Be careful when shopping

How online retailers trick you on Black Friday

It's not just online platforms such as Amazon that offer great deals around Black Friday, which many consumers use to do their Christmas shopping.

(Bild: ©daviles - stock.adobe.com)

Beware of "Black Friday" offers. The Consumer Protection Agency of the Province of Burgenland advises caution when shopping online. The surprises can often be nasty and expensive.

Hunting for bargains on the Internet can often turn into expensive fun for customers. November 29th is "Black Friday" again and then online platforms lure shoppers - usually for the whole week - with unbeatable offers and tempting discounts.

Fraudsters on the move
However, Black Friday Week is also the heyday of fraudsters who want to get rich with fake online stores. According to the Department for Consumer Protection, it definitely pays to check reviews to determine whether a provider is reputable or not. Retailers who raise prices before "Black Friday" in order to offer their customers a special discount afterwards are particularly brazen. Psychological tricks are also used to encourage people to make hasty purchases.

When shopping online, don't be taken by surprise by ads such as 'Only 1 piece available' or 'Limited quantity'.

Landeshauptmann-Stv. Astrid Eisenkopf

Bild: zVg

Compare prices
To check whether the discount offers are actually a bargain, consumer protection experts advise comparing prices on websites such as www.geizhals.at or www.idealo.at. Caution is advised here, especially in the electronics sector.

Previous models are often advertised with special discounts, for which a price reduction is planned after the shopping events anyway - the product is then available even cheaper weeks later. Attention should also be paid when online stores advertise "50 percent off everything", for example. The discounts often only apply to products selected by the retailer or certain product groups. On "Black Friday", existing offers are also excluded from a further discount.

Create a list
Clever shopping instead of falling for discount promotions can help customers save money. The art of online shopping also lies in finding the right offers. Drawing up a simple shopping list before Black Friday will not only save you money, but also the environment.