Shoppers Warned To Be Savvy Ahead Of Black Friday

East Riding shoppers are being urged to be cautious and to think where they are buying from as they search for bargains in the run up to Christmas.

The warning comes from East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s trading standards officers as retailers gear up for Black Friday, which this year will take place on Friday, 25 November and sees retailers appear to reduce their prices to entice customers.

For those shopping online, officers are asking people to check the website they are buying from is a reputable one so if there are any issues after the purchase you can be sure of getting them resolved.

If people are buying from a website, they should check there is a postal address listed on the site plus when going to make a payment, secure sites will display a padlock in the bottom right-hand corner.

For those shopping on the high street, people should be vigilant about the quality of goods on offer in “pop-up” shops as they are unlikely to be around after the Christmas period and if an item is faulty there is no way of getting the item replaced or refunded.

Councillor Shaun Horton, portfolio holder for community involvement and local partnerships at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said:

“Shopping can be part of the fun of Christmas but people do need to be aware of who and where they are buying from.”

“The retailers, both online and on the high street, drastically reduce their prices in order to entice customers but I would ask shoppers to stop and think before they part with their money and ensure what they are buying is really a bargain and if there are any problems, is it a reputable company who will give good after-sales care.”

Colin Briggs, trading standards manager at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said:

“On Black Friday and the days after, retailers want people to part with their money which is why they appear to drastically reduce their prices but shoppers need to stop and ask themselves if they really need what they are about to buy.”

“The item is only a bargain if it is something you actually need and were going to buy anyway.
“But rather than getting lured in by the lower prices, shoppers should do their homework before they start buying goods and if there is a special, expensive item on the list, use comparison websites to find the best price from a reputable company.”

“There is nothing worse than giving someone a present on Christmas Day that has been bought as a bargain only to find it doesn’t work or is faulty and there is no way of getting in touch with the company to get it fixed or get your money back.”