The Smart Shopper’s Guide to Black Friday

Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, and while the deals can be amazing, it’s also the time when people end up with faulty products, missed savings or confusing return situations. After years of working in retail and helping people save money through Churna, here are the practical tips that genuinely make a difference.

1. Always open the box in-store

This is my number one rule when buying tech.

After you purchase a phone, laptop, modem or any piece of technology, open the box right there in the store and do a quick check that it turns on or has no visible damage.

If you take it home and find it dead on arrival, most retailers will insist on sending it away for assessment or repair. That can mean two to three weeks without the product. But if you test it in-store and it doesn’t work, they’ll usually swap it immediately because the sale isn’t considered complete until you walk out with a working item.

Ten seconds of checking can save you weeks of frustration.

2. Use Officeworks’ or Bunnings price-beat policy to your advantage

Officeworks will beat any competitor’s advertised price from an Australian retailer by five percent, Bunnings by 10%.

For officeworks, This includes online stores as long as the product is identical and in stock.

This small extra discount can turn a standard sale price into the best available deal. It also applies to Black Friday specials. Many people don’t realise the power of combining a Black Friday discount from another store with the Officeworks or Bunnings price beat, which stacks more savings on top.

3. Double-dip with cashback websites

Cashback platforms like ShopBack and TopCashback are simple but incredibly effective. Before you buy from big retailers such as Amazon, eBay, The Good Guys or Big W, check the cashback rates.

On Black Friday, there are often boosted rates that range from five to thirty percent depending on the category. All you do is click through the cashback site before purchasing and the savings come back into your account later.

It’s one of the easiest ways to save more without changing how you shop.

4. Use discounted gift cards when possible

Websites like ShopBack frequently offer digital gift cards at a discount. These can be used instantly at major retailers including Amazon, JB Hi-Fi, Coles, Woolworths, Kmart and many others.

For example, buying a ten percent discounted Amazon gift card means everything you purchase is instantly ten percent off, even before any Black Friday deal or cashback is added.

Stacking a discounted gift card with a sale price and a cashback offer is one of the smartest ways to maximise savings.

5. Be prepared and know the real deals

Black Friday can be overwhelming, but the biggest wins come from a simple plan. Make a list of what you need beforehand rather than browsing blindly, and track the prices a week before the sale. Some “deals” aren’t deals at all, but many genuinely are.

Combining these strategies — testing the product in store, using price-beat policies, stacking cashback offers and using discounted gift cards — can save you far more than the advertised discount.

Happy shopping, and may your Black Friday be full of real bargains, not headaches.

6. Don’t forget telco deals — often the biggest savings of all

Black Friday is one of the best times of the year for discounted mobile and internet plans, but comparing dozens of providers can get overwhelming fast.

That’s where Churna helps.

Churna works with families and small businesses to find the best-value mobile and NBN plans, comparing all major providers and handling the entire switch in person. No call centres, no overwhelm, and no hidden commissions.

Most households save between $700 and $1,200 per year, and everything is backed by a simple promise: No savings, no fee.

If you want to make sure your current telco plan is actually the best value—especially during Black Friday—Churna offers a free bill health check anytime. Just contact us to get started.