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Known to be among the biggest shopping events of the year, Black Friday sales are considered to be all about the best deals when it comes to shopping. A globally carried out shopping event that began in the 1980s, Black Friday shopping deals have become a great way to kickstart the holiday season. As enticing as it sounds with all the advertising and the marketing, Black Friday deals might not really be worth all the hype anymore. Unarguably, we all love a good bargain, but going into the nitty gritties of the Black Friday trends, it is important to realise that Black Friday sales are mainly a strategy on the part of the retailers to keep consumers like us hooked on to the shopping experience. What we fail to realise in turn is how it takes a toll on the environment, while at the same time working towards our own detriment. In recent years a number of activists have also started working towards the cause to make people aware as to why they should avoid Black Friday sales. With a lot of deception that this mega shopping event brings about with itself, here’s what not to buy on Black Friday and reasons as to why you should preferably avoid these sales.
Here’s your cue to indulge in thoughtful shopping by understanding why Black Friday sales aren’t a good idea
Are deals really the best?
As heartbreaking as it may sound, through all the dizzying advertisements going on about the best Black Friday deals, we often think we are the winners at the game, whereas the reality is far from it. More than often, it has been found that retailers tend to artificially hike the prices of the products ahead of the Black Friday shopping to make it look as if the consumers are getting a good deal from all the discounts. The reality however remains that we are actually buying the products at their original price. Such a distance mainly occurs in online shopping platforms, where individual sellers are able to increase or decrease the price of their products without much regulation. To avoid such a Black Friday scam from happening to you, try to shop from a trusted retailer or use browser extensions to check the original price of the products that you are considering buying.
Sustainability vs luxury
With the increasing consciousness towards the environment and opting for sustainable practices, the various luxury brands across the world have now begun to grow in the direction of sustainability. As a result, luxury brands are now focusing towards creating economically and culturally sustainable products and encouraging consumers to invest towards the same. With high-end brands becoming more responsible with their business practices, luxury brands are now manufacturing more expensive items and not indulging in the quantity of the products. On the other hand, the Black Friday deals are far from incorporating such a mentality.
Fake products are plenty
A major scam when it comes to Black Friday deals is the prevalence of fake products. With a huge number of sellers indulging in unethical business practices by selling fake products or dupes of luxury and high end brands, what you might be buying could probably just be another cheaply made product. It is important to keep in mind that most of the times such fake products in Black Friday shopping do not come with a warranty.
Buying into the FOMO
More often than not, when it comes to Black Friday deals we hardly ever consider whether what we are purchasing is actually needed. With an illusion of buying from the best Black Friday deals, we often fail to understand whether it's really the bargain, the requirement, or simply the shopping craze that has got us hooked into this shopping event. A marketing strategy that works on a global level, Black Friday shopping has its basis in consumerism and to make the customers keep shopping despite all practical aspects. So, next time you consider going for Black Friday shopping, take a minute and ask yourself as to why you need to participate in it.
Advertising tactics at its best
A major aspect that works towards the benefit of Black Friday shopping are advertising tactics that the sellers opt for. Whether you need to shop or not, your phones are sure to be flooded with emails and text messages to lure you into the buying experience. Whether you actually get the best Black Friday deal or not is secondary, the trick is to make you fall into the pressure of shopping and make you believe that you only have a limited time to get the best out of it.
Consumerism vs environment
With mass production and focus on quantity, big shopping events like the Black Friday sales lead to excessive overconsumption, which in turn has a negative impact on the environment. It is important to understand that materialism is actually not making anyone happy and in reality, working towards all our detriment.
Disclaimer: The details mentioned throughout this blog are sourced from publicly accessible platforms. At Zeezest, we intend to share factual and verified information. Should there be any inconsistencies or variances in the information provided, please understand that these are entirely unintentional and not meant to mislead.