Black Friday shopping tips that stores hope you don’t know

Black Friday is approaching and shoppers are hoping to score fantastic deals on products during the annual event.

Because Thanksgiving falls late this year, fewer items were advertised on the day itself.

Retailers have instead chosen to spread out the special sales, rather than focusing solely on Black Friday.

“Retailers have taken the fun out of the madness that used to occur on a single day – Black Friday itself,” explains Consumer world founder Edgar Dworsky.

“Knowing when the right time is to get the best deal is now almost impossible.”

Several retail empires have done their best to keep Black Friday deals secret, and some of the sales from stores like Kohl’s and BJ’s Wholesale Club don’t advertise much of the merchandise.

Many sales also start early online, making it difficult for shoppers to know how to access the best deals.

But Americans should continue to do their homework by comparing prices and products, and strike early if a deal looks good, according to Consumer World.

Amid the hustle and bustle, here are some top tips that stores hope you don’t know – and will help you score big in sales.

Analyze all sales in store and online

Some Black Friday deals are better than others, which is why shoppers may want to consider using a pricing tool.

Pricing tools allow customers to compare today’s price with what was charged last year on a company’s website or other sellers such as Amazon.

This means they can check any advertised discount percentages to see if anyone has ever actually paid the higher list price.

Useful pricing tools include Price Checker in Consumer World, Google Shopping, PriceGrabber, Shopzilla, and camelcamelcamel.com.

Experts have also advised Black Friday fans shopping online to find out the total price including tax before buying.

It is also crucial to be careful with unknown online sellers.

“The holidays are one of the busiest times of the year for shoppers and scammers alike,” New York said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley.

“While shopping online is a convenient way to buy gifts and find deals, scammers often use this time as an opportunity to take advantage of consumers and steal their information or their hard-earned money.”

Tools that may be useful for customers looking for the best prices include Google Shopping, PriceGrabber and Shopzilla

Save with ‘Triple Plays’

One thing that could help shoppers on Black Friday is to do what Consumer World calls a “Triple Play.”

This involves purchasing items at a good sale price, using coupons or coupons, and finding items with cash back discounts.

One retail empire that Consumer World recommends shopping with this strategy is Kohl’s.

Walmart and Amazon are two other shopping sources that offer cashback rebates on products.

Take special offers into account

Customers may be able to score some great deals during the Thanksgiving week before Black Friday.

According to Consumer World, some Black Friday prices will start soon or have already started.

One annual event that has already started is Walmart’s annual “Black Friday Deals,” which kicked off on November 25.

The Walmart event runs through Cyber ​​Monday on December 2.

Amazon’s ‘Black Friday Deals’ started on November 21 and are available on various products until November 29.

Not all stores open at the same time on Black Friday, which is why it is important to plan an arrival time

Use the correct credit card

It’s worth shopping with a card that offers purchase protection, which means the card company will refund the purchase if the store doesn’t.

Others offer a sale price guarantee, which means the publisher will give you back the difference if an item is resold within 60 days of purchase.

Certain credit cards may also offer free benefits, and some places even give customers an extra discount if they use a store brand card.

Be warned, however, that many private label cards have increased their interest rates in recent months.

The best credit card to use this year for general Black Friday purchases, according to Wells Fargo Active Cash Card CNBC.

Some of the benefits of this card include unlimited cash rewards, a $200 welcome bonus, and no annual fee.

Other cards Black Friday shoppers may want to look at include the Discover it Cash Back, Target Circle Card and Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, the outlet said.

Take price guarantees into account

Shoppers who purchased products from Black Friday through Cyber ​​Monday may be entitled to a refund if stores do not honor the price matches.

Price match guarantees are when retailers promise to match the price of an item to a lower price of the same product at another retailer.

In most cases, customers may be able to get some of their money back for a product if a seller or competing retailer sells the exact same item for a lower price before Christmas.

Some places that have done this for various products this holiday season include Target, Walmart, and Best Buy.

Shoppers who purchased products from Black Friday through Cyber ​​Monday may be entitled to a refund

Find the right product

Shoppers looking for a Black Friday deal on a specific item may need to do additional research before figuring out where to purchase a product.

A terrible item with a low price is “not a bargain,” according to Consumer World.

Check websites where professionals review products, such as Consumer Reports or Wirecutter.com.

Other things to look at that can help you pick out the right product are “best” or “worst” item lists, customer reviews, and product descriptions.

Customers planning to make their Black Friday purchases on Amazon may want to watch out for the “Amazon’s Choice” badge, which is given to products considered the “best of the best.”

Find the ads

Shoppers looking for ideas on how to get an item at a good deal can look for ads online or in magazines in a store.

Consumers can also view special offers sent to them via email or an app notification.

If customers don’t receive emails or magazines, they can check the company’s website for possible flash sales offered for one day only.

Late shoppers should be warned that they may have missed deals that were promoted earlier this month.

Other options include looking for ‘flash’ bargains on companies’ social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram or websites such as blackfriday.gottadeal.com.

However, be careful of social media scams and don’t click on links you don’t recognize.

Customers can usually find returns policies on online checkout pages, order confirmation emails, or signs near doors or cash registers

Check the return policy

A must-do when looking for a product to purchase is checking the item’s return policy.

Return policies may vary depending on the product and store.

But many stores have extended their returns deadline until early January.

Some stores may have rules about returning sale items, or charge extra fees that may surprise you.

Customers can usually find return policies on online checkout pages, order confirmation emails, in-store signage, or signs near doors or cash registers.

Customers who wish to return a product will likely need to show a store associate a receipt before receiving a refund.

Plan accordingly

Not all Black Friday sales start on the exact same day or time.

Some e-commerce websites open at midnight, while physical stores may open at 5am or 6am on Black Friday.

In other places, Black Friday events may start the day before, or in some cases, the first week of November.

But for later shoppers, the good news is that sales traffic should slow down in late November and early December as some people went online or made purchases earlier in the month.

Depending on what items someone wants to buy on Black Friday, quantities may be limited and may fly off the shelves shortly after stores or shopping websites start selling.