Is Black Friday losing its popularity?
“I think you’re going to see a lot more shopping online and people going out and taking their time doing their shopping without those pre-lineups,” says Jeff Novak, branding director for RedFlagDeals.com, a website for Canadians showcasing shopping deals across the country.
Still, Novak is predicting some good deals come Black Friday. He expects savings on earlier versions of the Apple Watch and GoPro models along with attractive deals from giant online retailer Amazon.
Black Friday: Will it be worth the trip?
“You are going to see some really great Amazon prime deals this year as well as discounts on electronics, video game systems, video game bundles, and televisions,” he said.
As for heading south of the border, the U.S. does offer deep discounts and selection, but keep in mind the exchange rate.
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Stephen Fine from CrossBorderShopping.ca recommends staying 48 hours in the U.S. to take advantage of the $800 duty free allowance. He also encourages shoppers to visit mall websites and individual retailers where money-saving coupons can be found.
If you buy big-ticket items down south, read the fine print when it comes to returning items and warranties.
“Whether or not they will honour the warranty because we are Canadians, they may or may not and there could be some external policies around that,” says Scott Hannah with the Credit Counselling Society.