As background reading for your holiday shopping, we recommend our guide to Black Friday, parts 1 & 2. These three additional tips will put you ahead of the virtual pack for your online shopping!
Tip #1: Fill your cart (or list) in advance!
With doorbusters online you need to buy fast to get in before the inventory runs out. Save time by filling your online shopping cart in advance of the sale, and setting up an account with your address & payment info. If you can’t add the item to your cart, trying creating a shopping list instead. Check back in once the sale goes live, and the prices should update automatically. Now you can checkout in the virtual express lane!
Filling your cart is also a great way to find sales you might not have even known about. Add any items you have your eye on, then see if the price changes in your favor! We’re adding these to our carts right now:
– Amazon Kindle 2 expected $89 at 12pm ET on 11/26
– RCA 37″ LCD at Walmart expected $399 on 11/25
– TomTom XXL 550TM GPS at Best Buy expected $129.99 on 11/26
Tip #2: Don’t forget cash back & coupons!
In the mad rush to visit each online stores, you might leave some easy cash on the table. Before you visit the site, use one of these links to access your stores. You’ll still get all of the same deals, plus a bonus cash back rebate automatically posted to your Ebates account after you purchase.
Here are quick cash back links to three popular stores: Walmart, Best Buy, Sears.
Find all cash back offers here.
And not to sound like a broken record, but ALWAYS USE A COUPON!
Try these links to automatically apply a coupon to your order: Target, Overstock, and Drugstore.com. Find all the latest coupons here.
Here are some of the best ones valid during the weekend
– Walgreens $10 off $50 with code TENOFF (11/25-11/27)
– Kohl’s 15% off anything with code THXGIVING15 (through 11/28)
– Sears $5 off $50 with code SNOW (through 12/25)
Tip #3: Sign up for alerts!
One great way to find out when your treasured item is online and ready for purchase is to setup an email alert (you can find a link on individual product pages of many online stores). Sign up for alerts for all of the doorbuster and other hot deals you’re after and get notified when it’s available. It’s not a perfect system – sometimes the alerts can be delayed by crucial minutes – but a nice alternative if you’d rather not spend hours refreshing the pages by hand!
Happy Thanksgiving, and Happy Shopping!