<\/p>\n
It may be Saturday but you’ll still find plenty of Black Friday sales on as the event carries on into the weekend.<\/p>\n
It can be easy to get swept up in the shopping frenzy and end up out of pocket – instead of bagging a bargain.<\/p>\n
The vast majority of Black Friday offers are cheaper or the same price at other times of the year, consumer group Which? has warned.<\/p>\n
We’ve spoken to some experts who have shared tips on how to shop Black Friday without getting ripped off.<\/p>\n
Make a list and stick to it<\/b><\/p>\n
“It’s only a deal if it\u2019s something you genuinely wanted or needed before seeing the discount,” said Sarah Johnson, director of merchandise consultancy Flourish Retail.<\/p>\n
She recommends making a list and budget to stick to in order to avoid impulse buys.<\/p>\n
“Make the deals work for you by using Black Friday to save on products you already planned to buy,” she said.<\/p>\n
“If you stick to your list and stay within your budget, you\u2019ll maximise your savings without unnecessary splurges.”<\/p>\n
Compare historic prices<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cWhen looking to make a purchase, it’s worth comparing the price at multiple retailers,” said Harry Rose, editor of Which? Magazine.<\/p>\n
He also recommended using websites that allow you to check a product\u2019s price history over the previous 12 months.<\/p>\n
“That way you\u2019ll know a good deal when you see one,” he said.<\/p>\n
Which? investigated deals on 227 products at eight of the biggest home and tech retailers in the UK in last year\u2019s Black Friday “fortnight” between 20 November and 1 December.<\/p>\n
Its research suggested nine in 10 of the deals analysed were the same price or cheaper at other times of the year.<\/p>\n
Mr Rose said you should not feel “pressured to splash out on Black Friday purchases as those deals are usually repeated – if not beaten – at other times of the year”.<\/p>\n
If you spot something you want to buy in the Black Friday sale, search for it on a second-hand platform where you might find it even cheaper, says resale influencer, Jess.<\/p>\n
Many resale platforms give you the option of offering a price that matches your budget, she said.<\/p>\n
“If you make an offer and it\u2019s reasonable most sellers will accept,” she said. “So not only are you likely to get a good deal in the first place because it\u2019s not new from a shop but you can offer a lower price.”<\/p>\n
Vintage clothing influencer Vivien Tang also buys and sells on resale websites.<\/p>\n
“I think it is very easy to find almost new or brand new items on second-hand platforms,” she said. “The condition option on listings is now compulsory so it makes it easier to filter for newer items.”<\/p>\n
If you’re using the Black Friday sale to buy Christmas presents you should not rule out buying second hand, according to a new report.<\/p>\n
Some 63% of people would be comfortable receiving second-hand Christmas gifts and a further 26% felt neutral about the idea, according to a survey by research consultancy Retail Economics for second-hand marketplace Vinted.<\/p>\n
Beware of debt<\/b><\/p>\n
Many people will use a credit card, or may dip into their overdraft, when buying what they consider bargain items on Black Friday.<\/p>\n
But if you end up paying interest, this could outstrip any saving made on the Black Friday promotion.<\/p>\n
Using a typical credit card to make a \u00a3300 purchase, then paying back at \u00a320 a month would take more than a year to pay off and mean having to pay \u00a355 in interest, according to the financial information service Moneyfacts.<\/p>\n
Using an overdraft would usually lead to an even bigger interest bill.<\/p>\n
A credit card offers more protection when buying something over \u00a3100, so there is greater chance of a refund if something goes wrong.<\/p>\n
Financial experts say paying off a credit card immediately, perhaps from savings, before any interest is accrued, is the safest option.<\/p>\n
Check for scams<\/b><\/p>\n
Criminals use the hype around Black Friday to try to steal from online shoppers.<\/p>\n
Purchase scams are when someone is tricked into sending money via a bank transfer to buy something – often advertised online or via social media – that doesn’t exist.<\/p>\n
The number of purchase scams soared by 29% around Black Friday and Cyber Monday last year, according to analysis by Lloyds Bank.<\/p>\n
The bank’s fraud prevention director, Liz Ziegler, said: “When shopping online, the best way stay safe is to buy from a trusted retailer, and always pay by card for the greatest protection. If you\u2019re unable to do those things, that should be a big red flag that you\u2019re about to get scammed.”<\/p>\n
You should be wary of fake websites and check the web address belongs to the official brand before you enter any financial or personal information, according to Which?.<\/p>\n
Beware of posts from a newly-created social media accounts, or links to a recently-created website. You can use verified domain checkers to confirm when a website was created, Which? said.<\/p>\n
It warned against buying at “too good to be true” prices because if something seems too good to be true, it likely is.<\/p>\n
Watch the latest edition of BizTech below:<\/b><\/p>\n