Strategic shopping can pay off in a big way if you wait until Cyber Monday to buy online and slept in late on Black Friday. Hold off scouting out deals on travel, designer clothing and accessories, and household goods until Monday. Retail experts say you’ll be a happy shopper.
RetailMeNot says travel racked up the highest savings on Cyber Monday last year. If you’re making a list and checking it twice for a Christmas getaway, Monday is your day.
You’re probably a fan of Net-a-Porter, Stylebop, and Farfetch. None of these boast a single storefront. They’re all e-tailers, and they are really, really looking for your business on Cyber Monday.
The shopping site found that almost half of those in a recent poll said they’re planning to take off a half-day from work on Monday to shop. Workers who will show up at the office plan to take a little retail therapy. The RetailMeNot survey found that 94 percent will devote almost four hours of their work day to searching the web for sales.
Retail experts, however, advise against online shopping at work. Go online only during your lunch break or after office hours. Is any Cyber Monday deal worth putting your job in jeopardy?
Other tips to make the most out of Cyber Monday include:
Start shopping as soon as you wake up if you have an eye on items that are in short supply. Hot items have been know to sell out early.
Avoid scammers and online thieves. Look for secure sites. If you see “https” instead of “http” in the web address bar, you’re on safe ground. If you find a padlock symbol, usually in the right-hand corner of your screen, the site is secure. Shop on your computer instead of your smartphone. Spotting suspicious sites can be more difficult on your smart phone.
Make your online purchases at home where you have a trusted wireless connection and avoid using public Wi-Fi. Don’t leave your financial information vulnerable to the bad guys by shopping on a public network.
Shop using your credit card instead of your debit card. Contesting fraudulent charges is a lot easier if you used your credit card.
Remember you’ll be paying shipping costs. Have your items sent to a nearby store instead of your doorstep to take advantage of free shipping. Remember that free shipping day falls on Dec. 16 this year.
