The Black Friday sale is just around the corner, and we can already see users using the various platforms to look for deals. Some popular categories people usually shop for during the busiest sale of the year include smartphones, mattresses, small and large appliances, and clothes. The ultimate motive that most users have is to get the best deals during the event. Therefore, here are 10 hacks for an incredible Black Friday shopping experience.

Compare the prices
There aren’t just a hundred but thousands of deals that go live during the busiest sale of the year. But knowing what one wants could help narrow that list down to about 10 (or fewer) products the individual wishes to purchase during Black Friday. Once the list is narrowed, the user can check to see what their prices were earlier. This way, when the sale goes live, one can easily compare the current price and buy only the best deal.

Be the early bird
Being an early bird has its perks. Gone are the days when retailers only launched deals on Black Friday. Nowadays, we can see deals being offered a week or even a month before the festive sale. This is great news for those who want to purchase a product earlier, as they could still get it at a reduced price or as a combo deal. 

Go through all reputable websites
Another easy hack to make this Black Friday a good day for shopping is to visit multiple reputable retail websites to look at their list price for each desired product. Doing so will prevent the user from limiting themselves to just one deal. They may come across multiple offers and can pick the one that is most relevant to them. While doing this, one should also look for websites that help track earlier product prices. It’s a great way to make comparing deals easier.

Follow retailers and brands on social media
Most retailers and brands have handles on various social media platforms. They use these mediums to launch campaigns and contests for users to participate in. Through this, one could win discount coupons that are usually unavailable on other platforms. For example, a brand might ask followers to comment with what they love most about the product, and the answers with the most likes win. Social media is also one of the best places to win free merchandise.

Use the apps
Another hack to have one of the best Black Friday sales is to use shopping apps. Here, retailers may offer deals and discounts that are unique to the platform and will not pop up on mailers or websites. For example, an item that costs $40 after discounts on the website may cost as low as $20 on the app after the promotional code is applied.

Subscribe to mailers
When users open a website for the first time, they are usually confronted with a pop-up requesting the email address. Of course, this is optional, and most people close the box without providing their details. But one ought to submit their email address at this time if they wish to get the best shopping deals during Black Friday. Retailers may offer certain deals and discounts, including promo codes unique to the user’s email address.

Read the card offers
During the holiday season, retailers often partner with banks to provide discounts to eligible shoppers. While many people overlook these offers on retail apps and websites, they can be one of the best hacks for saving money while shopping. For example, while a promotional code may give a 30% discount, using a card offer could give an additional 20% off one’s purchase. However, it’s important to be cautious when signing up for new credit lines that offer discounts. These may come with hidden interest charges or card fees that one will have to pay later. Before accepting any offers, read all the terms and conditions carefully.

Sign up for cashback
One of the best ways to shop and save a significant amount of money is by signing up for cashback with the help of various mobile apps. Such platforms might be available for free and usually offer a percentage of what the user spends back to their digital wallet or bank account. Even debit and credit cards usually offer cashback in the form of reward points, which is the easiest money-saving hack during Black Friday.

Always pick returnable products
Not all products that go on sale come with return policies. So, while customers may get an item for the most attractive price, it might be void of a returns policy. Furthermore, the individual will have no way of returning the item if they do not like it at a later stage. So, to ensure peace of mind, it is important that one purchases most items that offer returns or at least an exchange policy to maximize savings.

Set a budget
Only the user can ensure that they have the best shopping experience. And what better way to do it than to stick to a spending limit? An easy way to do this is to set a fixed budget and write down the amount of each purchase. A more effective way to avoid overspending is by setting a limit on the debit or credit card.