With Black Friday fast approaching and Black Friday mania already in full swing, shoppers looking for a bargain are reminded to be mindful of the old adage, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”.
While there will be great bargains available, many resellers use Black Friday to “clean out old stock or demo display stock”, warns Jasmine Lin, product manager and marketing head at ASUS South Africa.
She cautions shoppers to be “careful about the specification of the IT device (laptop, PC, tablet, phone, accessory or component) they buy and to check whether it is the latest product or it is second hand”.
Lin also advises that bargain-hunters do their research ahead of time to ensure that the deal is as good as it is portrayed to be.
“Time is very limited and everywhere will be crowded, even online. Start your research now, and shoppers need to know what the regular price is. Sometimes the Black Friday deal is not really a great deal, it’s just that consumers psychologically think they are getting a good deal because it is Black Friday,” she says.
However, Lin says that with planning and care, shoppers should be able to nab a great deal.
Lin’s do’s and don’ts for Black Friday bargain hunters are:
* Carefully check the specification of the IT device or component you are purchasing as it may be old stock or even second-hand stock.
* Use reliable and trusted resellers. Brick and mortar stores will be chaotic and there is a risk their network will not be able to cope with the traffic. Also make sure the payment portal you are using is safe and secure when you are shopping online.
* Do your research ahead of time to ensure you know what the regular price and the correct specifications are.
* Place your desired goods in a shopping cart ahead of time if possible if you shop online as that will save time on Black Friday.
* Target the big stores to visit as they will have more goods to supply on the day.
* While most deals will be the best you can find for the year, stock will be very limited. Don’t be too disappointed if the items you want are sold out as many resellers will have Christmas and year-end sales in December.