5 'Black Friday' shopping tips that you need to know

shakirudeen taiwo

November 21, 2017 2:25 PM

Black Friday is just around the corner and snagging the best bargain is everyone's target.

Black Friday is the name given to the shopping day after the American holiday called Thanksgiving.

It was originally called Black Friday because so many people went out to shop that it caused traffic accidents and sometimes even violence.

The term was first used by the Philadelphia Police Department in the US to describe the mayhem surrounding the congestion of pedestrian and auto traffic.

The day after Thanksgiving is also seen to be the unofficial beginning of the Christmas season since the late 19th century and most use Black Friday to shop ahead of the biggest festive holiday of the year.

It now has come to evolve and become a globally accepted period of retail shopping where discounts and price slashes by retailers are the theme.

1. Have a budget

Before rushing to spend on any Black Friday deals make sure you set a budget and stick to it. Make a list of what you want to buy and their estimated prices.

That’s your firm budget limit and spending more is unacceptable.

Also Read: Black Friday seems to not interest a lot of Nigerians this year

2. Research pre-Black Friday prices

Pre-Black Friday prices may suspiciously rise then suddenly be ‘slashed’ on Black Friday. Research your products ahead of time and find out if you’re merely buying it for the usual price or an actual discounted price.

Don’t fall for the marketing gimmicks.

3. Follow your favourite online retailers

Retailers usually increase promotional activity and offer last-minute deals in higher volumes in the countdown to Black Friday.

Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are great places to locate online retailers who will offer bargain prices. Be sure to follow them and turn their notifications on for updates as they come.

4. Sign up for retailer newsletters

It can be a tad bit too tedious to follow all your favourite online retailers on their various social media accounts and have to sift through notifications to actually find posts on Black Friday sales.

Signing up for newsletters is easy and quick and ensures you get accurate information directly.

5. Download apps for online stores

It might seem like a pretty obvious tip but a lot of people decide to not download apps for online stores because it has a website.

Black Friday sales most times shut down online store web servers and makes it virtually impossible to access it until most of the great bargains are one.

With an app, you’ll be certain to avoid being a victim to this and have an easier shopping experience.

shakirudeen taiwo