Black Friday in Ukraine: How to avoid fake discounts and save money.

On November 25th, the world, including Ukraine, will celebrate Black Friday, a day when shoppers can easily get lost in a sea of offers and end up spending more than they intended. Here are a few tips to help you make smart purchases and avoid falling for marketers' tricks:

Shop online to think things through

Online shopping can save you both time and money, as it allows you to compare prices and products easily. There are also price comparison websites that gather and display the lowest prices from various online stores. For example, Price.ua and Mastercen.ua.

Track prices

Don’t fall for “crazy discount” traps — many sellers tend to inflate prices right before Black Friday. Then, on the big day, they cross out the inflated price and display the regular one. This creates the illusion that you are saving money, but that’s not the case.

Use price tracking tools to ensure that the discount is legitimate. For example, you can monitor prices using price aggregators like Hotline, Pricer24 (paid), and Minderest (which has a free demo version).

Start making a wish list in advance

If you buy something at a great price but realize you don’t actually need it, that’s not a bargain; it’s money wasted. Saving money starts with creating a wish list.

Write down everything you need or want, along with their prices. This way, you won’t go overboard on Black Friday, buying items just because they have a red price tag.

Register for an account on retail websites in advance and add your desired items to your cart.

Ignore trackers and trigger phrases

Learn to recognize the fear of missing out (FOMO) tactics, which often appear as countdown timers and phrases implying limited time offers.

These phrases are designed to tap into your subconscious and pressure you into hasty purchases:

• Offer expires soon
• Don’t miss out
• Limited-time offer
• Only today
• Free.

Beware of hidden costs

Online shopping from foreign stores can be a great way to snag items at good prices. However, keep in mind the taxes: customs duties on items valued over 150 euros will include a 10% import duty on the amount exceeding 150 euros and a 20% VAT on the total cost of shipments over 150 euros.

Don’t forget to factor in shipping costs, which postal operators charge based on weight, and sometimes include a commission on the total purchase amount.

Don’t forget about Cyber Monday

Some of the best deals may be on Cyber Monday, December 2nd, which kicks off the sale season. So don’t rush to buy everything on Black Friday.

Earlier, "Telegraph" reported that a Kyiv resident scammed 28 people out of a million hryvnias by promising discounts at "Epicenter".