As Black Friday Sales Begin: Beware of Misleading Offers
The consumer watchdog has issued a warning to retailers, stating that it will scrutinize potentially misleading sales tactics this Black Friday season — from fake urgency timers to unreadable fine print.
The global retail spectacle known as Black Friday, originally the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States, now stretches across several weeks and continents, becoming a major online and in-store shopping event in countries such as Australia.
Regulatory Oversight and Warnings
This week, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) alerted retailers that deceptive or manipulative sales practices would attract close monitoring and possible penalties.
“The consumer watchdog announced it would be watching out for various kinds of misleading sales conduct that can be used to trick consumers.”
The ACCC emphasized that retailers found guilty of misleading or deceptive behavior could face significant financial sanctions.
Common Misleading Tactics
- Fake countdown timers designed to pressure instant purchases
- Hidden conditions in small or unclear print
- Inflated “original” prices before applying discounts
- False claims of stock scarcity
Consumers are urged to remain alert when shopping during the sales period to avoid falling for deceptive strategies.
Author’s Summary
As holiday discounts surge, regulators caution shoppers to stay vigilant against deceptive sales tactics like fake urgency, unclear pricing, and misleading claims.