For many bargain-hungry shoppers, Black Friday is the period to look forward to. According to the Research and Development Unit of Yudala (www.yudala.com), Nigeria’s pioneer online and offline e-commerce outfit; Black Friday, traditionally the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States has grown into a worldwide shopping festival.

Here in Nigeria, the case is not different.

With the increasing popularity of commerce and proliferation of e-commerce sites all competing for the attention of price-sensitive shoppers, Black Friday has become unarguably the most anticipated sales activity in the country

Amid promises of huge discounts and massive deals falling on consumers, the anticipation among shoppers often reaches fever-pitch during this period as Black Friday is generally seen as the best time to shop. For the unsuspecting shopper, it is worth stating, nevertheless, that shopping during Black Friday comes with a certain level of caveat emptor –  loosely translated as the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.

Yudala shares useful tips to guide you through the Black Friday shopping fiesta.

1. Make a list: To get the best out of the mad rush that characterizes Black Friday in Nigeria, preparation is key. Creating a list of the items you need will not help you get a sense of what you want; it will also go a long way in ensuring you gather some critical intelligence on the items you want to purchase which will save you time in the long run. If a deep freezer or 54-inch TV, for instance, are among your most sought-after possessions, the act of including them in a list would naturally see you do some research among the major players to understand which models are in vogue, current prices for the specific choices you desire and the likely discounts or bundles that will come with Black Friday.

2.Draw up a budget: This may sound easy but a lot of shoppers often miss out on this simple rule. It is important to develop a budget to guide your Black Friday shopping. Working with a pre-determined list of items and budget will ensure you do not fall into the trap of impulse buying which may see you end up with items you do not necessarily need, while missing out on the essential ones you require. This is not to rule out the occasional sweet deal or an irresistible bundled offer you may go out of your way to grab. Having a budget, however, undoubtedly gives you a focus which helps you get the best out of Black Friday.

3.Sign up to the Platform: Preparation will help you get the early and best deals; which is why it is important to sign up to newsletters and social media platforms to stay in the loop and get the latest news on the special offers for Black Friday. With this, you will get regular updates on all the exciting deals on desired products in the lead up and during the campaign.

4.Quality matters: Black Friday is often a time for a massive push from various e-commerce platforms all seeking to get a slice of the shopping pie. A number of grey or sub-standard products also find their way into the mix, especially from e-commerce outfits without a clear products sourcing channel or those who work with an infinite number of middlemen. To ensure your fingers do not get burnt, it is best to stick to a platform that offers you guaranteed genuine products and that is willing to stake its reputation on that.

5.Seeing and touching works better than just seeing: To get the best out of Black Friday, it is very important to get a chance to see, touch and experience the product(s) you wish to buy before parting with your hard-earned money. You can check out the items online and then visit the offline store to see it physically before completing the purchase process. This works better than just relying on the online version which may not be the same thing you get when delivered. Often it is best to shop with an e-commerce platform that offers you a chance to see, touch, experience the product and get useful feedback from staff on after-sales support and other issues rather than an impersonal online-only platform.

6.Self-fulfil, if possible: For many, Black Friday comes with sad tales of long delays, unfulfilled deliveries and canceled orders. To avoid falling a victim, it is best to shop from an e-commerce platform with a physical offline store where you can self-fulfil or choose to personally pick up your item. While others are lamenting the items they failed to get, you will be one of the few savvy shoppers smiling and wishing that Black Friday never ends.