The winter season means a lot of things to different people. For some, December is a time to meet up with family. For others, it just a cold month they wish could go away as quickly as possible. If you love shopping, you probably start marking your calendar on Black Friday.
Black Friday brings along lots of offers and freebies from online shopping sites. Almost every retailer has special offers for Black Friday customers. On that date, hoards of shoppers flock shopping malls and retailer websites at 12 am to get what’s on offer.
After the infamous Friday enters the holiday season. Everyone that missed out on Black Friday has the next two months to find great deals. If not careful, you can wipe out all your savings on shopping. It doesn’t have to be that way. Here are 8 things you should know about the shopping season that can help you save money.
#8: The Best Deals are offered Early
You may have heard that Black Friday no longer offers great deals. That may be true but retailers are different. While many one-day offers deduct little from the regular prices, some companies really offer good deals.
Retailers begin to lower prices for the year’s remaining stock twos weeks before December. On Black Friday, the companies offer the lowest prices possible. After that, the prices are increased slightly and the cost remains constant for another three weeks.
During the Christmas period, the retailers may lower the prices again but not by much. If you are the type that crumbles for deals a day to Christmas, you get very minor deals. If anything, the prices may be higher than a few weeks before if their demand is high.
#7: Everyone is in a Shopping Mood
The sheer fact December is called a shopping season means millions of people are constantly shopping. If you have something special you want to buy find it because someone else buys it. If you want to book movie tickets on the eve of Christmas do it early.
Everyone who hasn’t been talking about shopping all-year starts to do it in December. Whether it’s to buy gifts or buy for personal use, everything is up for grabs. Make a budget. Hunt for deals and get all the best items when you still can.
At the same time, expect shipping deals and finding out items have sold out. Luckily, retailers are usually busy marketing their products during this season. If you can’t find that midi dress you been dreaming about on Amazon, find it on another website. If it’s also sold out, subscribe to be alerted when the item is back on the shelves.
#6: Shopping Tools are there to help
Don’t let the craziness of the shopping period overwhelm you. If you are prepared to buy everything you have saved for this year, shop easier by using shopping tools. Deal websites help you find items quickly based on prices. Coupon websites help you save more while comparison websites ensure you get the ultimate deals.
Comparison sites do more than help you compare prices on different websites. They review the products and explain the benefits of using each product. A platform like http://www.bestreviews.guide/ also finds out what customers think about the best-selling products on major retailers. They describe the products to you and list the best-rated items for easy shopping.
This shopping season shouldn’t be a nightmare. Download a few apps that let you scan products and find them online. Read reviews about the brands and hunt for deals to save as much as you can.
#5: Last Year’s Makes are good and cheap
Retailers will attempt to lure you towards this year’s TV, laptop and iPhone models. The TVs are bigger and smarter. The computers have improved graphics and more durable batteries. But from an economic sense, you are better off buying last year’s models.
The prices of electronics go down quickly. The brand new TVs priced at $1000 this December will cost $750 next May. If you have to buy electronics, save money. Find slightly older generations of the same products.
#4: Not Every Cheap Product is worth it
Everyone knows everything will be low-priced in the coming weeks. But will everything be worth buying? A huge probability shows not. Shop diligently. Decide what you want to buy from the start. Find out the product’s features and qualities. And if you have to get a deal off it, make sure it doesn’t come at the expense of quality.
Having a budget is one way to avoid overspending. You won’t find unrealistically low deals and decide to buy. You know what to buy. You can easily research them and evaluate the best brands. Afterword, you just have to look for the lowest price amongst your chosen items.
#3: Retailers are Active on Social Media
While you could be quietly hunting for deals online, retailers will probably be announcing them on Facebook. Shopping has changed in the few years. Retailers crave for interaction with customers, which is why they are hyperactive in the upcoming season.
Follow your favorite retailers on Facebook and Twitter. Look out for their updates and offers. You might just get the deal of your life.
#2: Loyal Customers are rewarded
While retailers tend to welcome everyone to their websites all-year round, subscribed shoppers get the first deals. That email sign up request you received from Amazon could help you save on your shopping. Create an account on several major retailers and sign up to their email lists. You get offers about products before everyone else.
#1: It’s a time to Share
With Christmas being a few weeks to come, everyone is usually in a sharing mode. December is not only a shopping season but it’s a period people buy to share with family and friends. Luckily, retailers promote the culture with special deals when you buy a gift. You get special deals on wrappers or generally low prices on the items.
