Every year, when November arrives, the Black Friday rush kicks off. Adverts everywhere, online carts filling up, and the feeling that if you don't buy right now, you're missing the deal of a lifetime. Many people find themselves in front of an "unmissable" offer and wonder: am I really saving, or am I falling into a trap?
Why do we fall for the discount trap?
Discounts aren't just numbers: they're built to play on our emotions. Urgency ("today only"), scarcity ("last items left") and comparison ("-50% off the original price") push us to act on impulse.
According to the Politecnico di Milano's B2C eCommerce Observatory, in 2023, 60% of Italians bought something during Black Friday, spending an average of around €250. But many of those purchases weren't planned. This shows that Black Friday can help you save, but it often becomes a risk for your wallet if you get carried away by the excitement. And offers aren't always genuine: Altroconsumo has shown that in several cases prices are inflated before the discount, so they look more attractive than they really are. That's why some caution and a more rational approach are needed.
How do you approach Black Friday with a clear head?
Black Friday isn't the absolute enemy, but it does need managing.
The first rule is to set a budget and stick to it. If you know in advance what you want to buy, a good savings exercise is to set the money aside beforehand. The second is to make a list of what you actually need: a good method is to check price history with apps and comparison tools, so you can tell whether a discount is real. There are several apps, some free, that track the price of products you've saved, helping you avoid getting "ripped off". It's also worth remembering that sometimes it pays to wait for seasonal sales or Cyber Monday: some product categories drop further there.
Finally, there's an angle worth highlighting: Black Friday can be the right moment to invest in yourself. Subscriptions to courses, work tools or personal growth resources are purchases that don't "take" from the budget, but add value.
A now-structural phenomenon
In Italy, as elsewhere, Black Friday has grown enormously. ISTAT recorded a 12% increase in retail sales in November 2023, a sign that the Black Friday effect is now structural. This also means that more and more households are bringing Christmas purchases or major expenses forward, turning November into a crucial month for family budgets.
The risk isn't Black Friday itself, but the lack of awareness: without personal rules, it turns into an avalanche of spending. With a strategy, instead, it can lighten the cost of purchases you'd have made anyway.
Glossary
- Cyber Monday: the Monday following Black Friday, dedicated to discounts especially on electronics and online purchases.
- Retail: the direct sale of goods to consumers. Example: clothing or electronics shops.
- Budget: a pre-set spending limit. Creating a budget means deciding in advance how much you can spend without eating into your savings.
Black Friday can be the ghost of consumerism or a real resource: it all depends on how you approach it. Next time you're faced with an "unmissable" offer, it's worth asking: is this a real bargain, or just an illusion?
