Retailers are exaggerating Black Friday sales, and it’s working.

The number of people shopping between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber ​​Monday could hit a record this year, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey.

However, that doesn’t mean consumers will get the lowest prices of the season.

According to WalletHub’s 2024 Best Things to Buy on Black Friday report, 41% of items at major retailers offer no savings compared to their pre-Black Friday prices.

The items on sale are marked down an average of 24%. The site compared Black Friday advertising to prices on Amazon earlier this fall.

“Some Black Friday deals are misleading as retailers may mark up original prices to make an offer appear cheaper,” said consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch.

According to RJ Cross, a campaign director at PIRG, a nonprofit consumer advocacy research group, such tactics can create buying pressure even when the discount isn’t that great.

Other common tricks include showing the number of shoppers with the same item in their cart or warning that a product is almost sold out. PIRG also discovered that some sellers on Etsy are using fake countdown timers for listings that don’t expire.

Etsy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“These stunts are not limited to the holidays. Retailers and advertisers are always trying to get you to buy more than you need and spend more than you want,” Cross said in a statement.

This year in particular, some of the offerings are already as good as they can be.

“This holiday season has been watered down a bit because retailers want to maximize sales days,” said Adam Davis, managing director at Wells Fargo Retail Finance.

“You’ll easily see 20 to 30% off,” Davis said — but “not necessarily storewide.”

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Lauren Beitelspacher, a professor of marketing at Babson College, said some discounts could be as high as 50%, depending on the retailer.

However, premium brands — including high-end activewear companies like Nike, Alo or Lululemon — are unlikely to discount more than 30%, she said. “It’s a good balance between maintaining premium brand integrity and offering promotions.”

To that end, retailers will also try to entice shoppers to purchase with incentives, such as a free gift card with a minimum purchase, Woroch said. “Many stores also offer bonus rewards if you spend a certain amount on Black Friday.”

Typically, Black Friday is a great time to find fall clothing—including flannels, jeans, coats, and accessories—as well as televisions and consumer electronics at rock-bottom prices.

But hold off on beauty and shoes, which are usually better buys on Cyber ​​Monday, Woroch said.

For those planning a trip, “Travel Tuesday” can be a good time to score discounts on airfares, cruises and travel packages. Many hotels offer 20 to 30% discounts on the best available rates. Travelers can check out Travel Tuesday deals starting in 2023 to get an idea of ​​what to expect this year.

For toys, it might be worth holding out until the last two weeks of December, and Christmas decorations are cheaper in the last few days before Christmas or immediately after, according to Woroch.

Exercise equipment, bedding and linens tend to be marked down more heavily during January’s white sales, she said, and furniture and mattress deals are often better than other holiday weekends throughout the year, such as Presidents’ Day and Memorial Day weekends and Labor Day.

Woroch recommends using a price tracking browser extension like Honey or Camelizer to keep an eye on price changes and alert you when a price drops. Honey also scans for valid coupon codes.

If you’re shopping in person, use the ShopSavvy app to compare prices. If an item costs less at another store or on a popular website, the retailer often matches the price, Woroch said.

Plus, there are plenty of discounts: Combining credit card rewards with coupon codes and a cashback site like CouponCabin.com will give you money back on these purchases. Then, use the Fetch app to take photos of your receipts and earn points that you can use at retailers like: B. can be redeemed for gift cards Walmart, Goal And Amazon.

Finally, experts urge consumers to pay attention to price adjustment measures.

“If an item you purchase on Black Friday is offered at a lower price shortly afterward, you may be able to request a price adjustment,” Woroch said. Some retailers, like Target, have cross-season policies that may apply to purchases made through December 25th.