Black Friday 2019 is finally here. Thousands of shoppers across South Africa are expected to join millions of other shoppers across the globe to score some fantastic deals. For many its a chance to stock up for Christmas or to spoil oneself on discounted items.
But with so much on offer for Black Friday 2019 – which many expect to be bigger than the previous years, how do you prepare? Here we offer some tips to everyone hoping to score on the various Black Friday deals.
Read: How to be safe doing online shopping this Black Friday
Tips on how to prepare for Black Friday 2019 shopping
Get comfortable
The first one is a no-brainer; if you want to beat other eager shoppers in the race for in-store Black Friday deals, better be comfortable. So, on this Friday, wear your most comfortable shoes and clothing – remembering that you may have to stand on your feet or in a long queue for hours.
Shop on the Wednesday
Beat the Black Friday madness! Some shops like Makro are offering 5-day Black Friday shopping. While many people will try to do their shopping on Friday, because it’s Black ‘Friday‘, you can beat the madness by actually doing your shopping on the other days.
Bring a friend
For Black Friday, teamwork is the best. Its a great idea to bring a friend along to assist you/each other in your Black Friday shopping. Working as a team, you have better chances of spotting deals. Teamwork also means you have some company if you are going to stand in the long queues.
Do your Black Friday shopping online
Talking about queues, most people forget about this one – yet it’s often an obvious one. You do not have to take time off work to go and join the long Black Friday queues in the shops. Rather, look for your deals online. There are many online shops offering Black Friday deals in South Africa and abroad. Yes, its a different experience from the madness of the shop floor, but you still get your deals.
However, note there are some deals that will be available in-store only just as some deals will only be available online only!
Rise up early on Black Friday
Many shops and retailers are promising to open their doors early for Black Friday 2019 shoppers. The early bird often gets the worm, so remember to rise up early to avoid the disappointment of hearing your shop has run out of stock.
This also goes for your online shopping, you will want to be among the first people on the site. In previous years, some shopping sites have crashed due to high volumes of traffic leaving shoppers stranded.
Leave your kids at home if possible
It’s Black Friday – it’s often chaotic. While it’s good to have your kids experience the Black Friday frenzy, they might end up becoming your source of frustration. After the initial excitement, parents (who are tired themselves) often must also deal with kids that are tired of standing in line and asking to go home.
Plan it like a military operation
This again is important. Choose a location for your Black Friday shopping – remembering that it might be your only location on the day and learn its map. Knowing the shop’s layout can help you go straight to the aisle with the Black Friday deals that you are after and helps you save time.
Plan your purchases and use cash
Because it’s Black Friday, it does not mean money management goes out the window. Know what you want and prioritise those purchases. For example, you may want to go for household appliances or groceries – everything else that is not part of your priority list should not take away your attention. Use cash to ensure your don’t abuse your card.
REMEMBER – Not everything is a bargain!
This is similar with the point above. It might be Black Friday, but not everything will actually be a bargain. Compare price tags and see if the original price and the Black Friday deal actually warrant a purchase. Often times, items are 30% off on Black Friday and get to 40% off towards Christmas.