Black Friday is Coming! Mark your Calendar. This year it’s happening on the 25th of November 2022.
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is an annual event where retailers offer door-crashing deals and unbeatable prices on the year’s hottest items. The event originated in the States but has been adopted here in Canada as well by both shoppers and retailers. In my personal opinion, deals and discounts are better during Black Friday/Cyber Monday than during Boxing Day, the traditional day of discounted sales in Canada.
Do you need to go to the store for Black Friday deals?
Nah! No need! Don’t join the crowd. It’s not worth it. My personal preference is to shop online. With a few clicks of the mouse, you can snag deep discounts on everything from clothing and cosmetics to electronics and home goods.
With so many online retailers participating in Black Friday, it can be tough to know where to start your search for the best deals. Here are my recommendations.
The Best Websites To Find Black Friday Deals in Canada
1) RedFlagDeals
I’ve been a user of RedFlagDeals.com for quite awhile now. If you’re a discounts and deals junkie (like me), this is the site for you as it provides an easy way to find deals and save money.
Proudly made in Canada, the site provides users with information on sales, flyers, coupons and deals on a variety of products. It also has a forum where users can share deals (even offline!) they found in the wild to share with the RFD community. This is the feature of RFD that I liked the most.
Some example of deals I personally found here: Discounted Shaw Internet service with free phone lines, Koodo phone device deals (back in the days), Costco warehouse deals and many more.
RFD is not only good for finding deals during Black Friday but is quite good for finding deals all year round.
2) Amazon Canada
Amazon is always going to be one of those retailers that comes to mind when we talk about deals and discounts. That’s because they are quite aggressive at competing with everyone else in terms of price. In my observation, they’d always check prices of competitors like Best Buy and Walmart. When prices of certain items are discounted in Best Buy (for example), I’d see the same price at Amazon.
Honestly, I think Amazon is one of the top online retailer to shop during Black Friday season. You can’t just ignore them.
Tip: Before Black Friday season, Amazon would usually offer one month free trial of Amazon Prime. I would always take advantage of this and make sure that I sign up early November so I got Prime membership during Black Friday. Fast shipping is a great bonus. Just don’t forget to cancel before the one month is due.
3) BestBuy Canada
There is really just one electronic-focused retailer in Canada now and that is BestBuy (RIP Future Shop). I check BestBuy all the time if I plan to buy some electronics. But, would cross-check prices with Amazon, Costco or Staples.
My general rule of thumb for electronic purchases (assuming same or pretty close prices from the different retailers):
1. If I see it in Costco, I’d buy it there. So easy to return stuff here and for the extended warranty provided.
2. Next in line is Amazon.
3. Next is BestBuy.
4. Last is Staples. Staples is actually getting pretty good at delivering things fast and has good customer service. So, it might get bump up in the future if they keep up with the good work.
4) Use Keepa (A Chrome Extension)
Keepa is another tool that I use to look for deals and discounts. It is a browser (ex: Chrome) extension you can download for free. Note that like RFD site, Keepa is also useful all year round. There are two main features I like:
1) Price History – it allows me to see historical prices for the item and lets me know when the price is at its lowest.
2) Price Alerts (Tracker) – You can set up price alerts that will email you if the item’s price is lower or equal to the price you set.
Note that Keepa only works with Amazon. 🙁 So, this is most useful only for those who order from Amazon.
5) Rakuten Canada
Rakuten, formerly known as Ebates, is a cash back website that allows users to earn money back on their online purchases.
I’ve been with Rakuten for awhile as well as the cash back provides additional discounts to my (otherwise normal) online purchases. Sometimes, depending on the percentage of cash back they provide at the time of purchase, where I buy an item would change.
For example, if the cash back at Dell makes the total purchase price lower than if I purchase the same item at BestBuy then I’d buy the item at Dell instead.
Get $30 when you join Rakuten using my referral link here. Hurry $30 promo ends on Dec 31, 2022.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Black Friday Sales
1) Make a List based on Need/Want.
Get organized by making a list of items you want to purchase. This will assist you in making sure that you only buy the items you want to buy. You don’t want to overspend!
To remind – a Need – is something necessary or essential for you to function. a Want – is something you desire and would add comfort to your life. Prioritize the ‘Need’ before the ‘Want’.
Don’t be tempted by doorbuster deals that are NOT in your list. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of Black Friday shopping, but sticking to your list is really important.
2) Have a budget and stick to it
Again, don’t overspend. Know how much you’re willing to pay for an item and make sure to stick with it.
If you’re NOT sure how much you should spend, consider how much you can afford to put towards holiday gifts without putting yourself in financial hardship. Once you have a number in mind, commit to staying within that limit.
3) Check out pre-Black Friday offers
Nowadays, many stores start their full Black Friday sales in the week preceding Black Friday, with only a few new deals beginning on the actual day. So, if you see a good price during these pre-sales, jump on it especially if it is within your budget.
In most cases, hot items go out of stock rather quickly and may no longer be available on Black Friday itself.
4) Signup for newsletter savings
You may be eligible for additional discounts or free shipping if you sign up for a retailer’s email newsletter for the first time. Signing up could increase your Black Friday 2022 savings even more.
In addition, retailers would usually advertise their best deals first to subscribers of their newsletter.
5) Always compare prices from multiple retailers
Always compare prices. Don’t assume one store will always have the best prices.
For an example, Google devices can sometimes be cheaper if you buy them directly at Google’s store website itself rather than at BestBuy or Costco.
Bottom Line
There are a number of websites that offer great deals on a variety of products, and you can often find even better deals by shopping around. By doing your research and taking advantage of online resources, you can ensure that you get the best possible deals on Black Friday.