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Will Cyber Monday Make Up For Black Friday?

SavvySugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:00:35 -0800

After hearing the news that a Wal-Mart employee was brutally trampled to death by discount-hungry shoppers on Black Friday, you might think eager shoppers everywhere turned out for after-Thanksgiving sales. While other retailers avoided such tragedy on the biggest shopping day of the year, they didn't draw in the same crowds and are now apprehensively facing the bad news that 2008 could end in the red.

The prospect of getting something for less might have caused some aggressive crowds, but the number of shoppers out this Black Friday didn't compare to those in recent years. Most of the people who did make it to the stores were seeking basic items over luxuries, making it clear this holiday season is more subdued in the material sense than retailers had hoped.

The Financial Times caught up with one shopper who admitted, "This year I’m cutting back. I’ll probably end up bargain-hunting on the internet." Good thing she and the rest of us cutting back have Cyber Monday sales to check out. Have you found any good online deals so far today?

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Six Steps For Balancing Work and Cyber Monday Sales

SavvySugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:30:15 -0800

Usually it's tough to bounce back after a long weekend, but today is not your average Monday — it's Cyber Monday, the biggest online shopping day of the year. For those of you that steered clear of Black Friday, now is your chance to scoop up some gifts at a discount, without leaving your desk. The brains behind Cyber Monday are no dummies and know that you'll be sitting in front of your computer all day, but you need to make sure shopping doesn't get in the way of completing your work. Here's a plan for balancing your Monday priorities.

Make a list of your work obligations.
Divide those obligations into time slots, giving yourself deadlines so that you work more efficiently and are able to create extra time in your day for browsing online.
Get out of the office for five minutes of fresh air, but eat at your desk while perusing online sales. If you have a laptop, consider taking it to a nearby cafe that has WiFi.
Put items in your online cart, but don't purchase until you've scoped all of the sites you want to. You don't want to buy under time crunch pressure because you may end up buying things that aren't the best deals.
Stay a little late. Once you've finished working, send an email to your personal email with links to all of the items you are unsure about so you can take more time to think about them.
When you get home, finish your Cyber Monday business.

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I'm Asking: What Black Friday Deals Did You Score?

SavvySugar — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:00:46 -0800

Black Friday has come and gone faster than your turkey hangover went away. I wasn't able to make it out to any of the sales myself (good thing there's still Cyber Monday), but being a bargain hunter at heart, I'm dying to hear about the on-sale loot you scored.

What deals did you get your hands on this Black Friday?

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Did You Spend More Than You Planned on Black Friday?

SavvySugar — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 11:00:16 -0800

By now you've had time to review the discounted loot you brought home as Black Friday bounty and should have a good feel for how closely you're sticking to your holiday shopping budget. If you've already surpassed your limit for some people on your list, it may be time to readjust the rest of your holiday spending plan.
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Did You Spend More Than You Planned on Black Friday?

Yes, I spent more than I had planned.

I didn't set a holiday shopping budget in the first place!

No, I spent about as much as I had planned.

No, I spent much less than I planned.

I didn't shop on Black Friday!

Guess How Much: End-of-Year Holiday Shopping

SavvySugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:30:16 -0800

You might have heard somewhere, make that everywhere, that it's Black Friday. It wasn't given a special name just because it's the day after Thanksgiving, and retailers have traditionally counted on the shopping holiday to push their sales into profitable territory.

It's still a relevant day, but some stores have been advertising Black Friday-type-can't-miss-sales since the beginning of November as retailers began to get increasingly nervous about consumers spending less this holiday season. Can you guess how much of a retailers' annual profit and sales is driven by holiday shopping in November and December?

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Your Two Cents: Are You Hitting Black Friday Sales?

SavvySugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 07:30:30 -0800

It is a brave shopper who charges through Black Friday on a holiday shopping mission, and not everyone has the patience for tolerating pushy crowds. Hopefully, those determined shoppers are rewarded with heavy discounts that cause them to brush off any annoyances the day may bring. Are you hitting the sales today?
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Your Two Cents: Are You Hitting Black Friday Sales?

I already took advantage of some sales that started last night!

Yes, it's pretty much a tradition for me to hit the sales.

No, but I've gone shopping on Black Friday in the past.

No, I've never gone shopping on Black Friday.

Something else. I'll tell you in the comments.

How Should You Pay For Holiday Shopping?

SavvySugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 04:30:43 -0800

We've procrastinated shopping long enough, and the major holidays are now four weeks away and counting. It's about time we start taking a crack at our lists, but first we need to decide how to pay for all the presents. Consider the easiest way to track all of your gift expenses combined with the most practical method for preventing overspending. Only you can choose which is best for you, but Consumer Reports gives us a place to start by comparing all of our payment options.

Credit cards: The magazine recommends using credit for large purchases as long as you're not already carrying a balance and can pay off the charges each month. Credit offers more protection than other payment forms and it's relatively easy to have charges removed in the event of a legitimate dispute.
Debit cards: You'll escape the interest charges affiliated with credit cards but are susceptible to overdraft fees, and debit doesn't provide as much protection as credit. Your bank isn't required to step in to dispute charges with a merchant.

To see how these compare to paying with a check or cash,

How Long Are You Willing to Wait in a Black Friday Line?

SavvySugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:30:17 -0800

Black Friday is the ultimate test of the time-is-money theory — after all, blowout bargains and crowds of shoppers typically characterize the biggest shopping day of the year. How long are you willing to wait for your turn at the register?Source

How Long Are You Willing to Wait in a Black Friday Line?

As long as it takes to get to the front of the line!

About one hour

30-40 minutes

15 minutes

I'm not shopping on Black Friday.

Something else. I'll tell you in the comments.

Linens 'n Things Tricky Liquidation Tactics Exposed

SavvySugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:30:40 -0800

Going out of business sales usually make shoppers' ears perk up, yet a recent sort of exposé by Good Morning America suggests that we shouldn't trust that sticker prices are actual discounts from the originals. With camcorder in hand, the show strolled the aisles of a soon-to-be extinct Linens 'n Things and visited a going-out-of business Circuit City store. What they found was nothing to be excited about, at least in terms of dirt-cheap deals.

A liquidator's goal is to make money, and they do so by capitalizing on the excitement surrounding going-out-of business sales. Store clerks admitted that liquidators raise prices and then gradually discount. At a Circuit City store taken over by liquidators, Good Morning America found a Samsung HD TV for $1,799 only available from an opened box, while a still-in-business Circuit City was selling the same brand new TV for $1,599. Protect yourself as a consumer by shopping around and not assuming that a so-called discounted price is the best available. Check out the video below for more insight into tricky liquidation tactics.

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5 Websites to Get the Best Black Friday Deals

SavvySugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 04:45:57 -0800

Usually it's a sign of a long week ahead when it's only Monday and you're already thinking about Friday, but here's the good news: It's a short week! Thanksgiving is the big Thursday show and Black Friday is like the chaotic after-party that begins as early as midnight on Thursday in some stores.

This Friday is more important than any other for struggling retailers that are relying on the day of deals to put something positive in their books. Before you go weaving in and out of stores on Black Friday, do some deal comparisons to make sure you really are getting the best bargain available. First check the websites that track Black Friday ads like bfads.net, blackfriday.gottadeal.com, dealtaker.com, and tgiblackfriday.com. Then, take the time in the next few days to compare the advertised sales to the prices on these five websites before hitting the holiday shopping pavement.

Spreading out your holiday shopping over the rest of the season? Never miss an online sale again when you sign up for ShopStyle's Sale Alerts. You'll be notified when items you've been eying finally go on sale!

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