Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – Tens of thousands of businesses throughout Mexico will be offering discounts during the ninth edition of El Buen Fin, an annual nationwide shopping event inspired by Black Friday in the United States and that, like Black Friday, was born as a government initiative to revive the country’s economy.
Since 2011, El Buen Fin (short for “El Buen Fin de Semana,” meaning “The Good Weekend”) has been held on the weekend before Mexican Revolution Day, which is observed on the third Monday of November, giving consumers an extra day to take advantage of the deals being offered in physical stores and online.
This year’s shopping event will be held from Friday, November 15 to Monday, November 18, with more than 70,000 retailers expected to participate. On this weekend, big department stores will extend their hours and offer in-house promotions, including special discounts, extended credit terms and easy payment plans.
Discounts will be everywhere during these four days, which can be a bit overwhelming. The key to taking advantage of Buen Fin promotions is to do some planning. One good way to find the best deals is to visit the websites of participating businesses to check out the discounts they are offering on the products you want to buy.
Many stores will be offering the same products, so comparing prices can be very useful, especially in online stores. Some big department stores and online retailers will create special Buen Fin sections of their websites so you can find all of their promotions and discounts in one place.
Since the purpose of El Buen Fin is to stimulate the economy by encouraging consumption and improving quality of life, it offers promotions and discounts on more than just material things. Airlines, hotels and agencies will also be offering great deals on travel experiences.
And, though El Buen Fin sales can be awfully tempting, remember that buying just to be buying is not a good way to take advantage of the sale. Keep in mind that a special offer is only worth it when you find a product you need at a price below its actual cost.
Before participating in El Buen Fin, consider the following:
Make a budget and stick to it to avoid debt.
Make a list of the things you really need and want to buy.
Before buying compare prices in different stores both physical and online.
As usual, Mexico’s Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco) is warning buyers to look out for potential scams during El Buen Fin. The agency says it will take complaints from shoppers who can prove that a discount on offer is fraudulent, and that the price of the item or service has not been lowered from its regular cost by the percentage advertised.
For more information, visit the official website, where a full list of participating businesses will be available in the coming days.
Sources: marketing4ecommerce.mx • televisa.com • dineroenimagen.com
