It’s November! The season for crazy looking ‘Mo’s’ and pre-festive season shopping deals. Of particular interest is Black Friday, the fourth Friday in the month when retailers offer consumers bargain deals. This is something that is gaining more and more traction in South Africa with 66% of South Africans set to participate in Black Friday this year. Words like ‘deal’, ‘discount’ and ‘bargain’ is enough to get anyone excited, the over-excitement however, can also be what results in you choosing misleading deals.
HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, lists Black Friday hacks to help you get the most out of your mobile shopping experience.
- Set a budget: Set a clear budget for yourself and stick to it. No deal is worth it if you can’t actually afford it.
Go incognito: Open an incognito window to enable private browsing and disable plugins, some websites can track your previous visits or coupon plug-ins and adjust their prices accordingly. - Be a social guru: Have your eyes peeled on social media. Follow retailers on Twitter and Instagram and like them on Facebook for regular and up to date sale news on your social feed. Some stores also have websites where customers can sign up to receive deal alerts.
- Price check ahead of time: Know the average cost of the item you are purchasing. Watch out for hidden shipping/delivery costs and inflated items that “seem” on sale.
- Don’t purchase for the sake of it: Consider what you want to purchase ahead of time in terms of needs not wants.
- Consider upcoming birthdays and the Festive Season.
Add to cart ahead of the rush: Once you’ve decided on what you really need, add those items to your cart in advance. In most cases your discount will auto appear as soon as the sale starts. - If it feels unsafe, it probably is: Ensure the website you are purchasing from is safe and the payment portal is trusted and secure.
According to a recent 2018 survey, 85% of South African online shoppers use their mobile devices for payment transactions and the number is growing2. “With the demand of mobile shopping on the rise locally, consumers should be aware of the mobile features on their device to make their shopping experience more effective and enjoyable,” said Shaun Durandt, General Manager: Southern Africa at HMD Global, The Home of Nokia Phones. “Those shopping on The Nokia 7 Plus for example, have added advantages.” With the pure, secure and always up-to-date Android experience there are no unnecessary apps and no hidden processes eating into your battery life. Just a clean, pure version of Android 9 Pie that stays secure with all the latest updates, powered by the latest Google services, giving you peace of mind ahead of your 24-hour shopping spree. In addition, the 6” Full-HD+ display with an 18:9 ratio allows you to enjoy a bigger viewing experience ensuring you don’t miss the fine print. You can also watch feeds of deals and chat with your shopping buddy at the same time by splitting the screen into two 1:1 windows.
Remember, be patient, not impulsive and you are sure to grab yourself some great deals.
Edited by Fundisiwe Maseko
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