The annual shopping frenzy has once again rolled around, leaving our pockets, and their shelves ravaged. Black Friday deals have drawn us in like moths to a flame, but people have started to lift the veil and realized it may all just be a scam.
Videos by Wide Open Country
This year, Adobe Analytics reported that US shoppers spent a phenomenal $10.8 billion on Black Friday. Consumers flocked in their thousands to various shops, piling electronics, homeware, and more into their trolleys.
Of course, this kick-off to the festive season is so popular due to the reported discounts that mark the day. However, some sharp-eyed shoppers are starting to realize that that whole Black Friday discount deal may be a scam. Who would have thought it?
Videos have begun to surface showing shoppers sliding the Black Friday prices away, only to discover the same ones beneath. In some cases, the older prices are actually cheaper than the Black Friday scam deals. Outlets such as Home Depot and Target are under fire this year.
Black Friday Is A Well Known Scam
The videos showing the scam haven't surprised many people. It isn't hard to fact-check the various 'deals' that come during the shopping frenzy. Several people have spoken out about it, confirming the fraud.
A viral video shows one customer discovering the same price under the new "holiday deal" price at Home Depot. One person commented, "So true. I just went to Walmart and did the same thing. Price tag behind was same as black Friday tag supposedly Sale- why Walmart Why."
One retail employee noted how they often had to replace old signs with new, identical ones, before Black Friday. "I worked at what was a major well-known department store back in the late 70s. Nothing has changed. Prices would be increased about a month before Black Friday, then the "sale" prices would kick in. Those sale prices were regular retail before the temporary increase. The difference is we didn't have the internet to price check, we had the big printed flyers in newspapers for Black Friday and the holiday season."
This trick has seemingly been in play for significantly longer than people realize. The whole Black Friday scam is just a way to pull in crowds and create a consumerist feeding frenzy. But now, we have even more ways to check pricing and deals.
One person gives a tip on how you can check just how much you're realistically getting off on Black Friday. "I literally had stuff in my Amazon cart that was cheaper 2 weeks before, then all of a sudden was "20-60% off," but really just $1-3 cheaper. Or the same price."
Simply fill your cart before the big event begins, and check the price. You can then note just how much they're really giving you off, or if it is all just a Black Friday $10.8 billion scam.
