This is how you can spot a deal and not be cheated

It may be Saturday, but you’ll still find plenty of Black Friday sales as the event continues into the weekend.

It can be easy to get carried away in the shopping frenzy and end up out of pocket – instead of making a bargain.

The vast majority of Black Friday deals are cheaper or the same price at other times of the year, consumer group Which? have warned.

We spoke to some experts who shared tips on how to shop Black Friday without getting ripped off.

“It’s only a deal if it’s something you really wanted or needed before you see the discount,” said Sarah Johnson, director of merchandise consultancy Flourish Retail.

She recommends making a list and a budget to stick to to avoid impulse purchases.

“Make the deals work for you by using Black Friday to save on products you’ve already planned to buy,” she said.

“If you stick to your list and stay within your budget, you’ll maximize your savings without unnecessary dividends.”

“When you want to make a purchase, it’s worth comparing the price at several retailers,” said Harry Rose, editor of Which? Magazine.

He also recommended using websites that allow you to check a product’s price history over the previous 12 months.

“That way, you’ll know a whole lot when you see one,” he said.

Which? examined deals on 227 products at eight of the UK’s biggest home and technology retailers in last year’s Black Friday “four days” between November 20 and December 1.

Its research suggested that nine out of 10 deals analyzed were the same price or cheaper at other times of the year.

Rose said you shouldn’t feel “pressured to splash out on Black Friday purchases, as these deals are usually repeated – if not beaten – at other times of the year”.

If you spot something you want to buy in the Black Friday sale, look for it on a used platform where you might find it even cheaper, says resale influencer, Jess.

Many resale platforms allow you to offer a price that matches your budget, she said.

“If you make an offer and it’s fair, most sellers will accept,” she said. “So not only are you likely to get a good deal in the first place because it’s not new from a store, but you can offer a lower price.”

Vintage clothing influencer Vivien Tang also buys and sells on resale websites.

“I think it’s very easy to find nearly new or brand new items on used platforms,” ​​she said. “The conditional option on listings is now mandatory, making it easier to filter for newer items.”

If you’re using the Black Friday sales to buy Christmas gifts, you shouldn’t rule out buying second-hand, according to a new report.

Some 63% of people would be comfortable receiving second-hand Christmas presents, and another 26% felt neutral about the idea, according to a survey by research consultancy Retail Economics for second-hand marketplace Vinted.

Many people will use a credit card, or may dip into their overdraft when buying what they consider to be bargain items on Black Friday.

But if you end up paying interest, this could outweigh any savings made on the Black Friday promotion.

Using a typical credit card to make a £300 purchase and then pay back £20 a month would take more than a year to pay off and mean paying £55 in interest, according to financial information service Moneyfacts.

Using an overdraft will usually lead to an even larger interest bill.

A credit card offers more protection when you buy anything over £100, so there’s a better chance of a refund if something goes wrong.

Financial experts say paying off a credit card right away, perhaps from savings, before interest accrues, is the safest option.

Criminals are using the hype surrounding Black Friday to try to steal from online shoppers.

Purchase fraud is when someone is tricked into sending money via bank transfer to buy something – often advertised online or via social media – that doesn’t exist.

The number of shopping frauds increased by 29% around Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday last year, according to analysis by Lloyds Bank.

The bank’s director of fraud prevention, Liz Ziegler, said: “When shopping online, the best way to stay safe is to buy from a trusted retailer and always pay by card for maximum protection. If you are unable to doing these things should be a big red flag that you’re being scammed.”

You should be wary of fake websites and check that the URL belongs to the official brand before entering financial or personal information, according to Which?.

Beware of posts from newly created social media accounts or links to a newly created website. You can use verified domain controllers to confirm when a website was created. Which? said.

It warned against buying at “too good to be true” prices because if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.