Many consumer rights and environmental activists are calling for people to avoid the Black Friday sales. The event has often made headlines for the wrong reasons, from mass hysteria and customers fighting for discounted items, to fraudulent products and scams.
After years of covering the shopping event, we know there are great Black Friday deals to take advantage of — and we work hard to bring them to your attention. That said, there's also plenty of deception occurring around that time, as some malignant organizations use dodgy marketing techniques to sell you fake products or even scam you out of your hard-earned money.
Below, we've rounded up the top 6 reasons not to buy in the Black Friday sales, as well as what you should do to navigate the event safely if you want to find the best Black Friday deals.
1. Bad deals
First and foremost, while there are always some great deals during Black Friday, you can expect to find some bad ones, too.
What do we mean by 'bad deal,' exactly? Well, some retailers artificially hike prices ahead of the event to then reduce them to their original price, making it look like you're getting a great discount when you're really just buying the product at a normal price. This often happens on platforms like Amazon, where individual sellers can increase or decrease prices as they see fit without much regulation.
What can you do to make sure you're getting a good deal? You could install a browser extension like Honey or Camelizer, which automatically checks a product's price history and tells you whether it's at its lowest or not. This will reveal whether the retailer has disingenuously increased the price ahead of Black Friday.
Alternatively, find a source you trust to only show you real Black Friday deals. Here at Space.com, we thoroughly research the offers we post, so you can be sure you're only being shown the best of the best. We have a dedicated Black Friday deals hub, where our team of researchers post all of the best deals. We will be working around the clock during annual sales events to make sure we show you everything worth your time (and money).
2. Fake products and 'dupes'
This one is fairly self-explanatory. Beware of sellers and retailers selling fake products that mimic big brands, or that produce cheap knock-offs. While they might cost you a lot less, and some might work ok, it's often the case that these 'dupes' are cheaply made and, therefore, break easily or stop working after a short time. They also might not come with a warranty, so if they break, there is nothing you can do about it.
To avoid buying a knock-off, check the product reviews, as these will likely tell you if the product is fake. If you're buying off platforms like Amazon, check whether you are buying from the brand itself rather than an individual seller who might be reselling fakes at a lower price.
3. Scams
Aside from misleading prices and fake products, unfortunately, some Black Friday deals are just plain scams. While this isn't the case for the majority of online offers, some sellers will make the most of the fact customers are bombarded with discounts that run out quickly and are more likely to make impulse decisions as a result.
Falling for a scam deal may result in, at best, not getting what you've paid for or at worst, having your banking details or personal information stolen, so it's important to be extra vigilant if you're shopping during Black Friday. If you have one, pay with a credit card so you're more likely to get your money back in case something bad happens.
To avoid falling for a scam, stick to reputable retailers such as Best Buy, Walmart, Adorama, etc. If you are shopping on Amazon, check the seller's history, product catalog, and reviews — this might indicate their reliability. But more on this below.
4. Fake reviews
Speaking of reviews, unfortunately, you can't trust everything you read on the internet (but you can trust what you read on Space.com — our writers are experts and would never knowingly mislead you!). This applies to product and retailer reviews you read online: Some may be fake positive reviews bought or written by the seller to boost their products.
One clue to avoid this is to check for a 'verified buyer' sign next to the review, which indicates the review is legitimately from one of the brand's customers.
5. Aggressive marketing tactics
While many people browse for great deals to shop for things they need on Black Friday, the hundreds of emails, texts and social media messages you will receive from retailers may lure you into buying things you didn't even want in the first place.
This, combined with flash sales, countdown banners, and push notifications, means you may be tricked into believing you have limited time to make the most of a deal and feel pressured into buying the product before you've had time to research or think.
The key thing to remember is while you might spot a deal too good to miss, chances are you can find it again (or a very similar one) at a future shopping event. Take the time to sleep on it, and you might find the deal doesn't look that good anymore.
6. The environmental impact
Of course, big shopping events like Black Friday have a very bad impact on the environment. Retailers encourage customers to buy as much as possible to increase their profit, which often means we end up buying more than we need.
That said, Black Friday is a great time to shop for something that's been on your wishlist for months or a high-quality product that's usually out of your budget. The products we recommend in our buying guides are all excellent quality, durable, and have a great warranty.
The bottom line
While there are pitfalls and things to avoid in the Black Friday sales, for many, it's a good time to secure the things you've been longing for at a cheaper price. The main thing is to not get carried away, make brash decisions, and buy more than you need.
Most of the time, if the price seems too good to be true, that's because it is. To find the most reliable Black Friday deals, check out our best Black Friday 2024 deals hub, which is regularly updated with the latest discounts and offers from trusted retailers.
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