Insider Tips

Why the pandemic is set to break sales records this Black Friday

Ah, Black Friday. We look forward to this coming Friday more than any other. It’s the lead up event to the most wonderful time of the year, Christmas. Over half of the world’s nations dedicate this day to one of the largest shopping events - Black Friday Sales. In the US alone, sales are expected to jump 30 percent from last year to reach $10 Billion in a single day.

Traditionally, most Black Friday Sales are offered through online stores. This year we’ve all had to dabble in, or perfect our, online shopping skills due to Covid 19 restrictions. We estimate that 900,000 households in Australia have shopped online for the first time in their lives between March and August 2020. With all those new shoppers hitting the data packets instead of the pavement, we're hearing almost half of all Christmas purchases will be made online. This is almost double from last year.

To satisfy our need for ‘pandemic approved’ shopping, many local retailers have created or improved their online presence during this tough year. Brands have come up with new ways to get us to think about spending as the holiday period approaches. This all means we’re expecting a record breaking buying frenzy over the Black Friday Sales of 2020.

So, just how well prepared are YOU to enjoy Black Friday shopping amid Covid 19? Most importantly, have you decided? Is it gonna be the curved TV or the large OLED flat?

Before things heat up this weekend, let’s simmer it down a few degrees, and read on about the best offers available this Black Friday, how we can protect ourselves as consumers, and why purchasing online is the way to go shopping on Black Friday.

   

The most popular items to put on your Black Friday 2020 shopping list are homewares, small appliances, electronics, fashion and toys.

To get the best bargains, you need a good game plan.

Here’s one we prepared for you:

• • List top 5 items - consider ahead of time the things you want to buy including potential brands.
  • Prioritise purchases - decide if it's more important to save money or have the latest model. Often these types of sales are used to clear old stock, so make sure you know the price difference between old models and new ones.
  • Subscribe to newsletters - after deciding on which brands you’d like to buy from, subscribe to their newsletters as you can often get early access to discounts.
  • Read terms and conditions - pay particular attention to refund and delivery information as this will save you from post-purchase regrets.
  • Set a budget - it’s only a bargain if it’s something you actually want or need so keep track of your spending.

And with all this extra online activity it’s not surprising that scams are also at record highs. Australians have lost nearly $7 million in online shopping scams in 2020 already!

You don’t need to sweat about Scams, if you follow these tips.

• • Be wary of fake websites with dodgy online stores.
  • Watch out for fake sellers on classified websites.
  • Question unbelievably low prices - If it's too good to be true, it usually is.
  • Look for missing information, broken links, spelling mistakes.
  • Stop shopping, if the seller is asking for too much personal information.

Here are the best ways to stay scam safe.

• • Buy from official retailers, which means type the company’s name into your search bar and click on the right link to open their website.
  • Sorry to be so obvious but you’d be amazed at how many people get conned by fake websites.
  • Don't click on ads you see on your social media feed. See point above for the reason why this is the second tip.
  • Never skim-read emails. Most people get caught out by scam emails, so read your emails carefully and think twice before you click on a link.
  • Use fraud-protected credit card. Credit cards offer the best fraud protection. Or use a disposable virtual card if you can organise one. Google search virtual credit card here.
  • Avoid direct transfers, cryptocurrency and gift cards as a way to make a purchase as scammers love these payment methods the most.

Presenting to you.... 3 helpful facts.

• • Black Friday started off in the US as an event to signify the start of the Christmas shopping period. It is now the biggest shopping event in the US calendar.
  • The travel sector has taken a big hit this year, so we're seeing some great deals.
  • There are other courier companies aside from Australia Post. My go-to is a company called e-go.com.au. They are frequently cheaper and faster than Australia Post, and they can collect and drop off door to door. Check them out if you want to skip those huge Christmas queues at the post office.

You can watch our segment below on Channel 7’s The Morning Show which covers some more important stuff about the Black Friday Sales. Will you be able to buy discounted hand sanitiser? Will record sales on Black Friday break the internet? Is it possible that the 2020 pandemic has brought new, fun things to buy this year in the Black Friday buying bonanza?

So, don’t forget to set your alarm for FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH 12:00AM (MIDNIGHT AEDT).

And just remember, in case you stumble on a glitch or two, we’re here to help you resolve the issue, Black Friday Sales or otherwise.

You can tell us what’s gone wrong and what it’ll take for you to become a satisfied customer. Just say the magic words 'Help Me Handle It'.

   -----  Watch our CEO, Jo Ucukalo's, segment on Channel 7's - The Morning Show below. She shared the best tips to help you get great deals and how to stay safe from scammers during the Black Friday Sales.