Five top tips to surviving Black Friday in South Africa

Ah, the joys of Black Friday and all that comes with it. Once the announcement is made every year, the excitement kicks in and you just know, it’s officially the Festive Season. Enter Black Friday on 29 November 2019. 

You begin to think of everything you’ll need to be the perfect host because everyone knows that visitors are unavoidable and making a good impression is non-negotiable. Then comes the things that have nothing to do with hosting, nothing to do with gifts for friends and family but simply for you to indulge in and spoil yourself, and that’s okay. 

In all honesty, Black Friday can be a mission to navigate, you want what you want but you don’t need to burn the budget either, nor do you want to get trampled on by over-enthusiastic shoppers. 

Here’s our five top tips to help you have a peaceful and smart shopping experience on Black Friday. 

1. Try to make a clear and concise Black Friday shopping list 

 Organisation is key here. Make sure you write up a list divided in two. One side for the absolute essentials and one side for the things you’ve really been wanting or wanting to gift someone with. As you go down the list of ‘wants,’ make sure to think of your budget, you will regret it in January, and ask yourself if it’s absolutely, 100% necessary, even though most of us know the answer, nine times out of ten, will be yes. 

2. Check the online Black Friday Deals  

We’ve all heard and seen what chaos can take place at the malls on Black Friday. When we say chaos, we mean stampedes, shattered glass and minor injuries. If you want to survive Black Friday, then don’t hesitate to check out online deals. This way, you can have a peaceful experience in the comfort of your own home or anywhere other than a shop. The only downfall is that sites may crash due to a speedy influx of customers but try to meditate in the meantime and you are sure to get your turn. 

3. Take the ads you’ve seen with you 

With Black Friday around the corner, you should have come across ads in the newspapers, in your letterbox, in magazines or handed out to you. If you’re the shopper that uses those ads to circle and mark what you like and need to get, then remember to take those ads with you. There’s nothing worse than arriving and knowing that a tube of toothpaste was R10 on the ad but it’s advertised as R15 in-store and you have no leg to stand on. To avoid the frustration and possibly, a heated argument, take the ads with you as proof and win your battle. 

4. Your Black Friday companion, or should we say, champion

As we know, Black Friday can be daunting but it can also be a really fun experience, you never know what you’re going to get, really. This is why we highly recommend you take a good friend or partner with you. Hey, two sets of eyes are better than one to scout out all those deals and better yet, someone is there to have your back when a fellow customer is pulling a R20 off, block of gouda out of your hands. 

5. You don’t have to wait until Friday, do your research 

Quite a few retailers have decided to get a head start and put their items on sale before Friday. It’s just a matter of searching your favourite stores to find out when they are starting their sales. This way, you can avoid some of the hustle and bustle and keep it limited to one or two, or three outlets. 

Best of luck with your shopping.