Guides · Updated 7 November 2026
How to spot a fake discount in Ireland
Black Friday "was" prices, the EU 30-day rule and five quick checks to tell a real price drop from a fake one before you buy.
A big red “-60%” is the oldest trick in retail. Sometimes the “was” price was only charged for a few days, or never really charged at all. Here is how to check a discount in a minute before you pay.
1. Know the EU 30-day rule
Under EU price rules, which apply in Ireland, when a shop announces a price reduction the “prior price” it compares against should be the lowest price it charged in the 30 days before the reduction. A shop that doubles a price for a week and then “halves” it is not giving you a real discount. If you think a shop is doing this, you can report it to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
2. Look at the price history, not the sticker
Price-history tools and browser extensions show what a product actually cost over the last weeks and months. If today's “deal” is the same price as last month, it is not a Black Friday bargain. At Grand Deals our bot does this check for every deal before a person approves it.
3. Compare the final price in euro
Add delivery to Ireland and, for shops outside the EU, any customs or VAT shown at checkout. A cheaper sticker in a UK shop can end up dearer than an Irish shop once everything is added.
4. Check it is the same model
Big sale events bring special “derivative” models: a TV or laptop with a slightly different model number, made for the sale, with a cheaper panel or less storage. Compare the full model number, not just the name.
5. Be wary of countdown timers and “only 2 left”
Urgency messages are designed to stop you comparing. If a deal is genuinely good today, it will still look good after two minutes of checking.
The short version
- Real discount = cheaper than the lowest price of the last 30 days.
- Compare the final price in euro, delivered to Ireland.
- Same exact model number.
- Ignore the timer.
Or let us do it: every deal on Grand Deals is checked against its price history by our bot and a person before it goes up. See the Black Friday deals for Ireland.