Black Friday 2022 is just around the corner. What’s more, you’ll see it everywhere with the prefix «Pre» further advancing the ‘official’ dates. Really, years ago this festival originally from the United States lost all its meaning in temporal terms, on the last Friday of November after Thanksgiving and also for exclusive purchase in a physical store as in its beginnings.
In Europe (and practically the entire planet, including China with its own “single’s day” 11/11 imported from Black Friday) the big bet comes from e-commerce replicating the original Cyber Monday (the Monday after Black exclusively for purchase online), but with offers that practically extend throughout the month.
This is the case of one of our leading retailers, PcComponentes, which has just started the campaign with the first Black Friday deals 2022, which promise discounts of up to 70% on a selection of products from its extensive catalogue. They have everything and for all budgets in:
Plus, add retailer benefits such as 0% APR financing; free shipping on purchases with an amount greater than 50 euros; free returns, product replacement guarantee in 24 hours or order reception in 24 hours. The offers will be active for the next few weeks or while supplies last. If you’re missing something, you don’t lose anything by taking a look, although next week we will be offering more comprehensive specials on specific products and from other retailers such as Amazon.
Black Friday 2022: shopping tips
Selling is an art and buying even more so. During these three weeks you will be bombarded with all kinds of offers and the most unexpected commercial. As we do every year and as a preview of the selection of technological products with discounts that we will offer you, we remind you of those general tips that you must take into account to take advantage of the discounts. We remind you of the main ones:
- Beware of Black…Fraud. It is essential to know the official price set by the manufacturer, the price history of the products and to carry out an in-depth comparison between retailers. You may be surprised at the differences, because some unscrupulous retailers even manage to raise prices during the campaign and in the crudest way: they raise prices previous weeks and then lower them in the Black as if they were “offers”. Watch out!
- Prepare the shopping cart. Don’t get too excited, think about your needs and make a previous 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 on Black Friday, you can prepare the shopping cart with those items in advance. You can also mark them as favorites or activate the “wish lists” as a basis of your purchase intentions.
- Update your online shopping accounts. In some e-commerce platforms, the speed when pressing the purchase buttons is key to accessing great offers. The best ones last minutes or seconds. Spend some time reviewing your online accounts, personal data, shipping and billing addresses, and payment methods. If the online retailer supports it, activate one-click shopping.
- Tracking and Location. Some retailers use browser data to determine your geographic location, and based on your geographic location, display different offers and 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, although beware of additional costs in shipping and fees.
- It requires guarantees. As in periods of “sale”, the guarantee of products purchased on Black Friday 2020 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 shorter time is not specified). Retailers like Amazon or PcComponentes have extended the return period.
- Don’t forget Cyber Monday. If you didn’t buy anything during this pre-sale period or during Black Week, you can go on the hunt on “Cyber Monday” which falls on November 28 this year. The idea is to take advantage of the discount on the discount that retailers usually offer if they have not sold a certain product and want to remove the stock. Of course, keep in mind that you may find yourself without an offer for the item you are looking for.
And strengthen security
It is not uncommon for hackers take advantage of these massive campaigns to carry out fraud, scams or try to sneak malware, so it is advisable to reinforce security so as not to be disappointed, following a series of tips for online purchases in this week of offers that are extensive to any period of purchase on the Internet and as general security measures that must be observed (among others) for all use on the network of networks:
- Use strong passwords. Don’t reuse the same password twice. Consider using a password manager to improve your online experience while keeping yourself secure.
- Avoid open Wi-Fi. Free Wi-Fi networks are not secure: Cybercriminals can seize 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 fraudulent websites may sell counterfeit (or non-existent) products, be infected with malware, or steal money or credentials.
- Avoid potential Phishing and Smishing attacks. Phishing emails lead to unsafe websites that collect personal data, such as login credentials or credit card data. Also be aware of SMS phishing attempts -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 they are special promotional codes, write them down and check 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 user complaints.
- a 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.
As an additional security measure, it is important 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.
