Consumer advocacy group CHOICE has found another example of Black Friday sales not living up to their hype, following an earlier investigation into the popular sales which discovered that you can find bigger discounts at other times of the year.

“The Black Friday sales are really popular, but CHOICE’s research has shown that it might be better to hold onto your money and wait for another sale if you want the best deal,” says CHOICE Director of Campaigns, Erin Turner. 

CHOICE was recently tipped off by a Chemist Warehouse customer who noticed that the store’s prices on some items during the Black Friday sales were higher than before and after the sales period. 

During the Black Friday sales, prices jumped on three items in the customer’s shopping cart on the Chemist Warehouse website, as seen below.

“These constantly fluctuating prices and sales at Chemist Warehouse are really confusing for customers. It’s impossible to keep up with them and work out the best time to buy the product you’re after. This kind of behaviour is not what we want to see as regular practice from businesses,” says Turner. 

“The Chemist Warehouse prices also prove what CHOICE’s investigations have already found - the Black Friday price won’t always be the cheapest price on offer throughout the year. If you want a discount on something, you can likely find a better deal at another point in the year.

“With the Boxing Day sales coming up, it pays to have a look at prices across a number of retailers if there’s a particular item that you want to purchase. There’s a good chance that you’ll be able to find the same item for a cheaper price elsewhere,” says Turner.   

“You’ll likely be bombarded with ads in the next few weeks about Boxing Day and end of year sales. These sales are only a great deal if you grab something you really want at a great price. The best way to head into a sale is with a clear idea of the product you want at a price that’s fair.” 

Did you buy something on Black Friday only to see it appear cheaper later? Are you already excited about Boxing Day sales?