The week has just begun, and Black Friday is not until November 28th, yet a quick check of your email reveals that numerous brands have already started their campaigns and promotions. Consumers should, therefore, exercise extra caution to avoid falling for traps and false promotions.
“Black Friday is approaching, bringing with it thousands of tempting offers. But not everything is as it seems. Before filling your cart, learn how to prepare your purchases, avoid fraud, and ensure the discounts are truly worthwhile,” DECO PROteste has advised.
The consumer protection organization also shared five tips for smart Black Friday shopping. Here’s what to keep in mind:
1. Prepare your purchase, research prices, and gather information
“If you know in advance which products will be on sale, it will be easier to confirm if they are good deals. Try obtaining this kind of information by subscribing to newsletters from the stores you are most interested in or following them more closely on social media. For online stores, the Price Comparison tool by DECO PROteste will be a good ally.”
2. Check the quality of the products before buying
“Promotional products can promise a lot and deliver little. Get informed and read about those that interest you, as they may not meet your expectations. Also, look them up in DECO PROteste’s comparators, where you’ll find the results of comparative tests on hundreds of products, such as mobile phones, tablets, televisions, and various appliances.”
3. Start shopping early
“The best offers are usually the ones that sell out first. If you plan to shop in a physical store, find out the opening hours and your availability to visit it in the early hours of the day. If you are shopping online, just wait for midnight to arrive.”
4. Know the purchase and return policies
“Some stores allow you to buy online and pick up the products in a physical store within a specified period. This could be an option to consider if you don’t have much time or want to avoid shipping costs and the crowd during Black Friday.
Additionally, if the purchase is made online, you have the right to return the product within 14 days. The same is not true if you buy in a physical store, where the merchant is not obliged to accept returns (except in cases of defect, for example).”
5. Exercise caution on Black Friday
“It is very easy to create social media accounts to advertise fake stores or sell counterfeit and pirated products. Be wary of offers that seem ‘too good to be true’ and carefully verify the information shared on these channels to ensure you do not fall for frauds. DECO PROteste has an online tool that allows you to verify the security of the website you are visiting.”
