‘Don’t fall for impulse buys’: How to beat Black Friday fatigue, according to the experts

Have a game plan

The best way to avoid succumbing to flash sales and ending up with what you don’t want is to figure out what you actually need.

RMIT University senior marketing lecturer Dr Marian Makkar recommended pinpointing particular products. “Write down the normal (non-sale) price, and ignore everything else. Then track only those items,” she said. “If the discount is real, you’ll see it. If the sale is fake (and many are), it’ll be obvious.”

Don’t fall for the psychological triggers like “only two left!” and sometimes-inflated “was” prices designed to create a sense of urgency, she added.

“Focus only on what you planned and avoid other nudges. Consumers who pre-commit like this save more because they don’t fall for impulse buys created by behavioural design.”