9 Black Friday Deal Traps and How to Avoid Them

Black Friday is great for finding deals. Most retailers steeply discount several items and try their best to get shoppers to part with their hard-earned dollars.

But, among the sales are some real traps that lure buyers in every year, sparking some serious regret. The tricky part is some of these traps are so well hidden, you don’t realize you’ve fallen into them.

According to experts like Andrea Woroch, these are the major Black Friday traps to avoid this holiday season.

1. Not Reading Fine Print on Mail-in Rebates

Mail-in rebates sound like a good deal sometimes, after all, if you plan to buy the product, why not get some extra savings on top of it? However, make sure you read the fine print. Sometimes, you have to make a specified purchase and that could lead to more spending or worse, not getting the discount at all.

If the only cost savings you get is through a mail-in rebate, you may be better off waiting for the items to go on sale.

2. Not Doing Research

Some companies like to take advantage of Black Friday shoppers being unsuspecting by creating what’s called derivative models, those that are similar to the popular models, but fall short of expectations.

This is where it’s necessary to do research. Don’t be suckered in by a competitive price, make sure you know exactly what you’re getting.

3. Missed Discounts

You’d be amazed at how many people don’t think to stack coupons and think the Black Friday discount is the best they’ll get. There are plenty of retailers who allow for extra coupons, too, within limits.

Make sure you get those coupon codes (if you’re shopping online) and bring physical ones to the store to save as much as possible. Check the store’s website for additional coupons you can use, too. Retailers like Kohl’s and Macy’s often include them online.

4. Free Shipping Minimums

If you’re shopping on Amazon, and have Prime, or hit the threshold, you’ll likely not have to worry about this, but not all retailers offer the same deal. In fact, many have a minimum spend before they will include shipping in the cost.

Don’t get sucked into this, especially if you have to add a significant amount to your cart to get the savings, because you won’t be saving after that. You may have other options such as store pickup available, which will be more cost-effective.

5. Bundle Deals

Sometimes to make a deal look more attractive, companies and retailers may bundle items and offer them for a “special” price. Or, they’ll offer a free item with the purchase of two or more. These are designed solely to get you to spend more.

The thing is, if you don’t need these items or have a use for them, it’s wasted money, the exact opposite of what you’re trying to do by shopping on Black Friday.

6. Fear of Missing out (FOMO)

There’s a definite FOMO that comes with Black Friday, and for hot-ticket items such as a new video game console, getting to the retailer sooner rather than later is critical.

But also, you don’t have to snatch up some regular items on sale, despite how much retailers want you to. Throughout the season in the weeks leading up to the holidays, you’ll find prices fluctuate quite often. So, the Black Friday deal may not be the best deal.

7. Store Card Discounts

How many times have you gone to the checkout and had the cashier ask you if you had the store card? They then explain you can save up to 30% if you open an account that day.

That’s a great immediate savings, but unless you pay that card off, you’re going to be faced with astronomical interest costs. Most store cards aren’t worth it, unless you use them strictly for the rewards and points and pay them off before the statement hits.

8. Not Budgeting

For every shopping trip you should budget, but especially on Black Friday. Otherwise, it’s far too easy to go off the rails. If you’re shopping in-store, bring cash and rely on that to pay for your purchases.

If you’re shopping online, mind your purchases. Write each one down as they happen so you can see in black and white what you’ve spent. And when you hit your budget, stop shopping.

9. Falling Victim to Fake Deals

Even though there are tons of reputable sellers online, there are those unscrupulous people who want to take advantage of unsuspecting folks. They create fake websites or buy buttons, often with ridiculously low prices, to draw people in.

You can avoid this in two ways. First, only buy from reputable websites, ones you know for a fact are real. Second, abide by the principle: “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”