Black Friday. Do You Fall For It?

[Baron99 790]

Does anyone fall for the hype of Black Friday or Black Friday 'events' that now seem to last for most of November in the UK? 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50551415

 

 

[Funky_Gibbon 42]

Fall for it? I don't believe so, I've not exactly been looking for bargains on things I didn't really want. Did I buy a few things after using price-tracking websites to check whether some discounts were real or not, and then only because I'd got a lot of birthday money to spend and a list of things I was going to buy regardless with the date being coincidental? Yes.

 

Bought a couple of film that were £2 cheaper than anywhere else I could find and an external HDD I urgently needed that was about £10 cheaper than it had been on sale for in the last 12 months, plus a few art print to hang on walls that I have no idea if they were cheaper than before (both said 50% off) but which I bought because they were cheap enough for me to internally justify spending the money on something to decorate my house.

 

I did spot one example of an item being advertised on Amazon as having a big discount (70% off) but they were comparing it to the price it cost when newly released rather than the price it had been over the past 12 months. I think there was a small real discount but it was only something like 5%. Naughty.

 

[Chaddamp 0]

No, I shop when needed for anything and try ebay first for most things apart from groceries which I find Aldi are best

[pattricia 575]

No, it’s a con. If you don’t need it don’t buy it !

[Waldo 96]

Seems all hype and not so much substance.  Retail sector trying to whip up a frenzy and get people spending. I think it’s more successful in the US? Also, as another posted points out, use price tracking websites like camel camel camel for a more scientific approach to tell if you’re actually getting a good deal.

[Baron99 790]

34 minutes ago, Waldo said:

Seems all hype and not so much substance.  Retail sector trying to whip up a frenzy and get people spending. I think it’s more successful in the US? Also, as another posted points out, use price tracking websites like camel camel camel for a more scientific approach to tell if you’re actually getting a good deal.

And no doubt retailers will be moaning that no one is spending anything in December due to the 'Black Friday' sales in November? 

[vwkittie 10]

Nope, I pay zero attention to it!

[francypants 441]

Nope.       I do all my Christmas shopping throughout the year.

[RollingJ 2,017]

I don't 'fall' for it, but if I'm looking for high-value items I'm thinking of buying (at the moment my camera and Kindle), then I do go looking.

 

[Fudbeer 12]

To. use an old phrase the public has never had it so good.

You can now track the price of virtually everything you want whether it’s comparison sights or Amazon/EBay ect.

What is clear is there is a kind of 2 tier price model if you just walk in a shop or onto a company website and buy chances are you will pay sometimes by a considerable amount over the odds.Where as spending a little time and maybe waiting a while can net you a considerable saving.

 

Using mobile phones as an example you can by shopping around get the iPhone 11 for a little over £30 a month yet go onto the providers website and you will pay over £50 a month.Just One of many examples I have come across.

[RollingJ 2,017]

Exactly, @Fudbeer - which is just what I do if I need an 'expensive' item for which I don't know a source.

[Baron99 790]

Something I've noticed over the years.  If you want to buy any furniture, buy it aroud mid to late July.  I'm guessing that things get a bit slack, cash wise for stores around the holiday season.