4 Reasons To Avoid Black Friday Like The Plague – The Motley Fool

Many of us are definitely looking forward to the next holiday weekend. After all, nothing like spending time with friends and family, thanking and savoring what, hopefully, will be one of the best meals in the entire year. But if you follow this Thanksgiving holiday with a morning visit to the stores, this feeling of warmth and blur can quickly begin to dissipate.

Every year, millions of consumers submit to the torture of Black Friday and come out disappointed. If you plan to spend the day after Thanksgiving looking for the best deal possible, consider this an awakening to dismiss this idea. Here's why.

1. Too much temptation

Every time you enter a retail store, you run the risk of making an impulse purchase. But this probability is even stronger on Black Friday, because not only will retailers be aggressive in their dealings, but you are also inclined to think that any item purchased is a good deal. Do not forget that when you buy a $ 200 home appliance that you do not really need for $ 150, you do not save $ 50. You rather Cost yourself $ 150. You speak of a waste.

2. Products can be difficult to control

Black Friday retailers are renowned for selling what so-called derivatives at heavily discounted prices in order to attract customers. Derivatives are substandard versions of the products that you usually see in stores. Therefore, if you see a TV that normally costs $ 1,500 for just $ 800, it's likely the retailer will not be successful, but will instead offer a similar model with cheaper components. Plus, as these derivatives tend to be limited, it's hard to research to find out if they're worth your money. As such, you could thought you score an expensive item for less, only to do it prematurely because it has never been so good at first.

3. Items on sale do not last

Black Friday retailers typically offer a limited selection of items on sale, allowing customers to argue over who gets what. Here's the problem though: many people who miss these doors feel compelled to justify the trip to the stores, and so they end up buying Something Just for fun. The result? Wasted money.

4. Too many crowds

Safety issues aside, shopping on Black Friday means fighting off hordes of people and striving to attract sellers' attention to basic issues. As such, it is not only a less pleasant shopping experience, but also a less informative experience. Suppose you are looking for a kitchen appliance and want to test different models before continuing. On a normal day, you will be able to read different product descriptions and ask any questions you want, but on Black Friday you will hardly have the chance to sneak into the aisle, let alone seek advice from an employee of store while trying to comparison store. In other words, if you shop on Black Friday, you will be less likely to feel confident in your purchase.

While trying to shop for Black Friday, remember that you will often find better deals in the weeks leading up to and following this event. And when you think about how chaotic your shopping experience is, it makes the case for staying home and enjoying some leftovers instead.