Black Friday tips: understanding struck-through prices and avoiding bad buys
These Black Friday tips have one goal: that on 27 November 2026 you only buy what you really need – at a price that is genuinely good. The biggest mistake on the day is rarely a price that is too high, but a purchase that ends up unused in the cupboard. Here you will learn how to read struck-through prices correctly, what the 30-day rule means, how to check price history, compare unit prices and avoid bad buys with simple rules.
Contents10
- Why Black Friday tips should above all prevent bad buys
- Understanding struck-through prices: what the crossed-out price means
- Black Friday: tips for checking price history
- Black Friday tips for care products: compare the unit price
- Buy sets or individual items?
- Black Friday tips against impulse buys
- Checklist: Black Friday tips at a glance
- Black Steam Week: putting the tips into practice from 23 to 30 November
- Conclusion
- Frequently asked questions
Why Black Friday tips should above all prevent bad buys
Sales campaigns work with time pressure: countdown clocks, "only 3 left", red percentage signs. All of this is meant to push you into a quick decision. Consumer advocates have been pointing out for years that many advertised savings are smaller than they look because they refer to a high comparison price.
A bad buy costs you twice: money and space. An item for €20 that you never use is more expensive than one for €30 that you enjoy using for years. That is why good Black Friday tips don't start with the price but with the question of whether you need something at all.
Understanding struck-through prices: what the crossed-out price means
A crossed-out price next to the offer price looks clear – but it isn't always. There are essentially two kinds of reference prices:
- The retailer's own previous price: The retailer previously sold the item at a higher price itself.
- RRP (recommended retail price): The price the manufacturer recommends. Many retailers don't charge it anyway, so the saving compared with the RRP looks bigger than compared with the actual market price.
The 30-day rule of the German Price Indication Ordinance
Since 2022, the following applies in Germany: anyone who advertises a price reduction to consumers must state the lowest total price they charged in the 30 days before the reduction. In 2024, the European Court of Justice clarified that an advertised percentage discount must also refer to this lowest price. The aim is to prevent prices from being raised shortly before a sale and then "reduced".
For you, this means: look out for the small note "lowest price of the last 30 days". A comparison with the RRP is not covered by this rule, but it must be recognisable as an RRP.
Worked example
| Information in the shop | Example value | What you can read from it |
|---|---|---|
| RRP | €100 | Manufacturer's recommendation, often not the usual price |
| Lowest price of the last 30 days | €75 | This is the honest basis for comparison |
| Sale price | €70 | "30% below RRP" sounds big … |
| Real saving | €5 (approx. 7%) | … compared with the previous month you actually save little |
The figures are a freely chosen example, not offers from our shop. They simply show why a second look is worthwhile.
Black Friday: tips for checking price history
The most reliable protection against fake discounts is your own price comparison over a few weeks. Here is how it works step by step:
- Create a wish list in early November: Write down the current price and the date for each item.
- Use price comparison sites: Many show price history as a curve. This tells you whether a price went up before the sale.
- Set a price alert: You get a notification when an item drops below your target price – and don't have to keep checking.
- Compare on the day: Is the price below your note? Then it is a real advantage. If not, you can wait calmly.
- Calculate the total cost: Shipping costs and any return costs are part of the price.
For smaller shops and own brands you often won't find any price history online. Then only your own note helps – or a screenshot of the product page a few weeks earlier.
Black Friday tips for care products: compare the unit price
With cosmetics and care products, it is worth looking at the unit price, i.e. the price per 100 ml or 100 g. It makes packs of different sizes comparable and must be stated for such products in Germany. A few examples from our range at regular prices:
| Product | Content / price | Unit price (rounded) |
|---|---|---|
| VEGAN FOX shower gel | 200 ml / €4.99 | approx. €2.50 per 100 ml |
| VEGAN FOX body scrub | 300 g / €12.90 | approx. €4.30 per 100 g |
| VEGAN FOX hand cream | 120 ml / €10.90 | approx. €9.08 per 100 ml |
| VEGAN FOX face cream | 50 ml / €17.90 | approx. €35.80 per 100 ml |
Important: a low unit price only helps if you actually use up the amount before the product expires. How long opened cosmetics keep is usually shown on the packaging as a PAO symbol (an open jar with a number of months).
Buy sets or individual items?
Many shops offer sets that are cheaper than the sum of their parts. But that is only an advantage if you use all the parts. So calculate like this:
- Which parts of the set would you also buy individually?
- What do only those parts cost together?
- Is the set still cheaper then – or are you paying for something you don't need?
An example from our regular range: the head-to-toe care set costs €79.90, while the eight products bought individually cost €87.47 together. The Single hammam towel set with two Ocean towels and one StayOn costs €89.90 instead of €104.70 individually. These savings apply regardless of sale days – which offers there will be in our Black Steam Week, you will see in the shop then.
Black Friday tips against impulse buys
The following rules are simple but reliable:
- The 24-hour rule: Anything that wasn't on your list stays in the basket for a day. If you still want it afterwards, buy it.
- The usage question: When and how often will you use it? If you can't think of a specific situation, leave it.
- The replacement question: Does the item replace something that is broken or used up? Then the purchase usually makes sense.
- The budget limit: Set a total amount beforehand and stop when you reach it.
- Tidy up newsletters and apps: Fewer push notifications mean fewer buying impulses.
Recognising trustworthy shops
Dubious offers also appear during the sale period. One of the most important Black Friday tips from consumer advice centres is therefore: check the legal notice for a full address, don't pay in advance at unknown shops, be critical of strikingly low prices and don't follow links in emails blindly – type the address yourself.
Withdrawal as a safety net
For online purchases you usually have a 14-day right of withdrawal from receipt of the goods. It is a safety net, but not a free pass: returns cost time and, depending on the shop, money too. What this means specifically for Christmas presents is explained in our article on Black Friday gifts.
Checklist: Black Friday tips at a glance
- Wish list with price and date created in early November
- Reference price checked: lowest price of the last 30 days instead of RRP
- Unit price compared for care products
- Sets only bought if all parts will be used
- Shipping and return costs included
- Budget set and kept
- Shop trustworthy: legal notice, secure payment method, no prepayment to unknown shops
Black Steam Week: putting the tips into practice from 23 to 30 November
From 23 to 30 November we are running the Black Steam Week. Every day brings a new Aufguss for a different product world, such as hammam towels, bathrobes or care products, and on the Friday the Big Aufguss covers the entire range. Each Aufguss starts at midnight. If you sign up for our newsletter for free, you see every offer 24 hours earlier – enough time to compare it calmly with your price note instead of deciding under countdown pressure. The total costs from the checklist are covered too: shipping is free from €50, and you can return items within 30 days using a free return label.
Related reading: Black Friday gifts: buying Christmas presents smartly and calmly · Black Friday sauna: which equipment is really worth it for sauna-goers · How much shower gel do you really need?
Conclusion
The most important Black Friday tips can be summed up in three sentences: only buy what is on your list. Compare with the lowest price of the last 30 days, not with the RRP. And for sets and care products, calculate with the unit price and your actual consumption. If you do it this way, you'll have no stress on the day – and no cupboard full of things you don't need at the end of the year.
Frequently asked questions
When is Black Friday 2026?
In 2026, Black Friday falls on Friday, 27 November. Cyber Monday follows on 30 November. Many retailers now spread their promotions over several days.
What does "lowest price of the last 30 days" mean?
If a retailer advertises a price reduction, under the German Price Indication Ordinance it must state the lowest price it charged in the previous 30 days. This figure is a more honest basis for comparison than the RRP.
Are Black Friday deals really cheaper?
Some are, some hardly. You can only tell whether an offer is good by comparing it with the price in the weeks before. That is why it is worth noting prices in advance.
Which Black Friday tips help against bad buys?
A fixed list, a budget and the 24-hour rule for everything that isn't on the list. Ask yourself for each item when exactly you will use it.
Is it worth stocking up on care products?
Only in quantities you will use up before they expire. Look out for the PAO symbol and compare the unit price per 100 ml or 100 g.
Discover VEGAN FOX care products
Personally written by Martin – founder of BeachAndSteam. As a family, we have run the Meri Sauna at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years.
