Don't get stung on Black Friday! Experts reveal how to spot if an online sale is REALLY a good deal - as many products were LESS expensive earlier in the year

Americans will splash out a record $169 each online this Black Friday, experts predict. But how can they ever really know they're getting a good deal?

The sales holiday has developed a reputation in recent years for rampant marketing and exaggerated discounts that make it especially difficult for shoppers to assess whether a price is good value. 

There are still plenty of good deals for savvy shoppers, but it is little wonder then that experts are urging households to be cautious of too-good-to-be-true offers this holiday season. 

'A tactic which is used pretty widely by a lot of retailers involves raising the regular prices of a product so you can then advertise it as a deeper percentage discount,' Jie Zhang, a professor of marketing at the University of Maryland, told DailyMail.com.

'It really plays into that consumer psychology and makes shoppers feel like they are getting a really great deal. I would advise people to always be cautious of percentage discounts.'

Some websites exist to help shoppers track the history of a product's price to assess whether they are truly getting a good deal. 

Online tracker Honey allows users to search products from big-name retailers and compare the current deal with prices over the last three months.

An audit by DailyMail.com found that several online retailers’ heavily-promoted Black Friday deals were not always the lowest price a product had been recently. 

In many cases the Black Friday deals only matched the product's lowest price this year, and in some instances the products had recently been cheaper than the Black Friday price. 

For example, a Target TV stand with storage is currently being sold for $54 in a Black Friday promotion. According to the tracker, it was available for the cheaper prices of $48 on August 13, or $51 more recently on October 28. 

A Pod Coffee Maker from brand Keurig is now being sold in the Target sale for $139.99. But shoppers could have picked up the same product for $40 less on November 20, when it was being sold for $99.99. 

The tracker also revealed that a Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller in red, which is being sold in the Walmart Black Friday sale for $45, was available for $35.99 on August 2, and $40 on September 22. 

A set of three outdoor patio chairs by brand Tappio is also in the Walmart sale for $95.99, but shoppers could have snapped it up for $79.99 on October 27.

Walmart said that the historical prices were items on their 'Marketplace', where prices are set by individual sellers, rather than the retailer. 

For the consumer, however, these items appear in the same view on the website so it is not immediately clear whether a product is from a Marketplace seller or a Walmart item.

A pair of Sennheiser Momentum wireless earbuds, meanwhile, are being sold in the Best Buy Black Friday sale for $179.99. On October 11, they were $35 cheaper at $144.99, according to Honey. 

The website camelcamelcamel allows users to search Amazon products and compare their current price with their lowest ever.

For example a Google Nest Thermostat is advertised under Amazon's 'Black Friday' deals with a price of $89.99.

But on October 14, shoppers could have picked up the same product for nearly $30 cheaper at $60.99. 

A curling iron set, meanwhile, is on offer at $49.99, but could have been picked up for $39.99 on August 13, the tracker revealed.  

These retailers are not the only culprits - there's a widespread practice of sellers also offering a 'sale' price which is the exact same cost that an item has been just a few weeks previously.

Zhang notes that a host of companies - both in store and online - are guilty of rapid price fluctuations around sales seasons.

'Several big-name retailers have had legal cases against them on these kinds of issues,' she said.

'But online is like a wild west, there are a lot more no-name retailers and sellers to be wary of.'

Andrei Vasilescu, founder of savings website Don'tPayFull, advises shoppers to not get caught in a 'Black Friday frenzy.'

He told DailyMail.com: 'Be skeptical of deals that seem too good to be true.

'Don't just focus on the discount percentage. Consider the overall value of the product, including its features, quality, and warranty. A product with a smaller discount may still be a better deal than a product with a larger discount if it has more to offer.

Before you buy anything, read reviews from other customers to get their take on the product. It's important to stay calm and avoid impulse buys. Only buy things you actually need or want and stick to your budget.'

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has some guidelines which outlaw deceptive pricing. 

Its guidelines state: 'Where an artificial, inflated price was established for the purpose of enabling the subsequent offer of a large reduction - the 'bargain' being advertised is a false one; the purchaser is not receiving the unusual value he expects.'

However enforcement of these guidelines is left up to individual states. 

In California, J.C. Penney is facing a class-action lawsuit over claims it used 'false reference pricing schemes.' 

Meanwhile in New York Foot Locker is facing allegations it created false urgency over products by telling customers they were about to sell out.

And Amazon is currently facing a ground-breaking anti-trust lawsuit in 17 states. It alleges the retailer has an illegal monopoly that stifles technological innovation and drives up prices for Americans. 

Amazon spokesperson Maria Boschetti told DailyMail.com: 'To suggest that we are in any way trying to mislead customers is completely inaccurate. Amazon's priority every day is to earn and keep customer trust, and provide a world-class shopping experience that delivers on selection, value, and convenience. 

'All deals at Amazon must communicate savings based on validated reference prices, whether it's Black Friday or a regular shopping day. That said, our Black Friday and Cyber Monday holiday shopping event is a great time to shop millions of deals.'

A Walmart spokesperson said: 'At Walmart, we strive to offer our customers Every Day low prices through out the year. We also occasionally offer deals events, like Black Friday, where customers can find incredible prices on exciting items. 

'In addition to our Walmart owned merchandise, we offer an extended assortment through our Walmart Marketplace. Walmart Marketplace sellers are responsible for setting and maintaining their prices on Walmart Marketplace.'

DailyMail.com reached out to Best Buy and Target for comment.