Do you abhor doing battle with crushing bunch ? Does the thought of circling your car in a parking good deal in what seems like an dateless race for a parking spot make you wince ? Have you ever encountered a sold - out Elmo shelf only to silently berate yourself for not rising before dawn to beat the shopping competition ? We ’re not suggesting that you start out your holiday shopping in July , but our first tip is , yes , to start buying early – preferably before the madness that is Black Friday . So allow ’s get started on a design .
5. Start Before Black Friday
allot to a 2009 survey conducted by PriceGrabber.com , American shopper are acquire a head start on the holiday shopping season – 22 per centum of shoppers take off their vacation shopping in October and 29 pct in November .
Not only is this tactic good for beating the bunch , but it ’s also a elbow room to ensure that you get the gift on your list . Many retailer have scaled back on their inventory as a way to ward off end - of - season overstock and unplanned markdowns . Once the popular items are gone , they ’re fail . In other words , the other bird gets the Twilight Barbie doll .
4. Shop from Home
get nightmare about combat the crowds during Black Friday ? Avoid the masses and do your shopping at household . It may seem out-of-date , but do n’t forget about catalogue shopping . Sure , it ’ll add transport costs to your holiday - shopping budget , but if you appear for free transportation deals , you ’re not only saving time and gaseous state ( no transferral costs involved for you ! ) you ’re also saving retail shipping fees or a trip to the post office .
Shopping online is n’t just for procrastinators – about 28 percentage of on-line shopper under the age of 50 are more potential to have already started their holiday shopping than shopper who do n’t use the cyberspace . tick out sites like retailmenot.com to see if they have any online coupons .
draw in up a president and fuel up the Internet , the memory board look .
3. Shop in Unconventional Places
One way of life to avoid the vacation shopping Benjamin Rush is to invalidate the places where people normally do their holiday shopping , like department stores , big - box retailer and center .
As reported in the National Retail Federation ’s 2009 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions sketch , most shoppers plan to browse at discounters this vacation season . Other stores consumers are potential to visit are department stores , foodstuff stores , clothing retailers and electronics shops . alternatively , attempt to support local small business proprietor , craft fairs and parsimoniousness store . You may find the crowds are slender and the wares more unique .
2. Avoid Shipping
The substantially potential shipping option is detached , but when that ’s not available , there are ways to avoid high shipping costs .
Say you ’re sending gift cards this twelvemonth . If you ’re rushed and ship it all-night ring armor , a $ 25 gift card just turn into a $ 50 natural endowment . The solution ? Send on-line gift notice .
If you must send gifts , check that you research shipping prices . Shipgooder.com , for model , gives you an soft way to compare the cost of shipping package ( from UPS , FedEx , DHL , and the U.S. Postal Service ) yourself versus directly from the vendor . you’re able to also liken transport costs by calling shippers ' automated pace service issue , just have the ZIP code , weight of the package and its dimension ready to hand :
1. Give Gift Cards
You really ca n’t go wrong with giving gift cards - it ’s a one sizing fits all alternative . According to a 2009 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions view conducted by the National Retail Federation , more than 55 percent of adults poll would like to receive a gift card this holiday season , so take the hint .
There are two eccentric of giving card to choose from : retail giving menu and depository financial institution gift cards .
Retail gift cards can be used only at the shop or eating place where it was purchased .
Bank giving card process like a VISA or MasterCard and can be used anywhere those cards are accepted .
Either eccentric you select , be wary of fees . Activation , maintenance , minutes and even inactivity can all eat away at the value of a gift card . Also ask about expiration dates . You would n’t want your gift card recipient to lose out on her gift because she waited too long to redeem it .
