Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just a couple of days away. But the question is, who really benefits from Black Friday? Is it the consumer or the retail stores?
Of course, retail stores can make a lot of money during Black Friday events, but what is it you are actually buying? A friend of mine works for a major supplier of household goods in the UK, says she is not sure that the consumer is actually getting the best deal at all. Many products are offered at amazing prices are not the "latest" as the retailer claim that they may be. Some may even be a year old and are considered old stock. Black Friday for many retailers are an excellent way of getting rid of old stock.
To be really Black Friday savvy, you need to check the specifications of what you are buying. Is it really an up to date model, or is it several months, or even a year, old? There are several things to look out for, but one of the best things that you can do, is to check the manufacturer's website. The serial number of the product will give you some indication, and you should be able to find it on the manufacturer's site. Making sure that you get the best deal is not only about getting the best price. Take your time, don't lose your head and ensure that your new washing machine is also energy efficient. That way, you end up saving money on a long term basis not just off the purchase price.
You may have noticed that the price of Internet TV's is dropping rapidly. Is it Black Friday a good time to buy an Internet TV? Hang on to that thought for a moment. Personally, I have never really been impressed by the picture quality of Internet TV's. If you do happen to be in the market for a new TV on Black Friday, you may want to check out the cost of Samsung's Quantum TV's. Not only do they give you immediate access to the Internet, but they also give you superior viewing quality. At the moment, they are really expensive but may be the best Black Friday investment you can make.
The price of Quantum TV's has not attracted a lot of buyers, and warehouses across the world are flooded with them. This is one product that Samsung did not really manage to manufacturer at the best price point and sales have been slow. It could be the ideal product to look at for on Black Friday. The rumour is that Samsung may need to recover some of the money they invested in Quantum TV's.
Clothes are another ideal invest opportunity. Once again the sale of clothes were not really good during the summer and leading into the fall. If you look around the shops, you may not see that many stores are still not offering winter ranges. It could be a good idea to take a look at how much fall ranges are going to drop in price before you start to invest in winter gear. Some of the leading stores in US and UK have vast stocks and they are going to be looking at ditching that. Remember to check quality before you buy, and make sure that the clothes are not damaged in any way. Some stores limit refunds on things like clothing when bought on Black Friday.
As always make sure that the product, or products, that you invest in on Black Friday or Cyber Monday come with the full legal warranty and are new. You be surprised at what some retailers try to get away with during peak sales times. Reading and understanding the terms and conditions is just as important as during any other time of the year. Be careful before you hand over your cash, and make sure that you really save money on your purchases.