Are Black Friday savings real?
I am not a fan of the Black Friday hype, and what really bothers me is people getting themselves into unreasonable debt for Black Friday “savings”.
This often turns out to be just marketing tricks to make you think you are getting something for cheaper, when actually you are not.
Often prices are inflated, only to be “lowered” for Black Friday, with no real savings benefit to consumers.
Every year, scores of South Africans take to social media to show their dissatisfaction with what many term “Black Friday scams” – yet every year, people swipe their store cards and credit cards like plastic ninjas and some even take out loans to get things “on sale”.
I am not telling you to not spend money or not to buy things.
If you have the extra cash, or need an item or have saved up for something special, then by all means go for it.
My concern is that retailers use Black Friday specials and expert marketing to lure us into buying things we don’t need, in a time when we can least afford to be doing so.
This year, Black Friday falls on November 25.
Yet, most stores have already started advertising “sales and savings” at the beginning of November, as there now seems to be a shift from one day Black Friday shopping, to November being Black Friday Month.
One thing is guaranteed – if you are not paying cash for an item, then there is no way you are getting a bargain.
When buying on your credit card or using funds from an overdraft or personal loan, take the interest rate and repayment amounts into account.
Then weigh it up against the “savings” you are getting on an item.
Buying an item on your credit card or from a personal loan usually makes the item more expensive than the original price, because of the high interest rates on credit cards and personal loans.
If you look at buying a TV for R5 000 – you will probably end up paying closer to R7 000 if you use your credit card and even double the price if you take out a personal loan to fund your purchases.
You simply have to ask yourself if this makes sense, especially for luxury items.
However, when it comes to necessities, and specifically when you can buy in bulk (and you have the cash in hand) it can be beneficial to take advantage of specials.
I am certain that we will still see a further rise in fuel prices, food, interest rates and everything else in the coming months.
Times are tough and the struggle is real.
Undoubtedly, every rand saved on a “special” helps, but be careful not to succumb to the retail advertising hype and madness that can leave you spending money that you don’t have.
We need to play our role in stimulating the economy, but not at the expense of our own personal and financial well-being.
If you are already struggling to make your debt repayments and don’t have enough money available for everyday living expenses, then the rule is simple – if you didn’t need it before it went on sale, you don’t need it when it goes on sale.
But now, let’s look at something positive.
MTN Cavendish is service with a smile and definitely makes for a more pleasant experience.
Different things are important to different people. I am someone to whom service is very important.
It’s not even about what someone is trying to sell me, but more about their attitude when they are doing it.
I was due for an upgrade to my cellphone contract with MTN.
Over the years (like many of us) I have had my fair share of run-ins with salespeople who have made me want to scream blue murder.
I dread these interactions so much that it took me six weeks after the date of my upgrade was due, to even venture into an MTN store.
Luckily for me, I went into MTN Cavendish (an MTN franchise store) and was assisted by a friendly young man called Daniel Braaf.
This guy was genuinely enthusiastic about what he was selling me.
When they didn’t have stock of what I wanted and another salesperson tried selling me what was in stock, Daniel took it upon himself to find me what I wanted.
He was honest and told me it might take a few days, which it did.
But this outjie kept me updated every day, and when the handset I wanted did arrive, he let me know without being pushy.
When I went to get the phone, there were a few issues I had about the contract, the billing and the handset.
To be honest – he didn’t know all the answers, and he told me that. Which was refreshing.
He didn’t bullsh!t me, he rather said: “I don’t know – let me please find out.”
Like I said though, he did all of this with a constant smile on his face and with a happy, sincere and enthusiastic attitude.
That made my shopping experience at MTN Cavendish a pleasant one, and will be the reason I go back there.
Maybe it’s because I am getting older and more tired, but I really don’t appreciate bad luck, or even worse, arrogant salespeople who think they are doing me a favour.
I am not for one minute saying all salespeople are crappy – I am just describing my personal joy at having a friendly, customer-centric salesperson like Daniel Braaf from MTN to deal with on this cellphone upgrade.
Good service matters and counts. Businesses will see that in their bottom line.