With shoppers out in force for Black Friday, here’s a few ideas you might use to navigate your way around various retail areas.
1. Start early. Starting to shop early this year is expecte to be a good strategy, not only because deals are kicking off earlier but also because hot products may quickly sell out or fail to arrive at your doorstep in a timely manner.
The product shortages we saw earlier in the year could be repeated this holiday season, thanks to a high demand for electronics. This will be especially true for TVs.
To judge how good the deals really are in crunch time, you need to track prices. The same goes for Cyber Monday, which now stretches into a week of online specials.
2. Skip the in-store sales and shop online. There will probably be fewer big in-store promotions this year—no reason to attract crowds—and more emphasis on online shopping, with either free delivery or ship-to-store programs with curbside pickup.
Retailers may react to prices offered by their online competitors, making it possible for new deals to emerge throughout the holiday shopping period.
Stores such as Best Buy, Target, and Walmart—were closed on Thanksgiving, which means shoppers are looking to make up for lost time.
As those retailers still holding in-store events, expect to find COVID-19 safety protocols in place, such as mandatory mask requirements and limits on the number of people allowed inside the building at one time. That will probably mean fewer doorbuster stampedes and fewer die-hard shoppers lined up in the wee hours of the morning waiting for the doors to open.
3. Use websites and apps. You don’t have to go retailer by retailer to compare prices. You can also try Google Shopping, PriceGrabber, and Shopzilla. When you’re in a store, smartphone apps such as BuyVia, Shopkick, ShopSavvy, and Shopular let you scan bar codes or QR codes to compare prices, get discounts, and score coupons.
There are now dozens of websites that post leaked Black Friday ads. Here’s one websitee to check out – BestBlackFriday.com
Retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart, have their own shopping apps, as well. Amazon’s mobile app, for example, lets you use a smartphone camera to scan products and price-shop online. When you’re done shopping, delete the apps you don’t use to protect your privacy and security.
But direct comparison shopping can be really tough in the run-up to Black Friday. The best deals often feature models unavailable at other stores or nowhere to be found earlier in the year. Here are two quick tips:
• Use browser extensions. These are small bits of software you can add to web browsers, such as Chrome and Firefox, that can customized your browsing experience. For example, tools such as CamelCamelCamel and Honey let you use your web browser to see price histories and get price alerts or coupons for any product you shop for online.
• Add items to your shopping cart. If you see an offer you like, add the product to your shopping cart, which can speed up the ordering process. Then, go check the websites of other retailers to see whether the price is really special. If it is, then check out. Just remember that with some retailers, including Amazon, you need to be logged in for shopping cart items to be saved, and putting an item in your cart doesn’t reserve it; you need to place your order and get a confirmation that it has been received.
4. Use loyalty programs. Store loyalty programs often grant members early access to coupons, sales, and promotions, then let them earn rewards on what they buy.
Sign up for Black Friday shopping alerts. In some cases, you can even find out whether the products you want are in stock or eligible to buy online and pick up at a store, which can save you money on shipping.
(PHOTO: Black Friday at West Towne Commons – courtesy Downtown Ricky Brown – Grace Media Group)
