Black Friday and Cyber Monday often offer the best technology deals of the year, and it’s sometimes worth putting in the effort to get big discounts on big ticket items. However, should you brave real-world stores, or stick to the safety of your web browser?
Strap on your boots, pull down your cap, and step outside to touch grass on the way to the store! While the days of “door buster” deals seem to be largely over, there are still plenty of deals that you need to be present for on Black Friday to claim.
The Pros of In-Store Shopping
One of the most frustrating things about online shopping is having to wait for your goodies—and even worse, having your order canceled because another person got in the virtual line milliseconds before you did. If you’re physically in a store, you can grab your goods, go to the cashier, and take it home.
Smaller stores that don’t have a good online presence may also have deals you can only get in the store. You might even spot deals you didn’t know about, even if you didn’t get the deal you came for.
The optimal way to take advantage of Black Friday is to know, for example, which models of TV you’re interested in should they go on sale. However, if you’re more of the gung-ho type of shopper, being in-store means you can at least get some hands-on time with something before you buy it.
The Cons of In-Store Shopping
In-store shopping isn’t great at any time of the year, at least not for me. During Black Friday you can expect crowds, long wait times to pay, and a general sense of anxiety as you try to get the thing you came for and get home. Some people might find that exciting, but I think, for the most part, people don’t like being crowded and standing in queues for ages.
What’s even worse is getting to the store only to realize that demand outstripped supply. The other danger, especially if the big sales item is out of stock, is to go for a worse deal to justify all the effort you made just to be there. This is a loss-leader sales tactic stores use because they know people don’t want to leave empty-handed, and you had better believe they have enough of the similar, slightly discounted thing on hand.
Finally, going to a physical store is simply more dangerous than shopping online. Getting into a car is inherently dangerous, and on Black Friday there are additional risks, not least of which being in a store with other similarly cranky shoppers who just want to go home.
What can be better than kicking back on your couch with a laptop and a cup of hot cocoa while you do your Black Friday shopping? Online shopping is becoming the dominant way to buy what you want all year round, but on Black Friday the whole web goes wild with deals. So, is this the best way to shop for bargains?
The Pros of Online Shopping
Apart from being comfortable and warm at your house, online shopping makes it way easier to check whether you’re getting a good deal or not. Sure, you can whip out your smartphone in a store and check the competition, but if you were going to do that anyway, you may as well have done it before leaving your house.
You get to see a much wider variety of products, benefit from early deals (some of which are very short-lived), and there’s plenty of time for the goods to arrive before the holidays. There’s also zero chance you’ll get into a scuffle with someone over the last discounted gaming console on the shelf.
The Cons of Online Shopping
While online shopping has come a long way, sometimes the load of Black Friday shoppers can crash websites, which means no one gets anything.
Some sites oversell the stock they have, which means you might get your order canceled or a much longer delivery window, perhaps not in time for the holidays.
There are also tons of knockoff and scummy products on the market, and online shopping makes it difficult to assess if you’re getting the real deal. There are also fake reviews to contend with. Even if you can return it for a refund, that’s still a lost opportunity.
Personally, I favor buying online, but sometimes the perfect product at the perfect price necessitates grabbing your coat. If you are heading out next Black Friday, good luck and keep your head on a swivel!
