In the past, Black Friday has always been the time to hold out for when it comes to shopping for deals. No matter what time of the year it was, you just knew that you’d find the best deals and prices after the Thanksgiving holiday.
However, things have changed a lot over recent years, and with Amazon’s newOctober Prime Daysale most likely going to be a yearly thing, it’s hard to know for sure if waiting for Black Friday to buy is really the best choice. Simply put, it really is no longer a good idea to wait untilBlack Friday salesto do your shopping, and here’s why.
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days is a big deal
When COVID restrictions hit, the shift of consumers towards online purchasing was massive. In fact, a whopping75% of consumers shop onlineat least once a month now, making online retail a huge source of sales for many businesses. Retailers who didn’t make the shift were left in the dust, but those who did saw a huge bump in traffic. However, this also meant making online shopping more appealing for customers, which means more savings events and deals.
Amazon has traditionally held its Prime Day event in the summer, usually in June or July. COVID changed that in 2020, forcing the company to hold a delayed sale in October - and clearly Amazon didn’t want to give that up.
Amazon added a second Prime Day to its annual calendar in October of 2021, in addition to the usual summer spectacular, but didn’t make it official until the Prime Early Access Sale in October of 2022. Initially, it was done as means to offer online shoppers another way to get better prices on necessities, but it shifted into a full-blown savings event last year, offering Prime members another shot at Prime Day-like pricing on electronics, clothing, and other goods. Having two Prime Days a year opens up more opportunities for shoppers to save, but it also introduces a few issues that change the holiday shopping landscape.
This year the October event is back, under yet another new name: Prime Big Deal Days. It’s expected to be bigger than ever.
Prices won’t get lower the longer you wait
Believe it or not, most of the pricing on deals you see right now and during Amazon’s Big Deal Days sale are going to be the exact same prices you see come Black Friday. Sure, there may be a few surprises that you don’t expect, but the reality of the situation is that most retailers are already offering theirbest dealsright now — they just aren’t saying it’s a Black Friday deal yet. The holiday shopping season starts earlier and earlier each year, and that’s because retailers want you to start shopping earlier.
It’s safe to treat the upcoming second Prime Day as essentially the start of Amazon’s Black Friday sale. While you may not see the Big Deal Days or Black Friday banners on their site all season long, you’ll see many of the same deals on both of these events, and some will even stick around between the two.
Earlier sales mean you may miss out
Since shoppers are buying earlier, there’s the possibility that a deal you’re looking at or waiting for could become unavailable sooner due to stock issues and shipping delays. This is one of the side effects of starting these holiday sales earlier. you may get a good deal well before Black Friday even begins, but if it’s a good enough deal shoppers will jump on it quickly and inventory will sell out long before Thanksgiving. This is a big reason why waiting for Black Friday sales isn’t the best idea anymore.
Plus, shipping issues have more recently become prevalent during holiday sales, and there’s always the possibility that an item won’t make it to your doorstep in time for Christmas if you wait too long. The earlier you shop, the better chance you have of both finding a good deal and receiving it in a timely manner.
So, should you wait for Black Friday to buy?
While there’s always the possibility of better deals showing up during Black Friday, that chance is dwindling year by year. Now, it’s best to start shopping for deals and buying as early as possible, since doing so can help you avoid some major headaches. Many of the deals you’ll find during Amazon’s Prime Day sale next week, for example, will probably be at their best price already. So skipping out and waiting for deeper Black Friday discounts may hinder more than it helps.
That’s why we’re already rounding up the best deals onphones,wearables,tablets, and more, so if you have a tech purchase in mind then it’s already time to start deal-hunting.
Plus, here’s a little tip for those unsure about shopping too early: take a look at return policies while you browse. Some retailers extend their return windows during the holiday shopping season to give shoppers a chance to return any unwanted items. Buy early, and if you do happen to see a better price on a deal around Black Friday, return it and re-buy at the lower price if the return window is still open.
