Sales Caution as Black Friday Promotions Roll Out
Black Friday deals are flooding inboxes and websites in NZ, but Consumer NZ says many discounts won’t reflect real savings. An analysis for the consumer organisation shows a third of advertised deals matches or exceeds prices recorded in recent weeks.
Findings From Price Tracking
Consumer NZ monitored a range of popular household products over a ten-week period. About 77 % were the same price or cheaper before Black Friday, indicating that many “discounts” are from inflated reference prices rather than a real price reduction. The retailers frequently advertised items with high discounts, but their sale prices were about the same as in previous weeks.
Guidance for Shoppers
Consumer NZ suggests you can check the price history online using websites such as PriceSpy or PriceMe. Deals should be compared between retailers before you make any purchase, and certainly for higher-value items. Consumers should look at countdown timers and “limited-time only” banners with skepticism because these are methods used to suggest urgency where it doesn’t exist.
Implication for Kiwi Shoppers As the festive season approaches, getting in early deals can be particularly tantalizing. Following price verification practices will help to ensure real savings and not impulse buys driven by marketing hype. Consumer NZ’s advice underlines careful shopping during major retail events.
