November 22, 2019. Now the time has come: “Black Friday week” starts today at Amazon and with it begins stressful times for consumers and rosy times for retailers.
This year, 43.7 percent of Germans want to shop on Black Friday (November 29th) alone and spend an average of 222.20 euros, as a representative survey shows. According to the German Trade Association (HDE), retailers will then have a turnover of 3.1 billion euros.
And so that as many euros as possible stay with them, some dealers dig deep into their bag of tricks. The consumer forum mydealz explains the most common sales pitches and pitfalls when shopping online.
1. Incorrect discount information
On days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday the discount information is overwhelming. Some retailers boast of offering their customers discounts of up to 80 percent. Others even advertise discounts of up to 90 percent. However, consumers should not blindly trust the discount information. No dealer has anything to give away, but some do tricks.
Either they raise the price at short notice so that they can then advertise with a seemingly attractive discount, or they calculate the discount based on the recommended retail price (RRP), which is significantly higher than the market price. Before buying, it is therefore always advisable to compare the prices with portals such asbilliger.de, Geizhals or Idealo.
In the last five years, the average savings were 38.9 percent, according to an analysis by the consumer forum mydealz .
2. Low prices – thanks to high shipping costs
Even if a product is unbeatably cheap, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's worth buying. Some online stores cross-subsidize discounts by charging high shipping fees. In addition to the actual postage, these then also include at least part of the previously granted discount. From a business perspective, this makes sense.
However, it can become a zero-sum game for the customer if high shipping costs absorb the initial price advantage. Before purchasing, consumers should therefore take a close look at the shipping costs. They are usually displayed in the last step of the order.
3. Ticking countdowns
Amazon is again relying on “offers of the day” and “lightning offers” this year for its “Black Friday week”, which has been running since November 22nd and runs until December 2nd. These offers are only valid for one day or even just a few minutes and are intended to encourage consumers to take action quickly before it is too late.
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The same thing applies to Amazon as to other retailers, some of whom even work with conspicuously placed countdowns: stay calm. Offers are often repeated and it is not uncommon for retailers to offer a product at the same price because the large online retailers are based on each other and have their prices automatically set by algorithms.
4. “Only while stocks last”
Retailers also create the “artificial shortage” effect in other ways. If an offer is not “only for a short time”, then at least the note “Only while stocks last” is clearly visible in the online shop. Next to it there is occasionally the well-known countdown, which shows how many products are still available instead of the remaining time.
Consumers should not allow themselves to be put under pressure by this trick either. Firstly, because retailers are required by competition law to keep a sufficient number of products in stock, at least for the first few hours. And secondly, because hardly any offer is unique.
5. Excessive delivery times
Many consumers use the Black Friday discount campaigns to buy inexpensive Christmas gifts. If you don't want to be left empty-handed on Christmas Eve, you should take a close look at the delivery time before purchasing. Especially in the run-up to Christmas, parcel services may deliver ordered products later than expected.
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Consumers should therefore ensure that retailers provide the shortest possible processing and delivery times of one to a maximum of four days. If there is no information about delivery time, consumers should refrain from purchasing. Then it could be that retailers don't have the goods in stock and have to get them themselves first.
6. Selling special models with stripped-down functions
If you want to buy consumer electronics or household appliances, you should carefully check which product you put in your shopping cart. Manufacturers often bring different versions of their product onto the market and they often differ in their functions.
For example, sometimes the washing machine has a timer function and sometimes it doesn't. And notebooks don't necessarily have to have the same graphics card installed just because the product names are similar. In order not to be disappointed afterwards, consumers should take a close look at the serial number.
7. High costs for returns
Consumers who order online or by telephone have the right to withdraw from the purchase within fourteen days. If you have already received the goods, you are obliged to send them back. Who bears the costs varies from dealer to dealer. The legislature sees the consumer as having a duty. However, some retailers are accommodating enough to cover the postage.
Information can be found in the cancellation policy. If the consumer has to bear the costs of return shipping, he or she should refrain from purchasing them, especially for bulky products. Anyone who buys Christmas presents should also make sure that the retailer or manufacturer is as accommodating as possible when it comes to exchanges and grants the right to exchange them until after Christmas.
8. Delayed repayment in the event of cancellation or exchange
Even if retailers or manufacturers cover the costs of return shipping in the event of a cancellation or exchange, that does not mean that they will refund their customers in a timely manner. Some companies only refund the purchase amount a few weeks after the customer returns the goods to them.
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You receive this right through the General Terms and Conditions (GTC) and the cancellation policy, which consumers must agree to when purchasing. If you don't want to wait unnecessarily long for your money, you should read both parts of the contract carefully.
9. Phishing
Cyber criminals use various tricks to try to get their victims' payment details during the Christmas season. When phishing, they send emails to consumers and try to lure them to websites that are modeled on those of well-known online shops. To avoid falling into their trap, consumers should be particularly careful.
If possible, you should not open email attachments and only follow links if you have previously checked that the email address is actually that of the specified sender. You should also check the address carefully on websites before entering your data.
You should also make sure that the connection is encrypted. This is indicated by an “https” at the beginning of the internet address and, in some browsers, a small closed U-lock in the address line.
10. Pharming
Pharming is also a popular trick used by cyber criminals. Just like with phishing, pharming involves luring consumers to a seemingly real website and getting them to provide their personal information there. The way consumers are guided here is particularly perfidious.
Cyber criminals manipulate the website they want to copy so that consumers are automatically redirected to the fake site. So instead of going to the online shop they actually visited, they end up with a copy that looks deceptively real. This is another reason why it is advisable to check the Internet address carefully before entering data and to make sure that the connection is encrypted.
You might also be interested in: Black Friday at Amazon: How to get the lightning deals earlier
Source: mydealz
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