In a world where consumerism reigns supreme and the yuletide season approaches with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, we find ourselves on the precipice of the year’s most feverish shopping period. Retailers, those crafty purveyors of goods, dangle tantalizing promotions before our eyes, while we, the ever-eager consumers, hunt for bargains with the fervor of a bloodhound on the scent. But how, in this pre-Christmas madness, can one maintain a modicum of sanity and avoid falling prey to the siren song of dishonest offers? Let us embark on this inquiry with a healthy dose of skepticism.
The Shopping Zeitgeist
A staggering 64.2% of Poles surveyed by UCE Research intend to partake in the Black Friday discounts this year. It seems the masses are holding their wallets close, awaiting the promise of slashed prices.
Filip Zajdel, Head of Customer Success at Sparta Loyalty, offers this nugget of wisdom:
“Our research this year reveals that exceptional offers and promotions are the primary drivers of customer loyalty to a brand today. Far behind is the sense of security or good communication. Consumers expect significant discounts and are willing to postpone purchases for weeks to take advantage of special offers. Brands are acutely aware of this and tailor their promotions not only to the calendar but increasingly to individual buyer preferences – provided they have access to data from loyalty programs or e-commerce tools.”
Shop with Your Head, Not Your Heart
In the maelstrom of discounts associated with Black Week and Cyber Monday, one might easily fall for promotions that are, in fact, nothing more than smoke and mirrors. Reductions that exist only on product labels or artificially inflated prices from which discounts are calculated – such practices continue to plague the marketplace. How, then, can one maintain rationality and select sensible offers?
- Remember Omnibus
Since January 2023, Poland has been under the aegis of the Omnibus directive, a valiant attempt to protect consumer rights. Its most visible manifestation is the requirement to display the lowest price of a product in the last 30 days. This practice allows one to assess whether a promotion is genuinely prepared for a specific occasion and how much the discounted price differs from the everyday one.
Filip Zajdel adds, with a touch of optimism that borders on naivety:
“Thanks to Omnibus, consumers can assess for themselves whether a given promotion is worthwhile. However, they must remember this obligation of the seller. If there is no information about the lowest price of the product in the last 30 days on the label, it’s better to forgo the purchase. Fortunately, shoppers are becoming increasingly aware of their rights, better educated, and treat the new way of marking the lowest price as a standard that should be required.”
- Verify the Store’s Credibility
In the vast wilderness of online shopping, it’s all too easy to succumb to a seemingly advantageous offer from an unknown seller. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with exploring new brands, it would be foolish not to verify the credibility of a store we’re hearing about for the first time before succumbing to its siren call.
- Beware of Short-Lived Promotions
It’s no secret that sellers employ various psychological techniques to entice consumers into making a purchase. One such ploy is the time-limited promotion. Under the pressure of a ticking clock, buyers are prone to making hasty, ill-considered decisions merely to avoid missing out on a perceived opportunity.
- Don’t Fall for Phishing
In this pre-holiday period, newsletters, emails, and social media posts touting special offers surprise no one. Cybercriminals, those digital parasites, are well aware of this and send out fake emails or SMS messages masquerading as legitimate communications from stores.
- Utilize Gift Cards and Loyal Customer Promotions
The promotions associated with Black Week also present an excellent opportunity to use gift cards that have been accumulating dust. Thanks to lower prices, one can stretch these cards further, acquiring more goods for the same nominal value.
In conclusion, while Black Week and pre-Christmas shopping offer a chance to fulfill desires and acquire products at lower prices, it’s crucial to approach these promotions and special offers with a healthy dose of skepticism. By resisting the siren call of emotion and maintaining a rational approach, we might just emerge from this consumerist frenzy with both our purchases and our dignity intact.
