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Black Friday in Spain: What you should be aware of

Here's what you need to know about the Black Friday sales in Spain in 2022, from when they start to which retailers are offering discounts and why the sales aren't always as good as they're made out to be.

Published: 23 November 2022 11:04 CET
Black Friday in Spain: What you should be aware of
Many shops in Spain put the prices of their products up before Black Friday, so that the discounts they then apply aren't really bargains for shoppers. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP)

Black Friday is the day when some of Spain’s biggest retailers hold huge sales and give massive discounts (or so they claim) in the run-up to the start of the Christmas shopping season.

The tradition originated in the US as it was held the day after Thanksgiving.

READ ALSO: Where Americans can celebrate Thanksgiving

While Spain doesn’t generally celebrate the American Thanksgiving holiday, it does however go in for Black Friday in a big way, along with many other countries around the world.

Spain began getting in on the Black Friday action in 2011 when the regulations on promotions and sales changed.

When is Black Friday?

This year, Black Friday will be held on Friday November 25th, but many companies and online retailers decide to hold sales throughout the month or even extend them for a whole week instead of just one day.

For example, tech store MediaMarkt began giving discounts on November 1st and will continue its sales until November 30th, while Mr. Wonderful began its discounts early too on November 18th.

Inditex group (which includes clothes stores Zara, Pull & Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Oysho and Stradivarious) will publish their discounts online on Thursday November 24th.

Many stores will also extend their offers until Monday November 28th, which has become known as Cyber Monday. On this day, more tech companies and online retailers will be offering discounts too.

What will there be discounts on?

There will be Black Friday sales in Spain on everything from fashion and beauty to sports equipment, homeware and technology, among others.

Businesses are also allowing the return periods to be extended until January 6th 2023 or even into February, so that people can start their Christmas shopping early.

Spanish stores such as Mango, Zara and El Corte Inglés will all be having sales, as well as international and online retailers such as Amazon and Primark.

Swedish furniture giant Ikea will be doing something a little different this year, having a Green Friday where they’ll buy back some of your old furniture. 

According to a study by online marketing company Webloyalty, it is expected that online spending will grow by 25 percent compared to 2021, despite the rise in the cost of living and the financial squeeze many are experiencing.

Are Black Friday sales in Spain really that good?

Research conducted by Spanish consumer watchdog OCU over the past seven years has proven that many shops put the prices of their products up before Black Friday, so that the discounts they then apply aren’t really bargains for shoppers, but businesses get to capitalise on the shopping frenzy. 

In 2021, OCU spent 30 days writing down prices for almost 17,000 products in 52 stores. Almost a third of them rose in price (32.5 percent of the products), 11.8 percent of which cost less in the week of Black Friday. Overall, an average price rise of 3.3 percent was calculated.

There’s even a Twitter hastag #timofertasBF ( abit like ‘ripofferBF’) where user post the products that claim to be on discount but really aren’t.

Therefore, when it comes to big purchases in particular, make sure that you’re familiar with the average price of the product before Black Friday by comparing prices online. That should help you to ascertain whether you’re actually getting a good offer. 

If it’s a top-of-the-range product that’s just been released, don’t expect it to be on sale, and if it is, you should be suspicious.

Watch out for Black Friday scams

Be aware that while Black Friday can mean some great bargains, it’s also a day that brings out scammers and people who are waiting to steal your personal details.

In the past, there have been situations where second-hand items never arrive, the setup of fake online stores and discounts that contain malware.

You should particularly look out for phishing scams, where people try to steal your identity or personal details and fraudulent text messages.

Experts agree that there are several ways to protect yourself against potential Black Friday fraudsters including avoiding suspicious links or online shops you’re not aware of, using only official websites, creating strong passwords, not trusting any discounts that seem way too good to be true and using online security software.

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LIFE IN SPAIN

EXPLAINED: How to buy a boat in Spain

Considering buying a boat to enjoy life to the fullest in Spain? Here's a breakdown of costs, legal requirements, financing options and useful tips to factor in before purchasing a bowrider, a day sailer, a yacht or any other 'barco'.

Published: 3 May 2024 12:18 CEST
EXPLAINED: How to buy a boat in Spain

Spain has around 8,000km of coastline, and access to the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Bay of Biscay. For boat enthusiasts, you’re spoilt for choice in Spain.

But it’s not just as simple as picking out a boat, buying it and setting off into the ocean.

There are several decisions you’ll need to make first, rules to follow, administrative hoops to jump through, and then maintenance costs on top of that.

Types of boats

The first thing you’ll need to consider is the type of boat you want to buy.

Generally they can be split into two broad categories: motor boats and sailing boats.

Motor boats are the most popular type of boat sold and offer the greatest variety of options because they include pretty much everything from smaller more affordable power boats to huge luxury yachts.

As such, you could get a smaller motor boat, say for day trips of fishing on the coast, for as little as €10,000, whereas yachts, as you can imagine, can cost millions, depending on the size, power, design and quality of the boat.

According to several Spanish maritime sources, buying a used boat that you can live on in Spain can cost anywhere between €13,000 and €150,000.

Spanish website topbarcos.com has hundreds of boats listed for you to get an idea of what’s available in the second-hand market, as well as a page for new vessels.

Sailing boats are the more environmentally friendly option and require the most skill to sail, and include light sailboats, catamarans and trimarans. Again, prices vary from €5,000 to over a million, depending on the size, type of sail, material and quality of the boat.

Once you’ve decided on the type of boat you want and found one you’d like to buy, you’ll need to consider any potential legal requirements.

A woman sits next to a yacht in Puerto Banús luxury marina in Marbella. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP)

What are the legal requirements when buying a boat in Spain?

  • The correct nautical qualifications for the type and size of the boat you want to buy. There are different types of nautical licences to sail different boats in Spain, such as the PNB (Basic Navigation Skipper), the PER (Recreational Boats Skipper), the PY (Yacht Skipper) or the CY (Yacht Captain). Each has specific limitations in terms of length, power, distance from the coast and the type of sailing you can do.
  • Compulsory civil liability insurance that covers possible damages that you may cause to third parties with your boat.
  • Have all the necessary documentation for the boat, such as the certificate of seaworthiness and (essentially an MOT for the boat, showing that it’s in working order) and the navigation permit.
  • You’ll also need to pay the corresponding taxes on the boat purchase, such as VAT (21 percent), the special tax on certain means of transport (12 percent) or the transfer tax (4 or 6 percent, depending on the region).

READ ALSO: How do I get my boat licence in Spain

What other factors should you keep in mind before buying?

Think about what type of navigation you want to do, how often, with how many people and what your budget is. 

Don’t go with the first boat you see. Search and compare different models, brands, prices, conditions etc and don’t forget to keep an eye out for scams.

It’s a no-brainer but try the boat before you buy it, don’t just rely on photos or descriptions. Request a test ride to check the condition and navigational operation of the boat. 

If you do not have much experience or knowledge of nautical matters, it’s advisable to hire a professional to accompany you throughout the purchasing process. It could help you avoid possible legal, technical or administrative problems that arise.

They will also assist you with checking the condition of the boat’s interior: the carpentry, the engine, the electrical installation, the tanks, bilge, kitchen, bathroom and other compartments.

Here is a list of dozens of Spain-based brokers (as they’re called) or nautical companies that can assist you. 

Crucially, they will also be able to give you an informed assessment of what price you should be paying for the boat you’ve chosen. 

How can you pay for a boat?

Unless you have enough disposable income to pay for it cash, you probably want to know what kind of financing is available to you. 

There is the nautical mortgage (hipoteca náutica), which mimics the system for property mortgages, including the need for a down payment and embargo conditions in non-payment situations. 

Nautical credits (Créditos náuticos) also exist, which again are not too different from regular loans, including fewer notary costs than nautical mortgages and fixed interest rates. 

And lastly, nautical leasing is also an option, which is when a company acquires a boat and rents it to a customer for a certain period of time (normally between 4 and 15 years) and usually with an option to buy at the end of the contract.

Don’t forget the upcoming maintenance costs

If you manage all that and buy the boat, you’ll need to maintain the boat and pay costs to do so. These include:

The mooring: ie. the place where the boat is left when it is not in use. The price of mooring depends on the size of the boat and the location of the port. It can range from around €100 per month to several thousand.

However, be warned, in Spain these aren’t easy to come by. The Association of Industries, Commerce and Nautical Services (ADIN), estimates that Spain has only 107,894 moorings for 229,000 boats.

You’ll also need to pay for periodical technical checks that must be carried out on the boat from time to time to check its condition and operation. Again, the price depends on the type and size of the boat and the services contracted. It can vary from around €200 euros to several thousand.

Regularly cleaning the boat to avoid dirt, rust, algae, and parasites damaging the boat can also be quite costly. It can vary from as little as €50 for smaller boats to several hundred for bigger ones, and most experts recommend it should be done every 4-6 weeks.

READ ALSO: How to live on a boat in Spanish waters

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