DePauw prof offers ‘Black Friday’ shopping advice

November 21, 2019

It comes as no surprise that DePauw economics professor Gary Lemon would exhort people to do their homework.

But this time, Lemon is not talking to his students but rather readers of WalletHub, a personal finance website. 

WalletHub asked Lemon and three other experts, in advance of next week’s “Black Friday” shopping promotions, to “share some of their shopping smarts with budget-conscious consumers.” The feature was a sidebar to an expansive article in which WalletHub, having surveyed nearly 8,000 Black Friday deals, lists the best deals in various product categories.

 How, the website asked Lemon, can consumers identify real deals versus “marketing traps?”

“Do your homework,” he said. “You need to know how much something has been selling for before Black Friday. Just because you see 80% off does not mean it is a good deal. If you are at a store, check Amazon to see what it sells for at Amazon. Do not be an impulse buyer.”

You’ll find more of Lemon’s advice here.

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