Though in-store-only opportunities persist, most Black Friday deals are still available online because Cyber Monday is an extension of the Black Friday marathon. However, capturing the best Cyber Monday deals is a little bit of work.
Don’t you worry though, that is why we are here to outline some tips to help you plan for the Cyber Monday shopping bonanza. Let’s put our shopping hats on with some of these items ahead of Cyber Monday so you’re ready to cash in on the best deals this year.
Take a sneak peek into past Cyber Monday deals
Retailers don’t usually recycle Cyber Monday deals. What you can do is reliably predict the types of products on which you’ll find the best deals. Keep an eye out for electronics, clothing and cosmetics as they are Cyber Monday stalwarts.
If you want more specific guidance on retailers’ wheelhouses, go back to their deals from last year. Just Google the retailer’s name and Cyber Monday flyer. You will find flyers, shopping blogs and discount aggregators based on which you can begin to compile a tentative Cyber Monday shopping list.
Do a website check and bookmark them
Check out the websites of your favorite retailers and bookmark what you’re most likely to shop for. If you’re shopping for multiple people, you might just accumulate a pretty long list of options. For memory’s sake, you can customize bookmarks’ names with words or phrases. Here are some tips to ensure you’re saving money while holiday shopping.
The power of social media
The best way to stay on top of your game with retail sales knowledge is to follow your favorite retailers on social media. This strategy especially works best when clearance sales happen. All social media posts are up and the deals are on fire. If you want to grab the best deals hit that follow button on social media.
Retail newsletters are the real deal
Yes, it may sound all old-fashioned, but this strategy is no less useful than others. It costs nothing and it takes less than 30 seconds to sign up for an email newsletter. Being a newsletter junkie has downsides as you might just be subscribing to lots of promotional emails, especially around the holidays.
On Cyber Monday, those newsletters will be touting this year’s top deals. They will also include links to Cyber Monday flyers, so trust us when we say they’re a good planning resource.
Be an early bird for Cyber Monday shopping
Make your holiday gift list as early as possible, go with your gut, an old-fashioned research skill that normally helps you build your holiday gift list. At the end of the day, you know your family’s likes and dislikes better than anyone else.
No matter how you build your list, ensure to have alternatives in place for popular products. That’s the best part about planning early. Just in case the item you want is out of stock or over your price range, you’ll want to have a Plan B.
The same goes for retailers: You’ll want to know which retailers sell which products, so you can make a switch if it’s out of stock or too expensive.
Stock up on your gift cards
Don’t wait until the holiday shopping season to start stocking up on discounted cards. Start collecting as and when possible, you will get gift cards from your favorite local retail stores. You can stock both physical gift cards and online coupon codes from popular retailers, including some big names in the business.
Before you lock in on your gift cards, find out if you’re allowed to use them in combination for Cyber Monday. When you stack your coupons together or combine them with gift cards, you can magnify discounts. This is a simple way to stretch your holiday shopping budget.
Read about Cyber Monday shipping policies
Free shipping on all orders is a powerful temporary selling point, so most retailers offer this service on Cyber Monday. We’d recommend avoiding retailers that charge for shipping on most or all orders. Find out if your preferred retailer is offering free shipping only on orders above a certain size. Determine whether it’s worth spending that much.
Research return policies
Before you buy anything ever, look into return policies and fees. If your preferred retailer doesn’t clearly state their return policies on their websites, call customer support. If there’s any confusion at all, it’s worth a shot.
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