Black Friday 2022 is coming up fast, deal-seekers! And whether you’re looking to treat yourself or need to buy holiday gifts for friends and family, you’ll have plenty of sales to take advantage of.

While some areas may have returned to a pandemic version of normal this year, we’re dealing with another set of issues as the holiday approaches, from higher prices due to inflation to supply chain disruptions. More than ever, you’ll want to make the most of every minute of the Black Friday sales.

Check out our guide below on the five biggest Black Friday mistakes not to make in 2022. Then take a look at our other Black Friday guides, so you’ll be ready to score the best deals this year.

5 Ways You’re Doing Black Friday Wrong

You’re Skipping Black Friday

Sales happen year-round. White sales kick off the year, plenty of spring and summer events pop up, and then fall brings its own savings with Back to School, Labour Day, and more. So, you might be wondering, “Are Black Friday deals worth it? Is Black Friday really cheaper?”

The good news is Black Friday is absolutely worth all the hype. Almost everything you can think of goes on sale in some capacity, with the best discounts being 50% or higher. Even Apple items — which practically never go on sale — see significant discounts during Black Friday.

You’re Only Shopping on Black Friday

We often refer to Black Friday as if it’s only one day. While Black Friday technically is the day after Thanksgiving, the deal season has stretched to include much more than just those 24 hours. Most sales tend to start the week of Black Friday and continue through the weekend to the following week. And lots of people are beginning their Black Friday shopping even before then

Another factor could be the fact that last year, Black Friday was basically an entire month. We saw retailers rolling out special promotions during the whole month preceding Black Friday, which resulted in deals that were worth shopping for more than 30 days. Black Friday 2022 will fall on November 26, but we’re still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Many retailers seem to be using a strategy this year that’s similar to 2021’s, to cut down on the number of shoppers within physical stores.

You’re Not Planning for Black Friday Early Enough

Waiting for the Black Friday sales to begin before you start planning will only ensure you’re rushed when trying to complete your shopping. You could also end up spending more than you want to because you’ll be so worried about missing out on a deal. Now’s the time to at least start crafting your Black Friday strategy, especially with some retailers seeming to roll out their deals earlier than ever.

Spend time conducting price research. Then you can decide on your ideal price, and the maximum price you’re okay paying.

While not all the Black Friday ads have come out yet, at least make a list of what you’re hoping to buy during the big event. You have time to conduct research, specifically to see what kinds of price lows the different items have seen. Then you can determine what your ideal price is, as well as the maximum price you’re okay paying. And you can decide which stores you’ll want to shop at. Once you have that information figured out, hunting through the ads when they’re released will be that much easier.

You’re Assuming All Black Friday Deals Are Good Deals

We see thousands of deals every year during the Black Friday season, but that doesn’t mean they’re all worth shopping. Before you add any deal to your cart, take a moment to do a price check. If you’ve done the research laid out above, you should have a pretty good idea if the offer is at a good price. The point is, don’t snag something just because it’s listed as a Black Friday deal — make sure you’re getting the best price before you buy.

You’re Ignoring Black Friday Doorbuster Deals

Stores are always trying to entice shoppers with Black Friday doorbusters that are short-lived but really awesome offers. Normally, these promotions are only available on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, but this year, big stores like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy will be closed on Thanksgiving. So what will that mean for doorbusters? And are early Black Friday deals worth it?

When you see new Black Friday ads drop, take a few minutes to check for restrictions on the doorbusters. This year, that might include them being online-only again, for instance. Once you learn how stores are running their Black Friday offers in 2022, you’ll know what’s going to be worth your time.

You may see some retailers extending their policies again this year. But it’s important to note that these can be restrictive. For instance, Target has expanded its policy for the holidays to include purchases made from October 10 on. The kicker is that it only applies if the price drops at Target itself on or before December 24.

Before including a price adjustment or match as part of your savings strategy, see what kind of qualifications you’ll have to meet in order to do so.

Don’t want to wait for Black Friday? Shop our Black Friday sales now!