Tips from those on the inside
Take notes before hitting the shops online or in-store
Savvy shoppers know you can score some great deals on the day after American Thanksgiving in Canada, as well as the U.S. Read on for tips from a fashionista, a deals aficionado and a money expert to ensure you get the most bang from your buck.
Plus-size blogger Jessica Biffi ( justbiffi.com) has been making waves in the fashion industry since ending Project Runway Canada, as the Season 2 runner up. She has since launched her own clothing and accessory lines, and capsule collections for Addition-Elle and Pennington.
The self-described “Toronto girl with a serious fashion addiction” says most retailers let you know about sales in advance. So if there’s a store or chain you frequent, sign up for their email sales alerts.
“Then you can gauge whether or not you want to deal with the situation in person or online,” says Biffi. Her own preference is almost always to shop online during Black Friday. “It’s just overwhelming otherwise,” she says.
When buying clothing online, Biffi suggests, it pays to do a bit of research upfront before you let your fingers do the walking. “Sizes have the same range at most stores, but the fit can be very different,” she says.
At the very least, measure yourself and look over the online size chart. Or do some pre-shopping. “If you know you really like something, get to the store a few days in advance and try stuff on,” Biffi suggests. “Then you will be on a mission to grab your things the day of, and you won’t have as much stress to deal with.” Raymond Lau, of Canada Deals Blog, has been a deals shopper for as long as he can remember, but since 2010, the Calgarian has been blogging full time about the specials he finds to his 50,000 subscribers across the country. Lau updates his site daily with local shopping deals in major Canadian cities.
“Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Boxing Day are the three biggest days
“I never wait in line. I don’t believe in it.” RAYMOND LAU CANADA DEALS BLOG
of the year for me,” he says. “My traffic spikes like crazy.”
The problem: since he’s aware of the deals on offer, Lau can’t resist doing some shopping himself. “I probably spend more than I should,” he admits.
Lau finds the best Black-Friday deals on consumer electronics such as televisions and gaming consoles. But, he warns, some electronics retailers charge as much as a 50-percent restocking fee once you open the box, “so only open it if you plan on keeping it.”
Door-crasher specials can offer particularly great value, he adds, but they are frequently reserved for the first few people in the store, so get there early. “I never wait in line,” Lau says. “I don’t believe in it. But a few years ago, I actually camped out with my wife and we were lucky enough to be the tenth in line to get a $3,000 TV for $900.” He confesses he would have been pretty upset if he’d been 11th and missed the deal.
To avoid size snafus when buying online, Lau usually purchases two sizes (medium and large) and tries them on when they get to the house. “I just keep the one that fits and return the one that doesn’t,” he says.
The mother of all sales is upon us — music to the ears and good news for the those on a budget and longing to replace a noisy fridge, tired stove, or wonky washing machine.
While Francine Sternhall, director of Aeroplan’s eStore says, “electronics tend to be the most popular (Black Friday) category.” Meanwhile, Home Depot Canada appliance merchant Cameron Skilling suggests that major appliances have become “a leading edge.”
Shopping for large appliances on Black Friday, he adds, has the advantage of being planned, unlike other purchases, which may come during a “retail breakdown” when decisions are made in a hurry.
Planned purchasing means the buyer has time to do product research when scoping out the best Black Friday deals.
Waylon Chow, sales associate at Best Buy Canada, thinks that may be why so many people are interested in buying a full kitchen suite at this time of year.
“People who are renovating and plan to buy everything at once during this time can save a lot,” he says.
Experts suggest that shoppers spend as much time as possible identifying exactly what they want, visiting bricks-and-mortar stores and showrooms, while taking advantage of online videos, reviews and spec sheets.
Camille Kowalewski, head of communications for eBay Canada, says mobile shopping has made Black Friday and Cyber Monday a more efficient, time-saving retail experience.
“You can shop wherever — on the train commuting home, and whenever you have a moment or get a brilliant idea,” she says.
It’s important to move quickly to snag a deal, so Kowalewski advises shoppers follow their favourite retailers and online marketplaces on social media.
Your phone, she adds, could be a secret weapon for alerting you of time-sensitive offers. Once you know what you want, make a note of all relevant information, most especially the model number. Then double check it, says Skilling.
“They’re like Latin, so be very cautious of those numbers and letters — a change in even a single digit can make it a different colour, size, and have different features.”
Don’t forget to measure: you don’t want to be those sad consumers who buy appliances without measuring their placement, or the doors they are expected to pass through.
If you’re not sure how to do the math, ask for help from associates, whether you’re online or in-store.
Tell the retailer, too, if there’s an appliance that needs to be removed. Many include free disposal with delivery, but need to know ahead of time for scheduling.
Bone up on the current, nonsale prices of items you want. B
e ready to calculate how exchange, shipping, and return policies affect the price.
Many U.S. sites convert prices to Canadian dollars, but do double check the currency.
Always ask about matching programs; at Home Depot, for example, if you find a better competitor’s price, they’ll beat it by 10 per cent.
Chow says shoppers should also look at loyalty points or financing options, and be aware of special shopping features. In Best Buy’s case, it will reserve any item to pick up in store at the sale price.
It’s also important to ask about warranties, and what it costs to extend them.
Shopping sales in-store may save you a bit more than shopping online, but Craig Calvert, director of customer solutions at UPS Canada, isn’t sure it’s worth it.
“Give your time a value. Do you want to be in that stereotypical Black Friday crazy lineup, or do you want to be home on your couch?” he asks.
What’s hot during Black Friday/ Cyber Monday 2016 will be the same items that have been hot all year, says Skilling, noting upticks in large capacity laundry sets, and black stainless steel finishes.
Many consumers covet featurerich, connected appliances, such as Samsung’s Family Hub, a refrigera- tor with a front-panel interface that, among other things, takes images of the fridge’s interior, which the user can access over a smartphone — say, at the supermarket.
LED lighting is another popular, and increasingly accessible, fridge feature.
“It used to only be found in a $4,000 fridge. Now it’s available in just about anything,” says Skilling.
He adds that manufacturers trying to woo shoppers to buy new induction technology may have noteworthy price points this year. He also expects large capacity laundry suites will be in high demand.
Don’t worry if you accidentally sleep through Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
According to Kowalewski, “It’s no longer those 24 hours. Periods of sale creep beyond that; they’re being extended beyond them.”