Black Friday 2021 is just around the corner. Furthermore, you will already see it everywhere with the prefix «Pre» advancing even more the ‘official’ dates. Actually, this party originally from the United States has been for years lost all its meaning in terms of time (last Friday of November after Thanksgiving) and exclusive physical purchase.
In Europe (and in practically the entire planet, including China with its own 11/11 imported from Black Friday) the big bet comes from electronic commerce replicating the original Cyber Monday (the Monday after Black exclusive for online purchases), but with “offers” that practically last throughout the month. And we put quotes because European or Latin American retailers they have never replicated the offers (these yes real and forceful) that we have seen years ago in US physical stores.
This year, in addition, Black Friday 2021 comes at a disastrous moment at the production and distribution level as a result of the COVID pandemic that forced the stop of many plants. The lack of semiconductors has caused product shortages and prices have risen quite a bit throughout the technology field, with some items (graphics cards for example) to directly insane levels.
For all these reasons, we see it necessary that the marketing departments go back to the origins by rethinking this shopping campaign to prevent the consumer from running away from them and achieving the exact opposite of what is sought. Don’t get us wrong. You can always, always, find items with good discounts and honest retailers and here we will offer you special items with the best that we find, but more and more you have to separate the wheat from the chaff and act responsibly as consumers.
Black Friday 2021: shopping tips
Buying is an art, the same as selling and during these three weeks you will be bombarded with all kinds of offers and the most unexpected commercial. As we do every year and in advance of the selection of technological products that we will offer you, we remind you of those general tips that you must take into account to take advantage of the discounts.
Prepare shopping cart and estimates
Although you always have to be open to the arrival of an offer that you cannot refuse, do not get horny, think about your needs and make a prior budget. If you are clear about the product you want to buy and you expect (or have already seen it advertised) that it will be offered at a discount, you can prepare the shopping cart with those items in advance. You can also bookmark them or activate “wish lists” as the basis for your purchase intentions. And be prepared to end up empty-handed if you don’t find those offers that promise.
Beware of Black … Fraud
If in the United States we see year after year price reductions that are as real as they are spectacular, in Spain and Latin America they are not even close. In addition, in the country that invented the picaresque, unscrupulous retailers even manage to raise prices during the campaign and in the most crude way: they raise prices in previous weeks and then lower them in the Black as if they were “bargains.” It is essential to know the official price set by the manufacturer, the price history of the products and make a thorough comparison between retailers. The differences may surprise you. Or that the desired product is more expensive than in October …
Update your online purchase accounts
In the United States the physical store continues to count a lot in these promotions, but outside there, electronic commerce wins by a landslide. Get ready. In some e-commerce platforms, speed when pressing the buy buttons is key to accessing the best offers. The best ones last minutes or seconds. Spend some time reviewing your online accounts, personal details, shipping and billing addresses, and payment methods. If the online retailer supports it, activate the one-click purchase. Remember that every second counts when it comes to accessing massive products with the best discounts. In Europe there are not too many.
Tracking and Location
Some retailers use browser data to determine your geographic location, and depending on this, they show different offers and different prices to users in different areas. It does not happen in all markets or with all sellers, but if you want to avoid it, you can disable location tracking in your web browser. Other possibilities are to use incognito mode or VPNs for purchases in third regions. If you buy outside your country of origin, be very careful with shipping prices and taxes, especially from China.
Trackers
Keeping track of all the offers from all the retailers in a day like Black Friday 2021 can be a real headache for a user because there is no standard for ads. However, there are trackers that do the work for us by filtering offers. In the United States, services such as GottaDeal, FatWallet and Slickdeals are the reference, while in Spain, firms such as ValorTop offer a similar service. Also interesting is the activation of alerts to receive notifications by email with the offers. And if not, don’t worry, at MuyComputer we will be making a wide selection with the best as we do every year.
Demand guarantees
As in periods of “sales”, the guarantee of products purchased on Black Friday 2021 is the same as at any other time. Demand your rights as a consumer. In Spain, two years minimum for any electronic product. The same for shipments and returns (14 days from receipt of the product) or maximum delivery time (30 days for Internet purchases if a longer time is not specified). Large retailers reinforce templates especially for logistics and customer service. There should be no problems, but make sure, the warranty has to be the same as for the rest of the year.
Black Friday 2021: don’t forget cybersecurity
It is not uncommon for cybercriminals to take advantage of these massive campaigns to carry out fraud, scams, try to sneak malware or collect personal data with high-profile breaches that we saw at Target, Home Depot, or eBay in previous years. It is therefore advisable to reinforce security so as not to be upset by following a series of tips for online purchases that are extensive to any period of online purchase and as general security measures that must be observed (among others) for all use in the network of networks:
- Single card. As a security measure, it is important to use a single credit card to minimize risks and ensure that it has protection against fraud. The same with any other payment method, PayPal or passwords for online banking.
- Use strong passwords. Don’t reuse the same password twice. Consider using a password manager to improve your online experience, while staying secure.
- Avoid open Wi-Fis. Free and open access Wi-Fi networks are not secure: Cybercriminals can get hold of data transferred over unprotected Wi-Fi networks, including credit card numbers, passwords, banking information, and more.
- Beware of “similar websites”. Attackers create look-alike web pages that mimic those of well-known brands. These scam websites can sell counterfeit (or nonexistent) products, be infected with malware, or steal money or credentials.
- Avoid potential Phishing and Smishing attacks. Phishing emails lead to unsecured websites that collect personal data, such as login credentials or credit card details. Also watch out for phishing attempts by SMS – also known as ‘smishing’ – or messages through social networks. And instant messaging, increasingly widespread.
- Don’t click on the links. Go directly to the advertised offer page by typing its web address directly into your browser. If these are special promo codes, write them down and see if they are legitimate.
- Check before you buy. Fraudulent ads, websites and apps can be difficult to identify. When you download a new app or visit an unusual website, spend some time reading reviews about it, as well as any complaints from users.
Finally: go prepared to end up empty handed If you can’t find that promised “offer” and avoid compulsive shopping. At the same time, be attentive if you need something because despite everything the offers exist.
