For all you bargain hunters preparing to “shop ‘til you drop” on Black Friday, we’ve put together a handy guide to surviving the day and given you the low-down on where to find the biggest savings in the borough.
Boasting three sizeable shopping centres including Westfield and Gallions Reach, Newham has become something of a shopping mecca for east London. All the more reason to get out amongst it and do your bit for the economy on Friday.
Imported from our American cousins, Black Friday has become a klaxon sounding the start of the consumer rush in the lead-up to Christmas.
Last year UK shoppers spent £810m in a single day while this year is tipped to be the first time consumers rack up £1bn in 24 hours.
But the sales bonanza, traditionally held on the first day after Thanksgiving, isn’t without its drawbacks.
In the US, scuffles over a bargain are regularly caught on film and posted unceremoniously online. Last year even we Brits got into skirmishes, with one rather infamous incident over a flatscreen TV at an Asda supermarket in our great city.
With that in mind here are the Recorder’s tips to surviving Black Friday and nabbing the best deals. Please undertake at your own risk.
• BYOB. That’s bring your own bags. You’re out for savings, not to rack up a small fortune on plastic sacks you don’t need. And let’s face it, that 48inch curved LED TV has bag for life written all over it. Be smart and bring them with.
• Wear layers. You’re going to be dealing with that most first world of problems, going from the freezing cold in your “active outdoor” wear into a fully heated shopping paradise. The ability to lose layers will be paramount.
• Know what you want. The best bargains are the ones where you make a saving on something you actually wanted and didn’t just buy because it was super cheap. Buy it because you want it or need it, otherwise leave it.
• Get up early (or stay up late). Most stores will be opening a lot earlier than usual, some throw open their doors at midnight, so to get what you want you’re going to have to lose sleep. See our opening times list below.
• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water, it’s going to be hard work hauling all those new gadgets back home.
• Know your own mind. Avoid the mob mentality and remember that just because a group of you are doing it doesn’t make it right. Be true to yourself.
• Take care of each other. Nobody deserves to have their day ruined by someone who is thinking only of themselves. Respect others and they should respect you too.
• Report incidents to staff and police. If you do see any criminal acts, be sure to report the incident to staff and the police.
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