How to get the most out of Black Friday

Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, and an ideal time to score deals on items on your shopping list. But this year, product shortages and longer delivery times are likely to create some hurdles. Shoppers may experience problems getting all the items on their list, especially if you wait to make your purchases.

To encourage early shopping, many retailers have launched their holiday deals BEFORE Black Friday. If you haven’t started your holiday shopping, there’s still time to snag some great deals. Here are some tips to help.

Check ads and apps

Many retailers start circulating their Black Friday ads in advance, which gives you plenty of time to look for the best deals. By checking out various apps and ads, you can organize your day and save time. Map out your plan so you can learn if certain retailers require you to be in store – and by a certain time – to take advantage of deals.

You can also join retailers’ email lists or follow them on social media for information on offers.

Don’t forget to compare prices. There are plenty of price comparison apps, like RedLaser and ShopSavvy, to help you find the lowest price.

Do your research

Take the time before you shop to research the items on your list and potential places to buy them. Take into consideration things like quality, the season’s hottest items, original prices and return and exchange policies.

Don’t forget about other discounts retailers offer throughout the holiday season:

• Cyber Monday
• Small Business Saturday
• Green Monday – the second Monday in December and a major online shopping day

Map out your day

If you map out your Black Friday, it will help you make the most of your time and money. If you’re trying to get your hands on a hot item, consider prioritizing it on your purchasing list. You may have to be in line when the doors open to snag these items. Be mindful that some retailers have specific hours for sales, so plan accordingly.

Don’t forget that you can check online to see if an item is still available. Some retailers even add exact locations so you don’t have to waste time searching.

Important: Because of the pandemic, many retailers have been experiencing product shortages. This could affect the availability and deliverability of items.

Don’t forget about price matching

Many retailers offer price matching. Choose the stores you want to shop at in advance and look up their price match policy so you won’t be surprised if a particular store doesn’t price match.

Don’t forget to bring proof! You’ll need to show that the price is lower elsewhere, so bring an ad or a screenshot of the competitor’s offering.

OR coupons

Regardless of where you shop, don’t forget about coupons! Download a coupon app or take advantage of a browser add-on like Honey, which automatically applies coupon codes to your online purchases.

Learn more about Black Friday shopping at https://www.thebalance.com/getting-black-friday-deals-951870.