7 Black Friday Hacks for Those Shopping Online

Search, add to cart, search for more, check out, repeat.

Chances are, this is what you will be doing this coming Black Friday sale, and in the comfort of your own home, no less. Thanks to online shopping, you can avoid long lines, crowded stores, and the overall physical challenge of shopping shoulder-to-shoulder with other, fired-up customers.

With more and more brands setting up their online stores and ecommerce sites popping here and there, it can all be overwhelming. Additionally, one of the main concerns of online shopping is security. As long as you stick to safe shopping best practices and you remain alert when shopping online, you’re secure, and you can score the best Black Friday deals.

 

1.      Shop on trusted and reliable sites

Ecommerce sites such as Amazon, eBay, and Walmart have a clean track record of trustworthiness and reliability. If you’re eyeing any particular item or brand that you may have seen from a physical store, you can check out their official social media handles and check if they have an online store.

As a precautionary measure, only buy from vendors and websites that you trust. Not to say that you can’t check out a new site, but when it comes to shopping online, it’s best to buy somewhere familiar and safe. This is especially a good idea during large-scale sales like Black Friday, so you can get rid of the uncertainty in your head and focus on the items you want to buy.

 

2.      Steer clear of sketchy websites

When the site looks all over the place and features a suspicious design, walk away from it. Legitimate ecommerce and online shopping sites are professionally designed.

Sure, the vendor may have good intentions. But if it doesn’t reflect on the site’s design, it could still be compromised security-wise if the designer and developer are incompetent. Some red flags you should keep an eye on are when pricelists are in PDF, the prices are blurry, the site is hard to navigate, and when it is not encrypted, especially during the checkout process.

 

3.      Know where to buy your items 

Once you’ve finalized the items that you want to buy for the big sale, your next step should be determining which stores have the products so you can start comparing prices. This Black Friday sale, small electronics and appliances have the most significant discounts. A couple of days or a week before the big day, find out which stores are offering the best prices for the items on your list.

 

4.      Know what NOT to buy

Now that you have your list and have confirmed where to buy them, it’s time to think about whether all of it is best purchased during the Black Friday sale. Although it may seem tempting, not all items are better to purchase during Black Friday, but there are also other items that you need to pass on for some other sale events or months (maybe you’ll get a chance on Cyber Monday).

For instance, cookware and other kitchen products get bigger and better discounts in April. Meanwhile, spring clothes get huge price drops during Memorial Day sales, and Christmas decor gets better discounts during post-Christmas clearance sales.

 

5.      Create online accounts ahead of the big day

Prepare for the big sale ahead of time by setting up your online accounts with all the ecommerce sites and other shops you plan or might want to shop at. This is a crucial step if you’re really serious about scoring great bargains this Black Friday.

You can save your details, so you can access the site, shop, and check out fast without wasting a minute. This is more efficient compared to creating an account right when you want to check out. Don't forget to create strong passwords and make it different for all accounts.

 

6.      Stalk the brands on social media

Ensure that you’re following all the brands and vendors that have the item you’re eyeing and want to shop at come the big sale day. Follow and stalk them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to remain updated with their latest offers and discount codes.

Be certain that you only follow the official accounts of the brands or vendors to keep away from fraudsters. If you see there’s a blue tick next to the retailer accounts’ handles, they’re verified.

 

7.      Sign up to newsletters

Another way to keep up-to-date with sale announcements, price reductions, exclusive offers, and discount codes before Black Friday is through newsletters. Make sure that you’re subscribed to the brands and vendors you plan to shop at to be in the know ahead of other shoppers.

It may be overwhelming to receive tens of emails each day. To avoid this, you can set up a filter system. You can also set up a different email strictly for your online shopping needs to separate it from your personal or work emails.

 

Shop Online Wisely

Online shopping may still seem intimidating for some people, especially to those who are still new to it. But one way or another, you’ll have to adapt to this modern way of shopping. You just have to know where to shop, how to spot sketchy sites, and observe online shopping best practices to ensure you’re buying online securely and safely.

If you’re one of the many online shoppers who will shop till you drop this Black Friday, take note of these shopping tips for a more convenient, safe, and easy online purchasing.