Although South African consumers have been shopping Black Friday promotions all month, the last Friday of November promises to be the biggest sale of the year!
If you strongly dislike large crowds or standing in long queues all day, you can avoid the in-store mayhem by shopping online.
Here’s how you can prepare for a safe and speedy checkout process.
BLACK FRIDAY: WHEN IS IT?
Black Friday falls on the Friday after the US holiday Thanksgiving – which is the last Thursday in November.
This year, the shopping extravaganza is on Friday, 29 November. Luckily, many South Africans will already have received their monthly salary by this date.
ONLINE SHOPPING? HERE IS YOUR ESSENTIAL CHECKLIST
If you are NOT heading to the shops on Black Friday, take heed of these savvy online shopping tips …
Set your alarm!
This sounds obvious, but oversleeping or missing a time-sensitive offer could mean the difference between getting the item you really want or risking it being sold out.
Set your alarm (and test to see if it goes off) to make sure you don’t miss out on the action on Black Friday. Also, look for special offers throughout the day.
Sign up for exclusive content and access
Many retailers are offering exclusive Black Friday discounts and promotions if you sign up for their newsletters.
You may even get a glimpse of what is on offer, which will help you plan your shopping list accordingly.
Create a Black Friday wishlist or prep your cart
If you already know what you want to purchase, you can save time during checkout by adding your items to your wishlist or your cart.
This is particularly helpful if retailers give you a limited time to shop.
Bookmark your sites
Organisation is everything when it comes to shopping – and bookmarks should never be overlooked!
Keep your favourite sites located in a particular Black Friday folder in your bookmark manager.
Do your calculations!
Many retailers disguise everyday prices or minimal discounts as Black Friday specials. Make sure you are well informed of the normal prices ahead of time to determine if it is worth your while.
Know your correct sizes
If you are shopping for clothing or shoes, measure ahead of time to determine your exact size. Many retailers offer sizing charts to make this easier.
This will prevent you from receiving an item that is too big or too small or from running the risk of the retailer not having the correct size in stock should you decide to exchange it.
Will it be delivered on time?
If you need your item in a hurry – or for a Christmas present – make sure you read the fine print of when you can expect your Black Friday purchases to be delivered.
Sometimes, retailers state that orders will only be dispatched when stock becomes available or in a lengthy period.
Split delivery costs
If you plan on making small purchases, why not pool together with a group of friends to split the cost of delivery – or qualify for free shipping.
This also works well if you need to purchase a certain quantity of a particular item to qualify for a discount.
Create an account ahead of time
Most retail online shopping sites require you to have a profile or link your account online.
Doing this ahead of time will speed up the checkout process by Black Friday.
Download the app
Very often, retail sites can crash due to an influx of traffic and consumers trying to check out simultaneously.
Avoid the frustration by downloading the official app of your preferred retailer to beat the online queues.
BLACK FRIDAY: HOW TO CHECKOUT SAFETY
Just like websites, credit card systems can crash over large volumes of transactions taking place at the same time.
To combat this, familiarise yourself with alternative payment options like Instant EFT (Ozow and Payflex) or buy now, pay later (Payflex or PayJustNow)
Secure online shopping
If you’re unfamiliar with online shopping, take heed of the following cyber safety advice;
- Shop from verified stores
- Never use free Wifi in public places when online shopping
- Check your statements or balances.
- Check that the site has encryption in its communications.
If all else fails, you can use alternatives like “buy online pick-up in-store” or “buy online pick-up curbside” shopping.
ARE YOU PLANNING ON SHOPPING ONLINE?
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