We all know the allure of a yellow label, but like a captain in the throes of a siren song, we encourage our city sailors to heed caution in a sea of stickers. Black Friday is a dark art: used wisely and it will conjure powerful discounts, but beware its might, else you might end up with more bargains than you bargained for. Sure, the year’s produce is ripe for the picking, but with our five quick tips, we’ll help you make sure you don’t end up with a basket of rotting fruit. 

1. Be aware of the psychology behind a sale: the boardrooms behind Black Friday know exactly what they’re doing, and that’s incorporating a few simple tricks to help shift stock fast. A limited time discount makes us feel like we’re getting great value, even if we’re still paying too much for a product we don’t really want. And threats that an item will go out of stock encourage a scarcity mindset conducive to impulse purchases.

2. Make a list before you buy: to curb those pesky impulse purchases, we’d usually recommend waiting at least twenty-four hours to buy. However, with time in this very situation uniquely of the essence, that’s not always a trick the Black Friday sorcerer has under their sleeve – instead, before the sales begin, make a list of everything you’ve got your eye on.

3. Check prices in advance: similarly, for the items you’ve listed, make a note of the price they’re selling for before the Black Friday discounts begin. That way, you’ll be too savvy to get sucked in to the trick of retailers bumping RRPs to create the illusion of a bigger discount.

4. Check return policies: if items are running low in stock, it can be tempting to pull the trigger with the aim of deciding if or not you want the item when it arrives. However, make sure you check the return policies for each retailer, since some items won’t offer the luxury of a free return if they’re reduced to clear.

5. Be careful with out of season items: when it comes to buying clothing, the biggest discounts will come for the outgoing season. Buying summer clothes six months in advance is a great hack to find the best discounts, but make sure you prioritise neutral staples, to avoid items going out of fashion before you’ve ever worn them.