Black Friday: see expert tips to enjoy (really) the date

Trade expectations for Black Friday this Friday (25) are high. The date should register the biggest financial movement since it arrived in Brazil in 2010, according to the National Confederation of Trade in Goods, Consumption and Tourism (CNC).

Despite the tempting offers, specialists consulted by CNN underscore the importance of financial planning, setting priorities, not spending more than your budget allows, and doing extensive research before purchasing any products and services.

Check out the experts’ top tips for making good purchases and enjoying the date guilt-free:

Make a list and set budgets

Despite being Black Friday, the consumer’s budget and salary do not change with the date. Therefore, making a list of needs and wants is the first tip at any trade event. Promotion times can be positive for the consumer’s pocket, but only if you use the offers with planning and organization.

Following the list to the letter and complying with the established spending ceiling, the chance of indebtedness and interest expenses decreases. “It is essential to consider whether the purchase of a certain item, even at a promotional value, fits in the pocket and will not compromise the budget”, guides the Procon-SP.

Research prices (in advance)

List made, the ideal is to start researching prices as soon as possible. In addition to being able to know if the discount offered is worth it, the consumer can already plan the budget for the expense.

Even at the last minute, Marcel Jacob, vice president of B2C at Infracommerce, says that there is still time. “Many brands, retailers, marketplaces save the promotions with the biggest discount and most popular items for Black Friday, and they last throughout the weekend until Cyber ​​Monday”, he says.

There are some tools that make this price comparison possible. Check out some of them:

• Zoom: the price comparison platform allows the consumer to create an alert on the products they want to buy to receive a notification when an offer occurs, with a price history that shows in a graph the price variation of a product in the last 40 days or 6 months;
• Buscapé: also with a section for Black Friday, the Buscapé website allows you to search for products by price range and discount. In addition to having price history and offer alerts, the platform also provides stamps indicating products that have cashback;
• Real Black Friday: launched in 2014, the site offers a browser plug-in that helps consumers compare and monitor prices in the largest stores on the internet, in addition to some discount coupons. The platform has a Term of Commitment, in which all the stores in the campaign sign, pledging to offer real discounts, transparent and safe conditions to the consumer;
• Google: in the shopping area, it allows you to search and compare prices.

If you use the browser to do your searches, ideally you do so using an incognito tab. That’s because some shopkeepers have algorithms that search the consumer’s history to induce the purchase.

Also, don’t forget to check the prices in physical stores: the prices offered may be different from those advertised on the online channel.

Look for trusted and official websites

Before completing the purchase, the consumer must check if the site he is buying is safe. One of the main methods of scammers is to send links and ads that simulate the official website, but which, when making the purchase, prove to be fraudulent, or even install malicious software without the user realizing it.

Senacon guides the search for official websites of stores that interest the consumer and beware of advertisements from unknown suppliers.

It is worth checking lists of suppliers that should be avoided, published by some Procons.

“Observing whether the company has a physical address, consulting the CNPJ on the Federal Revenue website and verifying whether it was created a few days ago are important measures”, warns Procon-SP.

The consumer.gov.br platform allows checking the reputation of large retailers, also including complaints, user experiences and other relevant data.

Another tip is to keep a copy of the advertisements and their conditions, so that the user can resort to the supplier or Procon in case of non-compliance by the store with the agreed norms. It is also interesting to get a written statement, in physical stores, in case a purchased product can be exchanged, in model or size.

Be careful with scams

In order not to fall into scams during Black Friday, Idec published a series of tips to prevent and take advantage of promotions responsibly.

According to the institute, researching prices before buying is essential. Visit different websites and stores at least two weeks in advance and research the price, terms of sale and product specifications.

Some websites and the Procons carry out price monitoring to help consumers choose companies with a good reputation.

To protect yourself, save the leaflet or take a photo of the computer or cell phone screen (print screen) with the product demonstration, value, and also with link information, company name, date and time the survey was carried out.

Senacon warns consumers to pay extra attention to purchases via e-commerce, where misleading practices are more common.

Bet on cashback and discount coupons

Douglas Pucci, head of Sales CoAktion, advises keeping an eye on coupons and cashbacks is key to making the most of Black Friday discounts. There are websites that compile coupons and cashback apps for specific products and services, so depending on your list, it’s worth looking for an app that matches your needs.

“It is essential to align your purchase budget with available offers, and if possible, use solutions such as cashback and points programs to purchase products. This has even been the strategy of some companies to attract new customers using these resources”, explains Douglas.

Before completing the purchase

Did you research, find a good discount on a reliable website and put the product in the cart? Now observe the shipping cost, delivery time, payment methods and exchange and return policies.

Regarding shipping, some companies may increase the values ​​to compensate for product discounts. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the value of transport to make sure that the purchase is really worth it.

Delivery time is crucial, especially for those who are planning to buy Christmas gifts. As it is a time of greater demand, deadlines may be longer, so there needs to be extra attention so as not to run out of gifts or have to buy twice.

Regarding the means of payment, ProconSP warns that, when paying for a purchase through a bank slip, the consumer must check all the data before finalizing the payment – such as the company name, date, CNPJ, etc. When paying via Pix, the payment recipient must also be checked carefully.

It also reiterates that purchases made outside the commercial establishment — by telephone, at home, telemarketing, catalogs or the internet — the consumer has a period of seven days to withdraw from the operation, without having to present justification. In addition, you have the right to receive your money back, without having to pay any costs, including shipping and other fees.

The period is counted from the date of purchase of the product or its receipt.

* Under the supervision of Ana Carolina Nunes. With information from Pedro Zannata, from CNN