The General Secretariat of Commerce and Consumer Protection of the Ministry of Development and Investment, on the occasion of Black Friday, and with the aim of protecting the consumer public announces the Decalogue of Black Friday.
THE DECALOGUE OF BLACK FRIDAY
Black Friday, which this year is on 26.11.2021, is a relatively new institution for our country that is flourishing and creates special enthusiasm and anticipation in the buying public for the offers it promises. However, it often hides pitfalls that prevent us from taking advantage of these offers and lead us to markets that we did not really want or that took us out of budget.
See below how we can take advantage of Black Friday offers by avoiding pitfalls:
1. Beware of would-be fraudsters and deceptive practices.
Black Friday is also an opportunity for scammers who take advantage of the desire of consumers for many and good offers. So even if you come across terms like “cheap”, “offer” etc, do not consider it really a good opportunity. Experience has shown that where prices are very low or even significantly lower than usual, the goods may be counterfeit or defective! Do your research shortly before making your purchases so that you can detect fake offers.
2. Read the terms of use in the online stores and ask about the guarantees in the physical stores.
While large chain stores frequently renew their return policy for the benefit of the consumer public, smaller businesses may show less flexibility. Read the terms of use of the online store carefully before making a purchase or ask about the policy of the store, when this is a physical store, in case of return of the goods.
3. Pay attention to impulsive buying behavior before making a transaction.
Do you really need the product you saw in the shop window or in the e-shop? Does the final amount of your purchases divert your budget? Black Friday is such an excitement for consumers that they often make purchases that they do not really need for fear that they may not be able to take advantage of the offers! Remember that despite the attractive offers that stores can promise in anticipation of Black Friday, as we move into the festive season of Christmas, the market will renew its supplies again offering new discounts and new goods!
4. Beware of unknown or emerging e-businesses.
The best deals are not always provided by the big online companies. Small e-businesses can also offer significant shopping opportunities, but in the case of a start-up or an unknown business, you need to be very careful not to lose money. If you find that critical information about the identity of the e-business is missing, such as the company name, postal address, contact telephone numbers, e-mail address and VAT number, it is best to avoid buying until you have checked the reliability. of the company having previously researched its reputation on the internet.
5. Beware of misleading offers.
Even if you are shopping from a website you trust, it is important to check all the details of your transaction: price, warranty, shipping cost, availability or delivery time can be some of the important information you will need. determine your final choice. Many times, however, pop-up banners may appear with offers unrelated to those provided by the supplier, from websites that ask you to enter your bank account details or your codes to complete the transaction. In these cases, contact both your business and your bank and confirm the authenticity of the content of these messages. We should avoid offers that appear in pop-ups if they come from unknown sites.
6. Pay close attention to the provision of sensitive personal information.
In case you intend to use your credit or debit card, carefully check the content of the terms and emails related to your transaction. Also, you should not proceed with a transaction if you are asked to install software to obtain an offer.
7. Do not be fooled by unusually low prices or offers.
Check the brochures, social media promotions and newsletters of the stores for the prices of the products that interest you. Gather the several days before Black Friday to have a benchmark for the final price offered and to be able to verify that you got a really good buy opportunity.
8. Offer coupons and giftcards.
When you have promotional coupons or giftcards, confirm if the products you want are available on Black Friday or if the companies you are interested in accept these coupons and are not excluded from the offers.
9. Check the security policy in electronic transactions.
If you are planning to make an online purchase, prefer to use your personal devices with antivirus and firewall software installed. When entering your transaction details, make sure that encryption is in place. You can recognize this if you notice the closed padlock icon on the top left of the web page address and if the address starts with https: //.
10. Agree on the delivery date of the product.
In case the company does not deliver the product on time, remember that transactions via debit or credit card offer essential safeguards for consumers, in case of cancellation of the transaction. Instead, payment by deposit to the supplier’s bank account should be avoided.
In any case, when you buy from physical stores, observe the sanitary measures for the protection of public health in order to enjoy your purchases safely and carefully.
Consumers can file complaints about the violation of consumer rights and the use of unfair practices by commercial enterprises in the number:
1520
Complaint line of the General Secretariat of Commerce and Consumer Protection
.
