Opinion – Maria Inês Dolci: Research prices before playing on the World Cup’s Black Friday

The countdown to Black Friday (November 25th) has begun. Millions of Brazilians will go shopping, or rather, the purchases will come to them, on a mobile device, laptop or computer. As always, hefty discounts are promised, but anyone looking to buy smartphones, big-screen TVs, clothes and books should now take note of the average market prices. That way, you’ll know if the promotions are really worth it.

The sixth of the purchases will take place the day after Brazil’s debut in the Qatar World Cup. So, consumers are likely to buy bigger and more advanced TVs to watch upcoming games.
Make your list, even if you’re not sure you’ll open your wallet. That way, if you feel like buying on impulse, you’ve already done a ‘study’ on certain products, especially those with more technological resources.

In addition to checking if there were even price offers –compared to the current values–, it is also essential to define exactly what we want to acquire.

Let me explain: you don’t just choose a big screen TV, a printer, a smartphone, a headset or other electronic gadgets. There are a number of features and functions that we will have to consider. And all this makes the price go up. So, think carefully if you really need certain features or if a simpler device (and at a lower price) meets your needs.
Do some research and consult acquaintances who have made similar purchases.

Also, analyze your financial condition. I do not advise shopping for those who are already in debt, like almost 80% of Brazilian families. According to the CNC (National Confederation of Commerce in Goods, Services and Tourism), this percentage, last September, was the highest in the historical series of Peic (Indebtedness and Consumer Default Survey), started in 2010, for families with an income of up to ten minimum wages.

The desire for more comfort and technology is legitimate. Warnings like the one I make are only aimed at protecting consumers’ income, so affected by persistent food inflation, which in September reached 9.54% in the first nine months of the year, the highest increase in the period in 28 years.
So, if you have money available, no debts and you identify genuine offers (and of interest to you) on November 25th, happy shopping!

A warning before concluding: cheaper does not mean almost free or at a price much lower than the market. If offers like this appear on unknown sites, disregard. It is quite possible that there is a prank, or that you do not even receive the product.