White (or Black) Friday is a shopping sale where online retailers offer massive discounts. It can be a good time to grab some steal deals, but if you’re not careful you might actually end up paying more. Some retailers use the opportunity to wrap every product they want to clear under a “Deal” ribbon, misguiding shoppers into thinking they have a snapped up a bargain.
This year’s White Friday, which traditionally marks the start of the festive sale season, actually runs from Wednesday, November 23 to Saturday, November 26. But before you grab your credit card and start browsing, the shopping comparison website pricena.com has compiled its White Friday cheat sheet to ensure you genuinely cash in:
1. Compare prices
If you think you’ve found a bargain, double check the price at other stores to ensure you’ve indeed secured a good deal. Stores will be discounting aggressively, so it’s possible you’ll find an even better offer elsewhere.
2. Abandon your cart
When shopping online, add your desired items to your basket, but don’t place the order. Wait a couple of hours. Some stores might send you another discount by email for fear of losing you.
3. Don’t forget to add delivery costs
It’s so competitive out there among retailers that sometimes it comes down to the shipping cost. Most stores do offer free shipping above a certain order amount, although a handful will still charge you - typically from Dh12 to Dh20. Some stores will also surcharge you if you decide to pay cash on delivery.
4. Haggling may work
Believe it or not, smaller stores may be willing to give further discounts if you haggle (over chat or phone). That’s right, e-haggling - only in the Middle East.
5. Be pragmatic about flash sales
Don’t feel rushed by flash sales. If the sale actually offers you the best price in the market, go for it, but as a general rule always check prices at other stores.
6. Check historical prices
Want to double check you have a real deal on your hands. Then track the historical price of a product (pricena.com offers this data) to see whether the price has actually dropped.
pf@thenational.ae
