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Top 8 Black Friday Shopping Tips (for Scoring the Best Deals)

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Founder & Editor-in-Chief

Herby has a healthy obsession with all things technology, especially smartphones. He loves to rip things apart to see how they work. He is responsible for the editorial direction, strategy, and growth of Gotechtor.

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Prices on consumer goods might go up on Black Friday 2023 due to inflation. Don’t worry. These Black Friday shopping tips will help you get the best deals now and throughout the holidays.

While Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year when retailers such as Best Buy, Target, and Walmart go crazy on “huge discounts,” it can also be one of the worst days to shop.

Instead of snagging a good deal, you may go deeper into debt for buying things you didn’t need in the first place.

With so many flashy ads and too-good-to-be-true deals, the lure for a bargain can be irresistible. But don’t let all the marketing hype fool you.

Black Friday Shopping Tips

Black Friday can be hectic and stressful, but it doesn’t have to be that way. In this guide, you’ll learn 8 Black Friday shopping tips that will make your Black Friday shopping less stressful and save you as much money as possible.

  1. Do your research and make a list
  2. Plan a budget and stick to it
  3. Set up price alerts
  4. Keep an eye on your social media feed
  5. Use websites and coupon apps
  6. Beware of scams
  7. Ship to an Amazon locker
  8. Wait for Cyber Monday

1. Do Your Research and Make a List

We’ll start with something that’s both simple and common sense. Do your research first and make a shopping list.

In the same way you make a grocery list when you go shopping, you must make a list for your tech shopping during Black Friday.

Whether it’s a flagship smartphone or a 4K TV, you should be clear on what you want to buy. Otherwise, you’ll end up buying stuff that you don’t need. And this is what retailers are ultimately looking for.

After all, most of the products bought on Black Friday are stuff that people don’t need. You don’t want to be like those people. That’s why it’s critical to know what you want beforehand.

2. Plan a Budget and Stick to It

Once you know what you want to buy on Black Friday, you must make a budget and stick to it. There will be many deals, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of buying stuff just for the sake of it.

Plan a budget for Black Friday shopping
Planning a budget for Black Friday shopping. Herby Jasmin/Gotechtor

Start by putting some money aside every week, so you have the money to shop on the big day. Just because the Apple Watch is at its lowest price doesn’t mean you have to buy it.

Whatever you do during Black Friday shopping day, don’t take a hit on your credit cards. There are no Black Friday deals that are worth it, seriously.

If you have problems managing money and sticking to a budget, a steady stream of budget apps and tools can help. We highly recommend you check them out.

While I’m a big proponent of paying cash, you’ll be better off using your credit card during Black Friday. Some credit cards offer purchase protection against accidental damage, theft, and sometimes loss.

You can save big using your credit card if it has buyer protection. Ensure you have the money to pay your balance in full at the end of the month.

3. Set Up Price Alerts

Technology can make shopping easy and smart, so take advantage of it. Let’s say you’re eyeing the already affordable Google Pixel 7 Pro and plan on buying it unless it drops to a certain price.

Adding a product on Honey droplist
Setting up a price alert with Honey. Herby Jasmin/Gotechtor

What you’d want to do is to set up price alerts. For that, you can use free tools like Honey, PriceBlink, and CamelCamelCamel (only for Amazon) to let you know when there’s a price drop on a certain product.

For example, if you want to track the new AirPods Pro price over time. Just add the Honey extension to your browser and create an account. Once you’ve installed it, there’ll be a little “h” living in the top right corner of your browser (on Safari, it’ll be on the left).

The “h” will turn orange when shopping in a supported store. Otherwise, it’ll be gray. To save a product on your droplist, click the “h” to get notified when the price drops. You can set the percentage of the discount and the time you want to track it.

4. Keep an Eye on Your Social Media Feed

Retailers like to reward their followers by tweeting out late Black Friday deals. Some even have their Black Friday ads running a few weeks before the event.

It’s better to make a special X (formerly Twitter) list for all your favorite retailers, so their tweets don’t get lost in your feed.

If you have an active Facebook account, we recommend you follow your retailers’ Facebook pages to keep in touch with their announcements.

5. Use Websites and Coupons Apps

Black Friday this year will be different. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of millions, including the way we shop.

And those changes are here to stay. Consumers are avoiding the checkout line for online shopping more than ever before.

There are a bunch of websites that post leaked Black Friday ads, such as BestBlackFriday.com, TheBlackFriday.com, and DealNews. Sign up for deal alerts or check them regularly to be the first to know when those deals are live.

Coupon apps are the holy grail of shopping during Black Friday. These apps will help you find sales and get up-to-date news about the best deals in your favorite stores.

Here are a few Black Friday sales pages from major retailers:

6. Beware of Scams

Be aware of scams, which typically increase during the holiday season. More than 50% of holiday shoppers will shop online this year, making them prime scam targets.

black friday shopping tips
Beware of scams during Black Friday shopping. Herby Jasmin/Gotechtor

We suggest that you always purchase at retailers you already know and trust. If you stumble upon a deal you think you won’t find anywhere and can’t resist, always ensure the retailer is legitimate.

Check out online reviews. Are they suspicious? Search the domain name for how long the website was registered. Consider it to be a red flag if they registered the website for a short period of time.

Also, be wary of retailers that increase the regular price of their products just days before Black Friday so the discounts appear bigger. That way, they will make people think they’re getting a deal.

So, it’s important to check out the price of the products you plan on buying ahead of time; hence, you’ll get a sense of what’s being discounted.

Some manufacturers will make special products for Black Friday sales. They manufacture those products with cheaper components and often miss premium features from the standard models. These products are derivatives, and you should avoid them at all costs.

But how do I know? Make sure it’s a product you’ve seen year-round. Search for the model number, which you could probably never find online because it never existed before. They’re usually in a limited quantity and are only available at a single retailer like Walmart or Target.

7. Ship to an Amazon Locker

Staying out of town over Thanksgiving? Don’t worry. You can still shop online on Black Friday. Amazon lets you send your package to an Amazon locker hub instead of your home address.

Amazon locker
An Amazon locker

Make sure to pick a location that’s convenient for you. You’ll have three days to pick up your package once it’s been delivered. And the best part, it’s free if you’re an Amazon Prime member.

8. Wait for Cyber Monday

Are Black Friday deals really that good? It depends, but sometimes you’ll find much better deals on Cyber Monday than on Black Friday. But the thing is, you may not get enough time to plan for it.

Retailers normally put their Cyber Monday deals after Black Friday. That way, they won’t cannibalize Black Friday sales.

If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you should wait for Cyber Monday, as Amazon tends to offer better deals than other online retailers. Cyber Monday can also help you skip the hassle of Black Friday and still get the best deals.

Final Thoughts on Black Friday Shopping Tips

These were our top 7 Black Friday shopping tips.

How are you preparing for Black Friday? Did we miss any tips that should have been in this guide?

Either way, let us know your plan for the most anticipated shopping day of the year.

Founder & Editor-in-Chief

Herby has a healthy obsession with all things technology, especially smartphones. He loves to rip things apart to see how they work. He is responsible for the editorial direction, strategy, and growth of Gotechtor.

Herby Jasmin

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