Black Friday starts on November 28, a period when prices on store shelves plummet, and the temptation to buy becomes almost uncontrollable. However, along with advantageous offers, the risk of encountering unscrupulous sellers, hidden conditions, or even outright fraudsters also increases. Economist Ihor Harbaruk, an expert at the "Economic Discussion Club" NGO, told UNN journalist how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters and make profitable purchases during Black Friday.
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Before heading to seasonal sales, it's worth understanding the rules for returning discounted goods. Most large chains specify what can be returned, but legislation remains the main guide.
There is legislation, and there are network rules. If you agree with them, you buy. If you have doubts, it's better to just find another seller. We perfectly understand that truly unique goods are very few.
It is important for the buyer to understand: the responsibility for the choice lies with them. Therefore, any product must be carefully inspected before payment, especially when it comes to expensive purchases. And if the product has already been purchased and turns out to be of poor quality, it must be returned to the seller along with the receipt confirming the purchase.
If you took the goods without a receipt, and then found defects - that's your responsibility. Without a purchase document, a return is almost impossible.
To avoid making a mistake with a purchase, it is worth tracking prices in advance. Because often, before sales, chains artificially inflate the price of goods, and on Black Friday they seemingly make a "discount," returning the price to its previous level.
Track prices for several months. Sometimes a "discount" is just the standard price a month ago. And by taking, for example, a laptop, you can get absolutely bare hardware, and then you will have to pay extra for setup and additional guarantees.
The buyer should also remember about the so-called "leftovers," i.e., goods that were not sold in season. Most often, these are the ones that end up in Black Friday promotions. For example, a discount may be given on autumn shoes, which are no longer relevant in winter, rather than on a winter pair.
For example, a promotion: you buy two pairs of shoes: the second one with a 50% discount. But you pay 100% for the winter pair, and 50% for the autumn pair, which no one needs anymore. So think carefully, less emotion, because emotions are expensive.
Another risk is a product that may be damaged or faulty, but the seller does not report it. Such cases are not uncommon, especially during a large influx of buyers.
I had a case: I bought a boiler. They told me: "Here, you are buying a large boiler. Let's put a small one in the kitchen for you." I said: "Yes, let's do it, no problem," - I paid extra money. They brought it, installed it. Later it turned out that the back of this boiler was broken. In fact, they quietly took it out of the box and installed it under my tap. And the fact that it was a little broken - of course, no one reported that. The master installed it, took the money - and that's it. Then you pay extra for repairs and think: why did I buy this?
As for online purchases, the most important rule is: no prepayments, says Ihor Harbaruk. The safest way is cash on delivery with the possibility of pre-inspecting the goods at the post office. There you can try it on, check the size, material, or even functionality.
Prepayment is the easiest way to become a victim of fraudsters. Even 30% prepayment can be the actual cost of the goods. Therefore, when they tell you: "Well, pay 30%, and pay 70% later" - you should refuse such a deal. Why? Because in reality, these 30 percent are the actual cost of that product. That is, even if you paid 30% of the payment and said that it does not suit you, return my money, you may simply not get your money back.
Ultimately, the main rule of Black Friday is not to succumb to the hype and marketing tricks, Harbaruk emphasizes. In Ukraine, this tradition is still forming, and not all promotions are truly profitable.
In our conditions, this hype does not work as it does in the USA or Europe. There, for Black Friday, manufacturers specifically release series of goods with discounts. And here, we often sell what simply didn't sell.
Plan your purchases in advance, check prices, do not make prepayments, do not fall for "today-only promotions," and always control your emotions. Then Black Friday will be a chance to truly save, not spend more than you planned.