BRITISH shoppers will splash a record £2.26billion tomorrow, as retailers
cash in on Black Friday.
There are fears customers will again come to blows over the best deals, as
some stores offer 89 per cent discounts.
Some shoppers are even expected to wear bubble wrap to help protect
themselves.
Chaos is also expected online, with experts warning that websites will crash,
although retailers insist they can cope.
Black Friday started as a US phenomenon and is now a regular fixture on the UK
shopping calendar.
In the States it falls on the last payday before Christmas. Some £1.07billion
will be splurged online with £1.19billion spent in store.
is cutting prices on 7,000 items by up to 72 per cent, while queues are
expected from 2am as Tesco opens 250 Extra stores from 5am tomorrow.
Debenhams, meanwhile, is cutting prices by up to 89 per cent.
Shopping expert Nick Swan, from Vouchercodespro, said: “Every year, discount
days grow more popular as Brits look to save on Christmas gifts.”
Here’s how to survive the frenzy.
Do your homework
SHOPPERS looking to buy Christmas gifts on Black Friday need to do their
research first – don’t buy on impulse.
Many retailers will release their deals early. Either go to specific store
sites or those which post deals ahead of the day, such as Which?.
Make use of “shopbots” such as price comparison site Kelkoo.co.uk – to ensure
you get the best price. They will email you when the price of an item falls.
If you know what you are after and what the top price you are willing to pay
is, use price drop alert websites such as lovesales.co.uk.
Once the item hits your price point or below it will email you.
Check reviews and make sure you get in quick. The best deals will sell out
fast.
Budget carefully
WHEN shopping online, you need to set yourself a budget and stick to it.
A TV reduced from £1,000 to £500 may sound like a great deal, but if you’ve
only got £300 to spend then you can’t really afford it. Be sensible.
At the same time, don’t forget to keep an eye out for hidden costs.
Chloe Atkins, from Hotukdeals.co.uk, explains: “Elevated savings are common
during Black Friday, but always check for hidden costs such as shipping, as
these can reduce the discount.”
Check the estimated delivery times as well to make sure you will get your
goods when you want them.
Question everything
RETAILERS sometimes increase the price of an item before a sales event to
make the discount look better.
Check out online threads for details on recommended retail prices (RRP). That
way you know you are not being duped.
If several retailers are selling a product at a similar price but only one
claims it is a special offer, it is probably not a genuine deal.
Which? warns some products are on sale throughout the year, so there is no
need to panic-buy.
For example, a Tassimo Charmy coffee machine, right, can usually be picked up
for £70-£90.
Some will claim it is a Black Friday special, with the price down from the
£129.99 RRP.
Bargain-hunters are advised to check model numbers of electrical goods to
ensure it is the latest version.
Type the number into the internet and check the reviews.
Make a list
IT can be tempting to buy products based purely on the fact they are
heavily discounted, but you need to resist the urge to spend unnecessarily.
Andrew Hagger, a finance expert at MoneyComms, warns: “If you buy stuff just
because the price has been slashed then you will fall into the trap of
buying goods you don’t really need, and will regret it in the long term.”
Before any Black Friday spree, sit down with a sheet of paper and draw up a
list of what you need.
Nick Swan, of Vouchercodespro. co.uk, adds: “Impulse purchases can leave you
burdened with unnecessary debts. Make a list and be disciplined about
sticking to it.”
Save even more
YOU can bring costs down even further by using discount codes. Sites such
as HotUKDeals.com and Vouchercodes pro.co.uk collate vouchers which offer
free delivery or money off.
Just check they work on Black Friday.
You can earn cashback by buying through sites such as Quidco.com.
Most online retailers are on there, though John Lewis and Amazon aren’t.
Use curiua.com to see if something is cheaper on Amazon’s European sites.
For example, last night a set of Genius HF-800A 20W speakers cost £31.54 on
its Spanish site, including a standard £4.70 delivery charge.
On Amazon UK it was almost £5 more expensive at £36.43.
What to wear
THIS isn’t the time to glam up to go shopping. Wear something comfortable –
maybe even some protective gear – and take a (non-alcoholic) drink.
Some shoppers have claimed they will don bubble wrap and rugby pads as armour
for tomorrow’s madness. It’s worth keeping in mind.
Last year there were several arrests and dozens of reports of scuffles
breaking out over the best bargains.
Wear comfy footwear such as trainers because you will be on your feet for
hours, and make sure you have layers that keep you warm outside but can be
stripped off easily inside.
Useful websites
Flubit.com – beat Amazon prices by diverting orders to other UK
retailers. Savings can be as much as 15 per cent.
Offeroftheday.co.uk – constantly updated info on the latest and
best offers from retailers such as B&Q, Argos and supermarket chains.
Lovethesales.com – discounted items from across the web in one
place. The minimum saving is ten per cent.
Redlaser.com – scan the barcode of the item you want with the
app, then use the site to find stores selling it cheaper.
Cyber scammers could net millions
CYBER con artists are poised to steal millions of pounds from shoppers this
Black Friday, by using fake internet selling sites.
As the nation splurges an expected £12,384 a second online, crooks will prey
on online shoppers by setting up professional-looking websites offering
discount electrical goods, clothes and games.
But once unsuspecting customers have sent over their card details, they will
be fleeced — and get no goods in return.
Retail analyst Richard Simpson said last night: “In the frenzy to grab a
bargain, people can lose track of what is sensible.
“The rule of thumb is that if it looks too good to be true, then it is
probably a scam.”
He advised people to shop with credit cards rather than debit cards so if they
are conned, they will get a refund.
The traffic surge online last year meant major retailer websites including
John Lewis, Tesco, Currys, PC World, Argos, Game and Boots started going
down from around 7am.
PCA Predict, a data service provider, noted the busiest time of day was the
minutes around 11am — when more than 40,000 transactions were completed —
followed by 10pm.
Consumers spent a total of £810million online during the day, and that is
expected to break through the £1billion barrier this year.
A fifth of employees are considering phoning in sick this year so they can get
the best bargains.
Employers have been warned of a drop in productivity as thousands stay away
from work and others, who do turn up, are distracted by snapping up bargains
on office computers and phones.
Beware ‘porch pirates’
By JANE HAMILTON
A NEW breed of thieves is targeting shoppers buying online bargains.
The so-called “porch pirates” steal packages left outside homes by delivery
drivers.
Retail experts are warning that organised gangs are even following delivery
van routes.
Many firms order drivers to drop parcels outside a house if no one is in, with
presents often left in wheelie bins, down side alleys or in porches.
Police in America are predicting a 50 per cent rise in porch pirate thefts
this Christmas — and experts expect to see the same rise in the UK.
Porch pirates are also targeting shoppers with fake text messages urging them
to click on a link allowing “malware” to spy on delivery timings.
Andy Thomas, MD for fraud experts CSID Europe, said: “You would not leave
presents in front of your house once you’ve bought them, so have the same
mentality about online purchases.”