Black Friday | Our Top Tips
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is an informal name for the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States, which sees many stores offering big sales and price reductions. This now incredibly popular sales event also happens every year in the UK. This year it falls on Friday the 26th of November. It’s one of the biggest shopping events on the retail calendar and current shopping trends suggest that most of us will look for our Black Friday bargains online.
With a range of retailers set to reduce their prices on luxury items such as TVs, toys, laptops, and pretty much anything you can get your hands-on, it’s the best time of the year to find a deal that’s perfect for you – and it’s a great chance to get Christmas presents sorted ahead of the big day.
Top 3 tips for the Black Friday sales
It’s hard to say where the best deals will be and what products to buy this Black Friday as it can vary every year. We can though offer you some top tips on what to look out for and how to stay ahead of the mayhem.
1. Research the products beforehand
It’s always great snapping up a bargain – but it’s not great if the product isn’t worth it. So, make sure you read the reviews online on that specific product and any other product from that company. If your item isn’t exclusive to one retailer, check the prices against other retailers.
2. Create a wish list
Some websites allow you to set one up, but you can also write it down. Having a list to refer to so you know which items you want is extremely helpful. It saves you time, instead of scrolling through item after item trying to find the best deal. It’s also a simple way to curb your spending.
3. Look for the early deals
In recent years, many retailers and outlets have launched deals a week or two before Black Friday. There may even be some who run promotions throughout the whole of November. If you’re really keen you can even jump online super early to try and get a head start on everyone else.
4. Do you NEED it?
Before you spend, ask yourself, do I need it? Can I afford it? If the answer is no to any of those questions, then DON’T buy. It’s not a saving if you weren’t going to buy it anyway.
5. Look out for scams
If it looks too good to be true it could be false! Be on the lookout for dodgy sellers and scams, as scammers tend to take advantage of unsuspecting people around this time of year. Here are a few ways to protect yourself:
• Keep a strong password – It may seem simple, but it is effective. According to the National Cyber Security Centre, a good way to create a strong and memorable password is to use three random words – with numbers and symbols. Use a different password that isn’t the same as your account details
• Make sure the site you are using is real – Make sure you’re triple-checking everything is legit when using a website that you’re unfamiliar with. Look for things such as previous reviews and trust ratings. If you don’t think it checks out then don’t take a risk on that site before you hand out your financial information!
• Think about your payment – Consider how you would like to pay. Credit Cards are usually safer and more reliable than Debit Cards – you have more protection if something goes wrong. You can also use Google or Apple Pay where you don’t have to give the seller your information directly.
• When purchasing online expect to provide some method of payment, shipping address, telephone number, and email address, etc, however, if the seller requests other information don’t go through with the purchase.
This month, we are offering members the option to apply for a loan of up to £2,000 to help cover the cost of shopping the sales for Christmas bargains. To apply, simply log into the mobile app or click ‘Log in’ at the top of this page and click on the ‘Personal Loan’ application.