If you’re anything like me, you’re not going to head out to the stores on Black Friday this year. It’s just too cold, too much work, too many people, and too much stress!
Thank the heavens for online Black Friday shopping!
Here at Freebies2Deals, we’re BIG fans of online shopping. It’s so much easier, and it means that we don’t have to leave the comfort of our homes. That means we can shop in jammies while sipping on hot cocoa and watching the football game.
Fortunately, online Black Friday shopping is the way to do it these days. Retailers these days offer online shoppers the same deals as in-store shoppers.
Mastering online Black Friday shopping (or even online shopping in general) isn’t always second nature to many people, though, and it can seem daunting and even a little nerve wracking.
Well, never fear! Freebies2Deals is here to share some of our favorite online Black Friday shopping tips!
1.Set your budget first.
This is the number one rule for any holiday shopping, especially for Black Friday shopping online.
Always start with a budget!
It’s so easy to go overboard and spend way too much when shopping during the season. We all tend to get caught up in the holiday spirit, which can lead to overspending. The very first thing you need to do before spending a dime this season is set a budget and stick with it!
2.Prioritize your purchases.
I’m sure there are tons of goodies on your wish-list. The holidays can get away from us sometimes, and we all want to get everything for everyone. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen in a perfect world.
You’ve created your wish-list, you’ve set your budget…What next?Now, it’s time to prioritize!
Figuring out what you want most will give you a starting point on what exactly you need to focus on. You can check the deals at the top of your list and focus on those first.
3. Browse the Black Friday Ads.
What better way to figure out the deals than looking through the Black Friday ads? Speculation is one thing, but you’ll never know what deals are available until you check out those ads.
Browsing though each store’s Black Friday ads will give you an idea of the deals available and give you insight on what will be on sale and where. You can compare different sale prices from different retailers based on the ads to find the best deals.
4. Take Advantage of rewards and special offers.
Sale prices aren’t the only way to save money during black Friday sales. Some stores also offer additional perks, rewards, and even coupons.
Kohl’s, for instance, offers $15 Kohl’s cash for every $50 spent during their Black Friday Sale. You can also get an additional 15% off your purchase from November 25th through November 29th when you use the code THANKS at checkout.
Target is also famous for offering free gift cards with certain sale purchases all year long, and the Target Black Friday sale is no exception. This year, they’re offering some super high value gift cards with iPhone 11, Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, and Pixel 4 purchases. Shoppers can also get free gift cards with other select purchases this year, including Xbox game consoles, toys, and more.
You can sometimes collect lots of rewards that you can use to complete your holiday shopping at a later date. Just be sure to make a note of restrictions and expiration dates, so they don’t go to waste.
5. Create or update your online accounts.
Imagine this… You’ve found an awesome deal online during Black Friday. You add it to your cart, you go to check out, and…
BAM! You’re hit with this! Or, your payment information isn’t up to date. And, by the time you get everything straightened around, the item you were going to buy has gone out of stock.
It happens!
To avoid this, make sure you have accounts with each online retailer, and stay signed in (if possible) in the weeks and days leading up to the big online Black Friday sales. Also, make sure your payment information is up to date.
6. Start your online Black Friday shopping EARLY.
The biggest holiday shopping day of the year has changed quite a bit since it first started. These days, it’s all about the online Black Friday shopping. And, it’s no longer limited to just one or two days. Online Black Friday deals are now offered weeks before actual Black Friday. So much so, that many people are now dubbing the entire month Black November.
That’s good news for us deal hunters! That means that we can start our Black Friday shopping online early and possibly even be done with it completely in time to relax and enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday.
Don’t wait until Thanksgiving or Black Friday to shop. Start stalking the Early and Pre-Black Friday sales now to check things off your list, and track and compare prices on items from different retailers.
7. Bookmark links or even add items to your cart early.
One of the best ways to find your online Black Friday items quickly is by bookmarking them in advance. Create a new folder in your bookmarks for items you’re keeping an eye on and check them regularly.
You can also easily save links in your bookmarks bar by clicking and holding, and dragging the link to your bookmarks bar. Our Best of the Best Black Friday Deal list is a great place to try this!
Another little tip that might work is adding items to your cart early, before sales start. Then, when the price drops online, the price should also automatically update in your cart. You may need to refresh the cart page in order for this to happen. This isn’t a foolproof method, however, and it doesn’t always work with every online retailer.
8. Open multiple tabs.
When trying to grab all of those online Black Friday deals, it’s always a good idea to use multiple tabs. This will save you a TON of time trying to navigate to different deals when a big sale starts. Be careful opening TOO many tabs, though, since it can overload your device and cause it to freeze!
To open a link or product page in a new tab, just right click on the link and select “Open link in new tab”. PC users can also hold down the Ctrl key while clicking on the link. This will allow you to open multiple product pages at one time and still keep the original page open.
9. Be patient.
Online Black Friday sales often generates some heavy traffic. This influx of traffic can cause temporary problems for some online retail sites. Product prices may not update right away, and the sites might even crash for a short time. This has happened to major online retailers in the past, including BestBuy.com and WalMart.com.
That’s the time to be patient!
Stick around and refresh the page. You may need to refresh the page several times before the price updates or you’re able to add an item to your cart.
10. Don’t get stuck paying for shipping.
What’s the point of saving a bundle of money during Black Friday sales online if you get socked with a shipping fee? When it comes to shipping fees during online Black Friday sales, just say “NO”.
Many sites offer free shipping on almost every order during online Black Friday sales, including online retailers like Target.com and BestBuy.com. Amazon Prime members can also get free shipping on almost everything all year long. If you don’t have an Amazon Prime membership, now might be the time to sign up for a free 30-day Amazon Prime membership.
Some online retailers also have a free shipping threshold. WalMart.com, for instance, offers free shipping on orders over $35. Of course, you can always opt to pick up your items for free at some local stores when you make purchase during an online Black Friday sale.
