Fake Black Friday discounts: how to check the price

A crossed-out price and a red "−30%" tag work on almost everyone, and that is exactly what stores count on. We looked at how prices behaved in 17 stores in October, a month before Black Friday, and put together a simple way to check a deal, whether you are standing at the till or hovering over the "Buy" button.

What is a fake discount?

The classic scheme goes like this: a few weeks before the sale, the store raises the price, and on the day of the promotion it "cuts" it back to the previous level and shows a big discount percentage. The shopper sees "−30%" but pays what they would have paid a month ago. Sometimes the "old" price was never charged at all, not even for a day; it only exists on the tag.

There are milder versions too: a discount "of up to −70%" that actually covers a handful of products, or a discount off the manufacturer's recommended price, which the product was never sold at in Moldova.

What does Moldovan law say about the "old" price?

The State Inspectorate for Non-Food Product Surveillance and Consumer Protection (ISSPNPC) points out that when a retailer announces a discount, it must show the previous price, and that price must be the lowest price charged in the 30 days before the discount. The inspectorate advises shoppers to be wary of "up to −70%" ads, to compare prices in several stores and always to keep the fiscal receipt. Complaints can be filed with the Consumer Call Centre on 022 51-51-51.

The rule works against the "raise it, then cut it" scheme. If the price went up in October, the store cannot calculate a November discount from that raised price if the product sold for less within the last 30 days.

October: how many prices went up

We compared 2,594 offers that were in stock on both 1 October and 31 October 2026:

One important caveat: rising prices do not necessarily mean a fake sale is being prepared. In autumn 2026 memory and graphics cards are getting more expensive, the exchange rate is moving and new models are arriving. But the 373 offers that on 31 October were 10% or more above their 30-day lowest are exactly the products where a November "discount" may just be a return to the earlier price. More on rising prices in Electronics prices in Moldova: up 8.5% since July 2026.

What has become noticeably more expensive since summer

The lowest price across all stores on 15 July and 31 October 2026:

If in November you see the iPhone 16 128 GB "reduced" to 15,999 lei, that is no bargain; it is simply today's lowest price. In summer it cost 13,799 lei. More on iPhone prices in iPhone 17 price in Moldova: +12% in October, and where it's cheapest.

And what genuinely got cheaper in October?

Real price cuts exist too, and they happen without loud banners:

Notice something? Most of October's Logitech cuts happened at a single store, Topsale. One more reason to compare every store rather than wait for a sale at your favourite one.

How to check a discount in 2 minutes

1. Open the product in the PriceList.md catalog. The page shows prices from every store and a price history chart.
2. Find the 30-day lowest. If the "sale" price is not lower, it is not a discount.
3. Compare with other stores. The product is often cheaper at a competitor without any promotion.
4. Check what exactly is discounted. Colour, storage and configuration must match: 128 GB and 256 GB are different products.
5. Keep a screenshot and the receipt. If the "old" price shown breaks the 30-day rule, you have grounds for a complaint.

If the discount turns out to be fake

First collect evidence: a screenshot of the page with the "crossed-out" price and the date, the product link and, if you have it, a screenshot of the price history for the past 30 days. If you have already bought the product, keep the fiscal receipt or invoice. The inspectorate calls these your proof of purchase, which lets you complain about problems later.

Then write to the store: the issue is often resolved faster directly, for example by refunding the difference. If the store does not reply or refuses, contact the inspectorate on 022 51-51-51. And remember one simple rule: if you have doubts about a discount, do not buy straight away. Black Friday lasts several days, and another store may be cheaper today.

What a real discount looks like

For contrast, here are real cuts from our data. The price was stable before, stays stable after, and there was no price rise the day before:

Each of these prices held at its new level for at least the last three days of October. A few hours of "discount", cuts right after a fresh price rise and 1-leu corrections are not included. So if in November you see these products priced higher than in the table, you already know whether the discount is real.

The most common signs of a fake discount

• "Up to −70%" with no product list and no real prices.
• A crossed-out price you have never seen, especially if the product cost the "sale" price a week ago.
• A "2 hours left" countdown that resets every day.
• A discount only on instalments or when buying a bundle.
• A price that is too low from an unknown seller: check the warranty and availability.

Stores are already starting their campaigns. Ultra, for example, has announced Black Friday 2026 with discounts "of up to −70%" on "thousands of products". Wording like that is legal in itself, but each product still needs checking. How to prepare for the sale is covered in Black Friday 2026 in Moldova: dates and practical tips.

All figures come from the PriceList.md catalog as of 31.10.2026 (17 stores, in-stock products only) and describe October. Today's price and the history for each product are on its page. A tag that changes after publication is not necessarily a trick, but it is worth checking once more before you pay.