Black Friday Deals: Are They Worth the Hype?
Consumer Group Which has warned people about purchasing products on the so-called Black Friday.
Black Friday Deals have been live all week, but Consumer Group Which has said to take Black Friday deals with a ‘pinch of salt’ and we agree.
A study conducted by Which? suggests that shoppers should approach Black Friday deals with caution. According to their research, only a small percentage of the products in the Black Friday deals were actually at their lowest price.
This raises questions about the true value of these deals and why Trading Standards are not investigating big brand names who are trying to fool consumers.
Which? analysed 208 Black Friday deals from major home and technology retailers last year, tracking their prices for six months before and after the sale day. Surprisingly, they discovered that only five of the deals were actually at their cheapest on Black Friday.
This indicates that the perception of Black Friday as the ultimate day for finding the best bargains is not true. The study also extended the sales period to include Cyber Monday and found that a staggering 86 percent of the products were the same price or cheaper at other times of the year.
It is not only Which who has been investigating. Here at In2town Today News, we have visited consumer outlets in Manchester, Scunthorpe, Grimsby, Skegness, Lincoln, Liverpool and Boston to check prices before and on the week of Black Friday.
We only found 10% of the products that were at a slightly cheaper price which is shocking. As well as visiting stores, we also looked online and found only 5% of the products we were following were cheaper, but not by much.
For example, we looked at Currys and found their Black Friday deals were not real Black Friday deals and the products they claim have been reduced in price could be bought in Argos for the same price before Black Friday.
TUI were another company who claimed their prices have come down. However, we found some prices actually went up while others were the same.
Which? provided some eye-opening examples on why people should be very careful when looking to take part in Black Friday.
One such example is the Apple Airpods (2nd generation) headphones, which were discounted from £139 to £119 at both Argos and Currys.
However, the research revealed that these headphones were cheaper than their Black Friday price on multiple occasions between May and September, with prices ranging from £99 to £109.
The price only increased in September and then dropped back down to £119 during the Black Friday week.
Another example during the investigation was the Garmin Lily Sports Edition smartwatch, which was discounted from £199 to £149 on Black Friday at Amazon.
However, Which? found that the watch had been cheaper on 58 days before Black Friday, including during the Amazon Prime Day sale when substantial discounts are often offered.
The watch was priced as low as £114.99 during that sale, indicating that waiting for Black Friday may not always yield the best value.
Which? Has urged shoppers not to feel pressured into making purchases on Black Friday. They have warned consumers to make sure the product is offering them the best possible deal.
Ele Clark, Which? retail editor, said: “Retailers are not unaware of the extra pressure on household finances this year and will be keen to use Black Friday to attract shoppers looking to get the most for their money.
“While they’re rare, there are some genuine bargains to be had – just make sure you do your research and don’t panic buy. “
Ele added that checking a product’s price history is key to knowing whether something is a good deal or not.
Sites such as PriceRunner or PriceSpy help you to compare the price at multiple retailers as well as its history.
Amazon has hit back at the investigation by Which. A spokesman for Amazon said: “Which? has looked at fewer than 30 products in their analysis.
“Our 2023 Black Friday Sale will offer hundreds and thousands of deals to customers, including our lowest prices of the year on a range of top brands including Ninja, Braun, ghd, and our own Amazon devices.”
The research conducted by Which? serves as a reminder for consumers not to fall for the Black Friday deals. It is essential to take the time to evaluate whether a product is of good quality and genuinely offers value for money.
Here are some shopping tips to help you nab the biggest discounts come November 24.
Avoid impulse buys and make a list of what you want and need to buy during Black Friday and stick with it!
Check the RRP of items you’re interested in a few weeks before the sales start to compare discounts when they launch.
Compare prices of items between retailers as you may find it cheaper elsewhere and save yourself some extra cash.
Use websites such as PriceRunner to check the cost of coveted items previously.
