It’s that exciting time of the year again when all your fave items from your fave stores are basically being given away. Black Friday starts on the 23rd of November and it will be five glorious days of off-the-charts savings across all retail categories. To bag the best deals, you need to have a strategy. 

 

Since this time of year is quite competitive for all you avid shoppers out there, Takealot has put together nine tips to help you survive the crowds:

                                 

Tip 1: If you are shopping online, set your alarm for 11:30pm on Thursday 22 November

Most sales start as the clock strikes 12 so set your alarm early enough to make sure that you don’t wait in the digital line for too long. By the time the rest of the world wakes up, you will have done most of your shopping.

 

Tip 2: Teamwork makes the dream work

Take a friend or a group of friends with you so that you can make the most of what Black Friday has to offer. Each person can be assigned a certain store to tackle; the more friends you take with you, the better.

 

Tip 3: Create a wish list so you can checkout ASAP on the day

The prices may change on goods for Black Friday, but the goods will already be there. Go online, create your wish list in advance and then, when the sale starts, quickly go to your list and see which items have been marked down and press ‘checkout’ to beat other shoppers to the bargain!

Klyne Maharaj, Head of Brand at superbalist.com, says a wish list is your battle strategy for the big day. “Line up the pieces you like best, and prepare to take them right to checkout when the time comes. Build your wish list now so you’re prepared on the day. It’s going to be carnage so you don’t want to be browsing when half of SA is also online and trying to cart-jack you. Build that cart and move on!”

 

Tip 4: Do your homework

Get your hands on as many newsletters and flyers as you can. Like the Facebook pages and Twitter feeds of all your beloved retailers. Monitor their bargains closely.

 

Tip 5: Have a plan of action on Black Friday

Some of your purchases may be in the real world and some in cyberspace. A good plan is to start with cyberspace early and then head off to the physical shops once you’ve done the calm and peaceful online shopping.

 

Tip 6: Make sure your details are up-to-date

If you are shopping online, you won’t want to be messing around updating details as everyone around you is checking out what should have been your goods… It is worth logging into the sites you love before Black Friday and checking your delivery and payment details are 100% accurate.

 

Tip 7: Get the app

Download the app for your favourite online retailers early. This will allow you to browse much faster and they’ll also send you push notifications of the big discounts to look out for.  Some retailers offer app-only deals.

Tip 8: Check in advance if you can return your purchases

Most outlets, both online and physical, will accept returns for Black Friday purchases, but this is not a guarantee. It is worth checking terms and conditions in advance to make sure that any purchases made ‘in the moment’ can be returned.

 

Tip 9: Set a budget

Decide ahead of time what you plan to spend on the Black Friday sales and stick to it. Be responsible and remember that the expensive festive season is coming up, so you’ll need a bit left over for this!

Klyne encourages shoppers to dare to waitlist. “Missed out on your size? Is the piece you’ve been eyeing in someone else’s cart? Hope’s not lost—this is just where the waitlist function comes in. Waitlist that baby and keep your eye on the prize: when that notification slides into your inbox to let you know that you’re first in line again, you’ve only got a few minutes to make it yours.”

 

 

 

 

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