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The time to start planning your Black Friday shopping strategy is now.
If you want to get the most out of this exciting shopping day, you can browse Black Friday ads and store websites right now. This will help you get an idea of what your favorite retailer is offering and what you’re interested in purchasing. You’ll have the best chance of buying the most popular items at the lowest prices if you strategize a few days before Black Friday. Another good indicator of what retailers could be offering is to check out what stores like Target, Walmart, and Amazon offered last year on Black Friday. Some retailers tend to offer the same Black Friday promotions every year.
Don’t forget to check out deal sites like RetailMeNot and Slickdeals. They round up all the best Black Friday deals and tell you where you can get them. Grab one of their discount codes to save even more on Black Friday. -
Check social media.
Social media is like a huge search engine in itself. Most major retailers have a presence on social media. You can search for your favorite retailers across all of your social media networks to discover their Black Friday deals. Retailers are utilizing social media more than ever to engage with their customers and let them know what’s happening in their stores. Follow your favorites to stay in the know.
Scroll through your newsfeed to see any special offers. Check in with friends that you follow to see what deals they’re going to take advantage of. If you find a great deal, tell a friend and maybe they’ll do the same for you. -
Subscribe to email and text messages.
Let the deals come to your inbox. If you’re okay with getting a few messages from retailers, subscribe to their email and text message updates. Check your inbox periodically for exciting incentives, exclusive offers, and special discounts. If you hesitate to give out your personal email address, you can set up a separate email address just for those kinds of messages.
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Fill up your shopping cart now.
Shortly before Black Friday, add items you’ve been eyeing to your online shopping cart but don’t complete the checkout just yet. Most retailers will hold on to your shopping cart for a few days to a week or more. Check your shopping cart on Black Friday to see if the prices for anything in your shopping cart have decreased. If anything has gone down in price, all you’ll have to do is complete the transaction since it’s already in your cart. Some retailers will send you a gentle reminder that you have items in your cart or send you a discount code to complete your purchase.
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Sign up in advance for store loyalty programs.
Most major retailers have their own loyalty programs. Most cost nothing to join and they offer a personalized shopping experience. Loyalty programs are another really great way to stay in touch with retailers that you shop often. If you sign up for a loyalty program, you’ll earn points on purchases that you can use to discount a future purchase. If you’ve accumulated points and decide to redeem them on Black Friday, that could be a huge savings. Some popular loyalty programs are Kohls Rewards, Target Circle, and Macy’s Star Rewards.
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Download your favorite retailer’s shopping app.
The fear of missing out is real but if you’ve got your favorite retailer’s shopping app installed on your smartphone, you’ll never be the last to know. Most major retailers have their own shopping apps that offer a streamlined, efficient, and pleasant shopping experience. You can take advantage of app exclusive deals and perks like Black Friday early access, flash sales, or free shipping.
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Sign up for a shopping membership program.
If you shop a particular retailer often, you might want to consider signing up for their membership plan during Black Friday to save even more. Now is the perfect time to try out Amazon Prime or Walmart +. Both retailers offer FREE 30-day trials of their membership plans so that you can experience the perks and decide for yourself if it’s something that could benefit you before you commit.
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Shop Black Friday online.
If you’d rather avoid the crowds, you can still experience all the excitement of Black Friday online. Most stores are offering the same Black Friday deals in their stores and online. After you’ve put away the turkey leftovers and enjoyed a slice of pie, get online to shop.
Even though most stores are closed on Thanksgiving, they’re going live with their Black Friday events online. -
Make a wish list.
The stores will be full of Black Friday promotions everywhere you look and it will be easy for even the best shoppers to get distracted and feel overwhelmed. Don’t fall for just any deal. Make a list of what you’re really looking for. Some popular items that get deeply discounted are televisions, small appliances, computers, and tablets. If those are on your list, it’s worthwhile to check those items out first as they tend to sell out fast. Whether it’s apparel or electronics, write down what you need as a reminder of what to look out for.
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Shop Cyber Monday.
If you missed out on a great deal on Black Friday despite your best efforts, or if you’re still working on that holiday shopping list, you can look forward to another major holiday shopping event that happens on the Monday following Black Friday—Cyber Monday! This popular online holiday shopping event is another opportunity for huge savings. Most retailers will offer a discount accompanied with FREE shipping. Some retailers have turned Cyber Monday into a week-long extravaganza with new deals introduced daily.
