Between countdowns, red banners and “last pieces”, Black Friday encourages impulsive purchasing. But with a few precautions you can avoid digital traps and turn Black Friday into real savings.
Every year, when Black Friday arrives, you are catapulted into a huge amusement park, especially digital: lights, countdowns, red banners, ads promising “unrepeatable discounts” and “last pieces”. According to Altroconsumo, over 8 out of 10 Italians will make purchases, spending 222 euros each. But almost everyone asks themselves, as they click or buy in physical stores: “Am I really getting a bargain?”. Black Friday is a game of strategy. Those who face it with clarity bring home real opportunities. Anyone who rushes in risks filling their cart… and emptying their wallet. Here’s how to equip yourself to buy well, truly saving and reducing risks to a minimum.
Understand if a site is really reliable
The first piece of advice is simple but fundamental: check where you are buying. Altroconsumo reminds you that a reliable site must have the protocol https and very clear information on the identity of the seller, from the VAT number to the landline telephone number. Too many sites that appear only during sales then disappear into thin air, especially those with domains similar to the originals or with texts full of errors. Another red flag are pages full of invasive pop-ups or artificial-looking images: signals that invite caution.
Read what we don’t usually read before buying online
Return terms, legal guarantee, delivery times: they are the least fascinating part of shopping, but the one that makes the difference between a deal and a disaster. Omar Bragantini, entrepreneur and author of The art of doing e-commerce, reminds us that today a 40% discount can hide expensive shipments, paid returns or non-existent assistance. And when something goes wrong, no chatbot can replace a real voice that solves the problem. Looking for an active telephone number and human support is not fussiness: it is prudence.
The false price cutting online and in physical stores
Among the most widespread pitfalls is what the AGCM defines as a “false discount”: the price is raised weeks in advance, only to be artificially lowered during Black Friday. For this reason the legislation requires showing the price of the last 30 days. Cross-referencing multiple sources and comparing the figures on different sites takes a few minutes, but it allows you to understand if that -40% is real or just a marketing shortcut.
Prepare in advance
Bragantini insists on a key point: prepare for Black Friday first: “The offers start well before Black Friday. Signing up for the brands’ newsletters allows you to access reserved promotions, exclusive bundles and discounts for “early bird” customers. Waiting until the last minute, on the other hand, reduces the chances of finding what you are looking for.”
Slow down when the site wants you to run
The AGCM’s “Count to 10” decalogue invites us not to be carried away by haste. Timers ticking, text like “last 3 pieces,” screens showing “42 other users are looking at this product.” All psychological levers designed to generate purchasing anxiety.
Beware of packages that are too tempting
Kits can be convenient, but only if you really need everything in them. The discount on three items or the discount if you buy the one you’ve been eyeing, but only if you combine two other products… Be careful, otherwise the savings are fictitious: spending 60 euros on three items when you only need one is not a deal, it’s just an extra purchase.
Control what will happen after the click
During Black Friday, stocks run out and not all stores update their warehouses. It often happens that you buy an “available” product that will actually arrive after weeks, perhaps too late for Christmas. Before buying, it is worth checking the real delivery times, not those automatically declared.
Reviews remain a useful filter, but to be read with a critical spirit. The AGCM warns that comments that are too similar or excessively enthusiastic may be inauthentic. Better to look for detailed opinions, compare different sources, check any reports on forums and dedicated platforms.
Understanding (and dismantling) the psychology of discounts
Black Friday is not just a time of shopping, but it is also a narrative built on desire. Black Friday banners and messages are designed to stimulate the areas of the brain linked to rewards, creating anticipation and emotionally predisposing to purchase through the priming. Brands focus on the narrative of profit, making the consumer feel intelligent and privileged rather than simply discounted. Mental simulation, seeing a product already in use, anticipates the gratification of possession. The community effect, then, is decisive: knowing that “everyone is buying” makes us feel part of something. “The consumer has not become more rational: he has become more selective. He doesn’t buy less, he buys with more sense. The real transformation is not in the carts, but in the way we desire. After years in which the market pushed us to want everything immediately, today we look for value, trust and belonging. Every purchase choice tells us who we are and what we believe in” explains Luna Mascitti, expert in neuromarketing and storytelling and founder of Mio Cugino ADV. And this, understanding and dismantling the psychology of discounts, is another antidote to scams…
