Where does the term "Black Friday" come from?
The first known source for the designation of this day as "Black Friday" is, according to research by Snopes, a magazine article from 1951. The article states that many people called their employers in sick on that day for a long weekend to have.
Later, according to Snopes, the term got another meaning: The Friday after Thanksgiving was, therefore, the day of the year for many retailers when they came into the black due to increased sales.
Save with vouchers
Beyond the early "Black Friday" offers, numerous other retailers are preparing for this year's sales event. Many of them do not rely on individual special offers, but grant discounts in the form of discount vouchers.
Consumers should watch out for these cheats on Black Friday
Horrible shipping costs
Even if a product initially seems unbeatable, the purchase does not have to be worthwhile. Some online shops subsidize discounts by working with high shipping fees.
In addition to the actual postage, these also include at least part of the previously granted discount. From a business point of view, this makes sense for companies. For the customer, however, it can become an annoying zero-sum game if high shipping costs destroy the initial discount. Consumers should therefore check the shipping costs very carefully before ordering.
Distorting discounts
On days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you might think that the discounts at Amazon, Media Markt, and Co. roll over themselves. Sometimes there are absurdly high discounts on the market. Some retailers boast of giving their customers discounts of up to 80 percent. Others even advertise discounts of up to 90 percent. However, consumers should not blindly trust the discount information.
No retailer has anything to give away, but some are tricking. Either they set the price up for a short time so that they can then advertise with a seemingly attractive discount, or they calculate the discount based on the non-binding retail price (RRP) which is well above the market price. Therefore, you should definitely check prices on price comparison portals before buying a product.
Countdown offers
Almost all online retailers now include countdown offers on Black Friday, which is only available for a limited period of time. These offers are only valid for a day or even for a few minutes or hours and are intended to urge consumers to buy quickly. The same applies to Amazon as to other retailers, some of whom even work with conspicuously placed countdowns: keep calm.
Often offers are repeated and it is not uncommon for retailers to offer a product for the same price because the large Internet retailers orientate themselves towards one another and have their prices automatically set by algorithms.
Tip: Anyone who gets nervous about the many counting down clocks and "only while stocks last" instructions should always keep one thing in mind: discount campaigns are not uncommon online. If you have a little patience and regularly compare prices, you will also find good opportunities to get your desired product in the weeks and months after "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday".
Right of withdrawal
Anyone who orders online has 14 days to cancel their order. However, consumers should keep in mind that sometimes they have to pay for the return shipping costs - and returns are not good for the environment either.
Helpful tips for Black Friday:
Write shopping list
Preparation is everything! Before online shoppers sell super cheap, but ultimately completely useless products, they should consider: What do I need? And how much money am I willing to spend on it?
Identify safe shops
Customers shouldn't buy from every shop just because it promises low prices. Because there could be fraudsters behind it. A good sign is a working Trusted Shops seal that, when clicked, opens a window with the certificate. Consumers can also use it to match the Internet address because fraudsters sometimes build clones of trustworthy Internet shops that only differ from the original in one letter in the URL line. The small print such as imprint, data protection declaration, and cancellation policy may also contain information. Be careful if only a PO box address is given as the operator or if dealers try to pass shipping risks on to buyers.
If a GmbH, UG, AG, or SE is named as the shop operator in the imprint, consumers should search for the company on the website. If the search does not return a hit, the specified company does not exist. You should proceed similarly if the online shop has a seal of approval like the one from Trusted Shops.
Black Friday 2020: The mood is positive despite the pandemic
Hardly a day is as controversial among retailers as Black Friday. Some dealers sell out year after year. Other retailers criticize that Black Friday does not generate any additional demand: Consumers only deliberately waited with already planned purchases until prices fall.
Whoever is right - sales have so far been increasing year after year.
Despite the Covid19 pandemic, the mood is positive: According to the survey, hardly any consumer is practicing renouncement. Instead, the average spending is increasing: instead of spending "only" € 222.20 as in the previous year, consumers want to shop for an average of € 272.14 on Black Friday this year. So you are not planning to spend less, but rather 22.47 percent more than in 2019.
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