What to look out for on online Black Friday sales

If you’re a conscious consumer, then you’ve likely been saving up and looking forward to this year’s Black Friday sales.

This is the golden opportunity to get goods that are normally beyond your budget at crazy discounts. It’s become the norm for online shopping sites like Jumia, MallForAfrica, Kilimall, Amazon, Barneys and Bidorbuy to hold Black Friday sales for an entire month.

Here’s are some ways you can get the most out of the season.

1. Shopping list

Plan to shop for the most expensive items on your wish list around the November sales season.

For example, electronics, high-fashion clothes and accessories, and even furniture and electrical appliances can be bought at a massive discount during Black Friday sales.

It also offers a fantastic opportunity to shop not just for the upcoming holidays, but also birthdays, weddings and so on.

2. Treasure hunt

It’s becoming common for online retailers to hide products on their sites and reward the first customer who finds them.

Last year, for instance, one online site sold Oppo phones worth Sh100,000 at just Sh5 to a lucky few.

You can get hints off social media accounts, so be sure to follow the shops on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

Pro tip: fast Internet speeds will help you search through the website to find the hidden product. 

3. Do your research

Equip yourself with information on what online retail sites have planned for Black Friday, including flash sales, treasure hunts and wheel of fortune vouchers.

Flash sale products typically have a 99 per cent discount. Use mobile apps, social media and the retailer’s website to get the down-low.

You can also register a profile on the online store, and stay logged in so you don’t get left out. It’s largely an easy process.

You may also want to subscribe to the site’s newsletter for updates about Black Friday sent directly to your email.

4. Find the deals

Seek out products that you can get on offer from major online retailers like Jumia and Kilimall and compare prices as well?

For instance, the Oppo Find X was retailing at Sh5 on Jumia, but sold out on November 1 during a treasure hunt competition.