Black Friday: When is it this year – What you need to know, what to watch out for –

After the summer sales, the shops wrap up the machines for Black Friday, also known as Black Friday and is usually defined on the fourth Friday of November, right after Thanksgiving in the US.

For 2024, the Black Friday will take place on Friday, November 29.

Black Friday και Black Week

However, Black Friday in Greece has expanded into a whole week of deals, known as “Black Week».

The same is expected to happen this year as well, with stores starting their promotions from Monday, November 25, rather than just Friday, November 29.

It is worth noting that this year, as in previous years, the November midterm sales will not take placewhich allows small and large businesses to offer bigger discounts sooner.

Shopping on Black Friday

The majority of Greek consumers intend to shop during Black Friday sales (77% compared to 70% in all countries overall), while 70% already have a clear shopping plan for this period, compared to 68% in all countries in total.

Ten tips

The Consumer Advocate and the European Consumer Center of Greece give advice to those who intend to make purchases on these days:

1. We pay attention to the availability of the products: Sometimes, behind a very low price hides a rather long waiting time for delivery, which may not always satisfy our immediate needs.
2. Ewe confirm the correctness and honesty of the discounted price offered: Sometimes, it happens that discounts are fictitious and trick us. We identify and consult tools that are available online and show us over time the evolution of the prices of the products we are interested in. We also note the prices of the products before and after applying any discounts, so that we can easily compare them afterwards and thus know if it actually exists and what our true financial benefit is.
3. We prefer to process payment by cash on delivery or electronic means, which give us the possibility to dispute an electronic transaction afterwards, if it turns out to be problematic. We avoid full payment of products by bank deposit before delivery, unless we have complete confidence in the reputation and commercial reputation of the seller.
4. When we buy remotely, we make sure that on the merchant’s website all the legal identification details are listed (eg its trading name) and contact (full postal address of establishment). For even greater security, we look for additional identifying information, such as registration number in the General Commercial Register and VAT number.
5. We include any indirect costs in the final purchase price of the products (e.g. cost of cash on delivery, transport, insurance, etc.) so that we have a complete picture of our actual financial burden.
6. We submit as soon as possible after receiving a product and, in any case, within the legal period of 3 days to the postal company that carried out performance with our reservations for any obvious damages, since they may have been caused during transport and we are entitled to compensation. We definitely contact the store of sale as soon as possible, in order to investigate the possibility that a product was damaged or damaged in the first place (before transport).
7. We are informed about the transaction cancellation policy and product returns implemented by the stores we deal with. We are well aware that the rights of withdrawal in distance purchases, as well as the free rectification or replacement of defective products, are established consumer rights guaranteed by law, and we are not swayed by false and misleading claims by sellers that they are supposedly privileged – unique and additional benefits.
8. We strongly take issue with prices that are too lowespecially when their scope is quite far from the usual competition for the respective products or when it comes to advertising listings of products exclusively on social media, as there is a serious risk of deception.
9. If we buy online from third parties (non-European Union) countries, since Black Friday is an international discount event, we are well aware in advance that imported products incur customs clearance fees, which may be multiples of the original price and significantly burden it.
10. We show a particular preference for stores who voluntarily undertake to resolve a consumer dispute amicably through the institution of out-of-court resolution (e.g. through the Consumer Ombudsman), as in this way the rights of consumers acquire greater value and are further secured.

Consumer rights

• The right to withdraw and return the product in online markets within 14 days from the date of its receipt.
• In the event of a defective or different product from what the consumer has ordered, the seller is obliged to replace it at his own expense or refund the amount.
• The product warranty. The duration of the legal guarantee is two years.

Consumers should also look for other guarantees in combination, such as:

• The full details of the company are posted on the store’s website (Company name, headquarters, postal and electronic (email) address, VAT number, contact numbers (which should be landline and not mobile), GEMI registration number),
• Alternative payment methods. Prefer cash on delivery or prepaid cards. Especially the bank deposit, if it appears as an exclusive method of payment and if, at the same time, the merchant is required to discount the entire amount of the purchase, it should be of particular concern to consumers and make them extremely hesitant,
• Not to observe a large number of spelling and grammatical/syntax errors in important texts of the company’s website (e.g. in the product descriptions, in the terms of use or in the personal data policy), which are an indication of sloppiness, but also of fraudulent intentions,
• Carefully read the terms of use of the online store before making a purchase or ask about the store’s policy, when it is a physical store, in case of returning the product,
• In the event that the business does not deliver the product on time, remember that debit or credit card transactions offer substantial safeguards for consumers in the event of a cancellation of the transaction. Conversely, payment by deposit into the supplier’s bank account should be avoided.
• Check your order. If the delivered product does not correspond to the order or is damaged, the seller is responsible. Always keep all possible evidence, such as photos and payment receipts, so that you can prove the problem if necessary. In the event that you notice a defect within 30 days, you have the option to alternatively request: a. a new product, b. refund, c. price reduction (proportional to lack of conformity), d. product repair.