or a digital camera. We like to look at a variety of store circulars to compare prices. This is done even before we actually go to the store and interrogate the salespeople. Sometimes we even take a look on ebay to see what the prices of used and new items are there. Maybe do some google searches to see what the best deals are in general for these items. Of course we look at quality and price together so the item doesn't malfunction a few months in.
That's what people should do if they don't already. Stop taking the retailer's word for prices. Christmas is the same time every year so plan accordingly. While you might not know what you want to buy for your loved ones, look at prices and compare them a few months later.
We bought a Samsung flat-screen TV before the summer and noticed that about six months or so later it was around 100€ cheaper. So if we ever want to buy a TV again, or some other electronics item, we might just wait another six months. If there's no hurry it may be worth it to see if we can get it for cheaper. If the price is the same on Black Friday, well, then we'd know that's the normal price not a special offer.
Just be smart consumers. Go to shops on Black Friday but take the prices "with a grain of salt" as they say. (Check out the article on msnmoney.com and dealnews.com for more information).
As always for more retail news like this visit: retailgigs
The point of Black Friday is to take advantage of discounts in preparation of the holiday season. Also its for those of us (like me) who don't like to procrastinate and like to have one less thing to do on the to-do list. You can't beat shopping for gifts almost an entire month in advance. So it's no wonder Black Friday and all its promises attracts so many to the checkout lanes.
Yet, myth number one states that the busiest day of the year is the Saturday before Christmas (poor procrastinators). In addition, all of these "deals" and "bargains" and "discounts" are just regular sales prices apparently. Some retailers even increase prices in anticipation of Black Friday to just lower them again and claim a sale.
Never take a price for granted. These days with just one of us working, my husband and I are very cautious when it comes to a new purchase. Especially something pricey like a TV or a computer or a digital camera. We like to look at a variety of store circulars to compare prices. This is done even before we actually go to the store and interrogate the salespeople. Sometimes we even take a look on ebay to see what the prices of used and new items are there. Maybe do some google searches to see what the best deals are in general for these items. Of course we look at quality and price together so the item doesn't malfunction a few months in.
That's what people should do if they don't already. Stop taking the retailer's word for prices. Christmas is the same time every year so plan accordingly. While you might not know what you want to buy for your loved ones, look at prices and compare them a few months later.
We bought a Samsung flat-screen TV before the summer and noticed that about six months or so later it was around 100€ cheaper. So if we ever want to buy a TV again, or some other electronics item, we might just wait another six months. If there's no hurry it may be worth it to see if we can get it for cheaper. If the price is the same on Black Friday, well, then we'd know that's the normal price not a special offer.
Just be smart consumers. Go to shops on Black Friday but take the prices "with a grain of salt" as they say. (Check out the article on msnmoney.com and dealnews.com for more information).
As always for more retail news like this visit: retailgigs
By: Samantha Taylor
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!