Black Friday may have lost much of its spark, but with some smart planning, you might still be able to make the most of this annual shopping event.
5 min read
Long gone are the days of Black Friday mayhem, when people camped outside stores and raced through aisles to snag the hottest deals. What was once a one-day shopping marathon has now become a drawn-out “Black November” with long-winded sales and lackluster discounts. So, how did we get here? And more importantly, how can you still make the most of Black Friday in this new era?
Black Friday: the shopping spectacle that was
Black Friday used to be a full-on day-long shopping marathon. It’s hard to imagine now, but picture it: lines wrapped around department stores, and shoppers armed with coffee and determination, racing through aisles to grab the best deals before anyone else. It wasn’t just about the discounts — it was an experience. Families and friends teamed up for a retail adventure, making it as much about bonding as snagging bargains. But as the years went by, retailers started playing a game of one-upmanship, trying to outdo each other by opening earlier each year. Retailers like Walmart and Target began opening on Thanksgiving, turning Black Friday into a five-day affair. Soon enough, these five days spilled into a full “Black November,” with sales starting weeks before the actual day. What was once a single day of madness became an entire season. As retailers stretched their deals across weeks, the lines between “holiday shopping season” and “shopping-for-shopping’s-sake” blurred. And while this extended calendar offers more flexibility, it begs the question: Why did the excitement of that one-day shopping frenzy fizzle out?
How Black Friday lost its spark
There are several reasons why Black Friday may have lost its sparkle. Recent investigations by UFC-Que Choisir revealed that false promotions are rampant, with experts warning it’s rare to find a genuine discount. Those flashy 50% or 40% off tags? They're often just clever tricks. Some retailers manipulate reference prices, hiking them up weeks before Black Friday to make the “discounts” seem more impressive. In fact, a study by Which? found that over 90% of Black Friday deals were the same price or even cheaper in the six months before the event. It’s not just fake discounts that are bursting the Black Friday bubble — the urgency has faded, too. Since the rise of Cyber Monday, retailers have started spreading Black Friday deals out over weeks, with promotions cropping up as early as the beginning of November. What was once a one-day frenzy has morphed into a month-long marathon dubbed “Black November,” giving shoppers ample time to browse and budget. This shift has dulled Black Friday’s edge. Shoppers are no longer rushing out for that one big day of bargains, and the numbers show it: 2021 marked the first time Black Friday sales dropped year-over-year, with $8.9 billion compared to $9 billion in 2020.
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Even though Black Friday has lost some of its magic, it’s still the biggest shopping day of the year. And with the sneaky tactics retailers use, getting caught in the hype is easy. To truly get a good deal, you’ve got to do a little digging. Before jumping on that “80% off” television, take a second to check the product’s price elsewhere. A quick online search will reveal if that discount is the real deal or just clever marketing.
The best Black Friday shopping hack: plan ahead
Preparation is key. Leading up to Black Friday, create an online cart or wishlist of items you’re eyeing and note their prices. That way, you can compare the "before" and "after" to see if those Black Friday discounts are genuine. And the earlier you can start, the better. Consider using tools like Camelcamelcamel and Keepa to track price history on Amazon, and set up alerts to catch any genuine drops.For everyday essentials like skincare products or pet food, it's worth stocking up if they're on sale, but only if you were planning to buy them anyway! Otherwise, blowing your budget on impulse purchases could leave you in a tight spot, especially with the holiday season right around the corner. Remember: If you were going to buy it anyway and it's now half the price, you’ve spent 50% less. But if you buy it simply because it's discounted, you've spent 100% more money on that item than you planned.
Beware of Black Friday fraud
With everyone on the hunt for deals, Black Friday is prime time for scammers — some of whom are peddling products that don’t even exist. Barclays recently reported a 22% increase in money lost to purchase scams during last year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with victims losing an average of around €1,165.One of the most common scams involves fake parcel delivery messages. You might receive a text claiming that your package has been delayed and requires additional charges. The message then directs you to a fraudulent website where you’re asked to enter personal details and bank information, all for a small fee. Sounds familiar? It’s a classic phishing trick designed to steal your data. And with AI making these scams look more legitimate than ever, spelling errors are no longer the giveaway they used to be. So, before clicking on any links or providing personal information, take a moment to verify the source — your wallet will thank you.
N26, your year-round best deal
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From Swiss shoppers dropping €43 per person on chocolates to 64% of European shoppers opting for second-hand gifts, here’s where our money goes during the holidays.
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