In short, no, I don’t think Black Friday is worth it anymore. In recent years, it has become less about significant discounts and more about extended sales. Many big companies now treat it like a Black Friday month, where discounts last longer but aren’t as impressive. Some retailers have a scheme where new items go on sale each week, leading to better discounts, but they still aren’t overwhelming. Additionally, you may have heard that some companies raise their prices just before Black Friday to make the discounts appear more substantial. I haven’t experienced this personally, but I’ve heard about it.
If you accept Black Friday for what it has become, it’s alright. If you’re planning to buy a thing or two, especially larger purchases, you can save some money. I suggest looking up items you want before Black Friday to familiarize yourself with the prices. You might be lucky and find it at a significant discount. However, don’t purchase from the first store you see. Spend some time researching to see if there are better deals available.
Black Friday also raises the question of whether to buy items during the long discounts leading up to it or wait until the day itself. Companies often make it seem like discounts will run out before Black Friday, but in my experience, it’s usually better to make purchases on Black Friday itself.
I like to use Black Friday for a few specific things: mostly, I focus on more expensive purchases but do a lot of research beforehand. I avoid buying from Inditex brands (such as Zara, Pull&Bear, Stradivarius, and Bershka) because they typically only offer discounts of around 40% on select items. I find much better deals during their annual summer and winter sales. If you want to buy their clothes, I recommend researching beforehand and deciding on the items you really want. If they’re on sale, great; if not, I recommend skipping them. Notino often has good deals, with new discounted items every week. For instance, this week they have a fantastic offer: 40% off Braun IPL products. In my opinion, that’s worth buying. While I don’t remember specific discounts from previous on Black Friday day, I do know they offer free shipping. One discount I always take advantage of is at Müller. They have a 15% off sale for everything in-store on Black Friday, which is excellent because Müller stocks many necessities. These are the stores I’m familiar with; others tend to offer different discounts each year, so keep an eye on the items you want.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think you shouldn’t shop on Black Friday or ever really, but I kindly advise against buying everything just because you see a 20% discount. I plan to purchase a few items that have been on my wishlist for a long time and will make a post about it. Just keep in mind that overconsumption is becoming a growing problem each year. Think more sustainably, weigh your purchases carefully, and try not to contribute to that issue.
