Online Sale Shopping: Black Friday Prep.

Are you prepped and ready for this week? 

Yes, of courrrrrssse I mean the wonderful meal ahead and the quality time to be spent with those we love. 

But, the other buzz that is beginning is the upcoming shopping craze, and sale madness.

The thing is, it doesn’t have to be craze and madness - except when referring to the deals you scored.   I admit I LOVE a great sale, but I can’t bring myself to participate in black Friday events.  They overwhelm me.  And I like to sleep too much.   But now that online shopping has increased, retailers are offering great deals from the comfort of your couch in your favorite pjs.  Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) and Cyber Week (starting the following Monday) are a GREAT time to save and check your list of well in advance.

So you will have time for things like Advent Calendars, cookie exchanges, time to actually enjoy the holidays and breathe deep. 

I heard a statistic that 48% of people are done with their holiday shopping BEFORE Thanksgiving.  I mean.  How in the world?  So for the 52% of us and the 48 that may have possibly forgotten that they didn't even know they were missing something…

How to keep calm, look great, and prep for online holiday shopping…

First:  Make your lists.

Gifts For Others  - do you know sizes?
Family {have you seen this collection for your Star Wars fanatics}
Girlfriends
Hostess gifts
Far away relatives
Teachers...

Your Wishlist.
This is just plain being helpful towards others.  Confession:  A pinterest board for my husband has done wonders for improving our Christmas Morning.  Isn't this a cozy happy coat?  On my list

{uniqlo}

Home Decor.

{anthropologie}

Holiday Attire.

Next:  think about the retailers that will have the gifts you are looking for.  Do some pre-shopping on the couch after the kiddos are in bed, put items you are thinking about in your cart.  Then revisit when a sale is announced and make your decisions.  It’s therapy for me. 

Some retailers are announcing their sales in advance, some will wait till Friday...

Nordstrom is offering 20% off of their clearance items on Black Friday.  And I imagine sizes will go quickly.  Also, worth noting, if you have bought anything in the last week or so that is now on sale, Nordstrom will price adjust your item.  Just call!

J. Crew is offering 30% off your entire purchase with code "getshopping"

Anthropologie hasn’t announce a sale yet, but it's almost a guarantee they will on Friday.  They have wonderful Christmas décor and trim.  Girly gifts like these.  Smashing holiday attire.


Finally:  Check back here first thing on Friday for a full list of retailers and their sales.


Here are a few more tips from a shopping expert:

Only shop retailers you trust. My go-to's include, but are not limited to the following:
(apparel) Nordstrom, Shopbop, Zappos, Bloomingdales, J.Crew
(cosmetics) Sephora, Beauty.com, Nordstrom, Ouidad
(home decor) Anthropologie*, Williams Sonoma*, Target, Sur La Table
(kids) Hanna Andersson*, YoYo, H&M, Gap & Old Navy
*look for "free shipping" offers from these sites.

Free-shipping and returns are a MUST. Around the holidays, extended returns are critical for gift buying. If there are no free returns, ensure that you can return the item(s) to a brick and mortar store. Also, pay attention to estimated delivery dates to ensure timely delivery of your gifts. Keep an eye out for backordered warnings and, as the holidays approach, pay attention to shipping deadlines.

No final sale...EVER. Enough said.

Know your sizing and how brands fit. This is also important as you shop for those on your gift list

Search for coupon codes before purchasing. I always look for an item or enter the retailer's name and "coupon code" or "free shipping" to ensure I haven't missed a great deal.

Tips for Navigating Websites, When shopping large sites, it helps to refine your search. Be as specific as possible. If you know exactly what you're looking for, use the search function. For larger sites, refine by your size, brands you like, color, and/or items (for example, size 8, coats, pink).

"Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" deals seem to have crept in to earlier in the week, so it's worth taking a peek before you sign-out from the office for the holiday. And, don't forget to include your UPS delivery man on your Christmas list. ~Jenn

                          

By being organized for this upcoming sales season, you can be efficient, enjoy your-on-top-of-it-ness, and stick to a budget, it always feels good to save money right?

Mission Accomplished.  

xo,
Kirsty