On most days you can ask a retailer to match a lower price elsewhere — but Black Friday is usually the exception. When price matching isn’t an option, cash-back websites, apps, and credit cards can still get you a good deal.
On almost any day of the year, consumers can shop around, compare sale prices and ask one retailer to match a lower price at another retailer.
1 Why Black Friday Breaks the Price-Match Rule
Black Friday is usually an exception to that rule.
When price matching isn’t an option, cash-back websites, apps and credit cards can still ensure you’re getting a good Black Friday deal.
2 Store Policies That Exclude Black Friday
In most cases, you won’t be able to price match on Black Friday — or the days surrounding it.
Here are a couple of examples of store policies that exclude the day after Thanksgiving:
Best Buy
Price match will not apply to offers or items for sale between the Sunday before Thanksgiving (Nov. 24) and the Monday after Thanksgiving (Dec. 2) — whether offered by Best Buy or a competitor.
Target
From Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, through Dec. 7, Target won’t accept price matches and adjustments to competitors.
But just in case the store you’re shopping at is an outlier, always read the price matching policy before you hit the stores.
3 Three Ways to Earn Cash Back Instead
With price matching largely out, finding other ways to save becomes even more important.
First, scope out the deals before you shop on Black Friday (or Thanksgiving). Most retailers release their ads ahead of time, so you’ll know which items will be on sale and how much they’ll cost.
Once you decide what you’ll buy and where you’ll shop, use cash-back websites, apps and credit cards. If you do, you could get money back after you shop — almost like an additional sale on top of that already low Black Friday price.
Here are three ways to earn cash back on qualifying purchases:
Websites.
Become a member of cash-back shopping sites like Rakuten and BeFrugal to get money back when you shop at qualifying retailers. After signing up, you’ll need to click a link on the cash-back site before you visit the retailer’s site to place an order online. Once you earn enough cash, you can choose to get paid via methods such as check or PayPal credit.
Apps.
Check apps for cash-back offers at eligible stores. With some, you can add a deal and then take a picture of your receipt to get a rebate after you purchase the item.
Credit cards.
Cash-back credit cards can accrue rewards, too. If you’re disciplined enough to pay off the balance when the statement comes, using a credit card for items you were going to buy anyway can be a savvy holiday shopping strategy.
Courtney Jespersen is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: courtney@nerdwallet.com. . Twitter: @CourtneyNerd.
The article Black Friday: If No Price Match, Go for Cash Back originally appeared on NerdWallet.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I price match on Black Friday?
In most cases, no. Black Friday is usually an exception to price matching, and many retailers exclude the day after Thanksgiving along with the days surrounding it. Best Buy, for example, suspends price matching from the Sunday before Thanksgiving through the Monday after, and Target won’t accept price matches or adjustments to competitors from Thanksgiving Day through early December. Always read a store’s price matching policy before you shop in case it’s an outlier.
What are Best Buy and Target's Black Friday price-match policies?
Best Buy will not apply price matching to offers or items for sale between the Sunday before Thanksgiving (Nov. 24) and the Monday after Thanksgiving (Dec. 2), whether the offer comes from Best Buy or a competitor. Target won’t accept price matches and adjustments to competitors from Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, through Dec. 7. These windows are why cash back becomes an important way to save on Black Friday.
How can I earn cash back on Black Friday purchases?
There are three main ways. Use cash-back shopping websites such as Rakuten and BeFrugal to get money back at qualifying retailers. Check cash-back apps that let you add a deal and snap a photo of your receipt for a rebate. And use a cash-back credit card to accrue rewards on purchases you were going to make anyway. Combined with a low Black Friday price, cash back works almost like an additional sale.
How do cash-back shopping websites work?
Become a member of a cash-back shopping site like Rakuten or BeFrugal to earn money back when you shop at qualifying retailers. After signing up, click the link on the cash-back site before you visit the retailer’s site to place your order online, so your purchase is tracked. Once you earn enough cash, you can choose to get paid through methods such as a check or PayPal credit.
Is using a cash-back credit card a good Black Friday strategy?
It can be, if you’re disciplined. Cash-back credit cards accrue rewards on your spending, so using one for items you were going to buy anyway can be a savvy holiday shopping strategy. The key is paying off the balance when the statement comes, so interest charges don’t cancel out the rewards. Before you shop, scope out retailer ads in advance so you know which items will be on sale and what they’ll cost.
