With Black Friday behind us, it may seem like the holiday shopping chaos is over—but, in fact, it’s just beginning. Cyber Monday is right around the corner, and unlike Black Friday (or, more appropriately, Thanksgiving Day shopping) you can snag all the best deals without leaving the comfort of your living room sofa.
Should you choose to do some Cyber Monday shopping this year, you won’t be alone. According to shopping and money-saving expert Andrea Woroch, Cyber Monday has easily become the biggest shopping day of the year—far eclipsing Black Friday. “In 2014, the event pulled in over $2 billion in e-sales and became the heaviest day of online spending in history,” she says. “Comparatively, Black Friday pulled in 30 percent less in online sales last year.”
And like Black Friday doorbusters, the sheer number of Cyber Monday deals can overwhelm shoppers, causing many to miss out on the best deals and overspend on other items. As always, we at Daily Parent want to make sure you maximize your holiday shopping dollars, so we’ve rounded up Woroch’s best Cyber Monday shopping tips.
Best Cyber Monday Buys
Apparel: Look for free shipping offers plus site-wide savings of up to 60 percent from a host of apparel brands including Express, Carter’s, Joe’s Jeans, Kenneth Cole, J. Jill and more.
Shoes: Like apparel, shoes are a popular Cyber Monday deal with stores like Famous Footwear offering the deepest discounts of the year. Look for free delivery as well as BOGO savings from online shoe stores.
Toys: Experts agree toys are a better buy after Black Friday, with brands like Mattel and Fisher-Price offering delivery deals and site-wide sales of up to 30-percent off.
Beauty Products: Stock up on cosmetics and skincare items at a discount for yourself and as gifts. In addition to deals from specialty retailers like Sephora and Ulta, look for savings from specific beauty brands like Clinique.
Travel: An oft-overlooked deal on Cyber Monday, hotels, airlines, booking sites and other travel companies woo customers with discounts. For example, Starwood Hotels and Resorts is already offering savings of up to 50 percent on over 1,00 properties (blackout dates apply), while Red Roof Inn is offering up to 30-percent off stays through March 31, 2016.
Cyber Monday Shopping Tips
Shop Safe: Never use public Wifi for online shopping as hackers can easily steal your payment info. Check the reputability of the sites you’re shopping with at ResellerRatings.com or BizRate.com.
Take Advantage of Early Savings: Walmart is launching its Cyber Monday deals starting at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 29, while Target is continuing its 10 Days of Deals through Dec. 1. Start browsing on Sunday and snag early-bird deals. Plus, fill up your cart with coveted items and store payment info for quick checkout.
Know Price Histories: Like brick-and-mortar stores, online retailers will often inflate the original cost of an item to make their Cyber Monday discount seem like a steal. Use Pricespider.com to ensure you’re getting a good deal, and try CamelCamelCamel.com for price histories of products sold by Amazon.
Compare Offers: Find a comprehensive list of Cyber Monday deals and promo codes at sites like CouponSherpa.com which aggregates top deals all in one spot for fast reference.
Think Fast with Doorbusters: If you’ve got an online doorbuster on your list, don’t let it languish in your shopping cart while you browse for other products. It might be gone when you’re ready to check out. Buy it immediately, then head back to shop for other items.
Review Return Policies: Review return policies so there’s no surprise fees if you’re dissatisfied with a purchase. You can snag free return shipping when you checkout with your PayPal account, or enjoy a no-risk money guarantee plus free shipping both ways from eBay.
