Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) have certainly evolved a lot since retailers would offer 1-day sales on select items at seasons best pricing. Gone are the days when people would camp out in front of an electronics retailer to get a hot deal on a big screen TV, or the newly released gaming console and are instead sitting on their phone, tablet, or laptop making their buying decisions from the comfort of their home or office.

Black Friday by definition was the Friday following American Thanksgiving where retailers would claim to finally enter “the black” and begin turning a profit for the year. Many retailers see as much as 30% of their annual sales between Thanksgiving and New Years and will offer compelling promotions to secure the ultra-competitive shopping budgets of Holiday consumers. Now that we’ve living in the COVID Era, retailers are having to re-invent themselves further and many experts predict promotions like we’ve never seen before (up to 80% off in some instances), sales will begin earlier (many retailers begin 2 weeks before Black Friday now), but also a huge chunk of the business in anticipated to be done through the e-commerce channel.

By following the below tips, you will save time, money, and alleviate many of the most stressful elements about Holiday Shopping:

1. Avoid the Malls- Not only does the current environment raise concerns about the safety of large gatherings and groups, malls can be extremely frustrating places to park, wait in line, and shop. Also, in person shopping causes increased tendencies for “add-on purchases” which are often times not needed.
2. Buy Early- Reports show that for the last 6 months couriers were in the equivalent of their typical “Holiday Rush” and it is expected that delays from the increased demand of the regular Holiday Rush will cause many shipping times to stretch out longer than predicted, potentially causing your gifts to not be delivered in time for the big day.
3. Sign up for select newsletters and mailing lists- The last thing many of us need is yet another email, but for retailers who you have interest in or who you intend to buy from, by signing up for their newsletter or mailing list you can achieve two key benefits. 1) Many will offer an introductory offer of maybe $10 off your next purchase or 10% off your next purchase. 2) you will be among the first to know when their BFCM sales launch so you can shop when they have the best selection. Because the same emails can go out to hundreds of thousands of people at the same time, it is quite common that the best deals sell out quickly.
4. Have a Plan- When holiday shopping it is easy to get distracted by all the offers and promotions out there. Cultivate a list of who you are looking to buy gifts for, set a budget for each, and make notes on things they are interested in, sizes, or any ideas you have been given throughout the year. Expert Tip- Buy 1 or 2 generic gifts and keep them in your vehicle. They are life savers for the unexpected drop ins of a friend or family member who you didn’t plan a gift for, but who brings one for you.
5. It’s Not About You- It is sometimes human behavior to look at things of personal interest but you have to prioritize your list first and then shop for yourself only if time and budget allows. There is nothing worse than shopping all day only to realize you have barely made a dent in your list, but instead purchased a bunch of personal items that may or may not be needed or are wise purchases given the extra spending around Holidays.
6. Seek Ease and Value- More than other years, people are dealing with a number of challenges they may not have experienced before and feeling the need to gift everyone like in normal times may cause undue stress. Don’t feel bad if on the surface your gifts may not have the same perceived value, but also aim to buy from retailers who are showcasing not just good, but exceptional value in their sales to make your dollars stretch a little further. Also pay special attention to the details of BFCM promotions. Sometimes shipping costs, or items being marked as final sales make sense given the discount level, but other things misleading headlines or offers requiring you to buy something you don’t want or need tarnish an otherwise great offer. The best retailers make their promotions easy to understand and are favorable to the customer because they value you long-term as a customer.
7. Don’t forget about the Shipping- Often time a deal seems great on the surface but once you add taxes and shipping fees, the great deal you thought you were receiving is no longer as attractive. It is important to realize that shipping isn’t free and if the retailer is offering free shipping, they are likely offering less of a discount and vice versa. That said, there are two ways to think of shipping Holiday Gifts: 1) Buy more from fewer retailers and only pay 1 shipping fee. 2) If you aren’t able to connect with a certainly family member of friend, especially with the uncertainty around large gatherings, ship your gift directly to the person you are gifting. Although this option may not have the same feel as a personally delivered hand wrapped present, it may be the more responsible way to let someone know you’re thinking about them this year. Also important when considering shipping it the estimated time in transit. You should always know where the item is shipping form of the estimated shipping time for it to arrive. Most retailers will provide tracking and delivery confirmation which allows for some peace of mind, but the best approach is to plan ahead and leave ample time for things to be delivered.

We all have our own special secrets and processes on how to navigate Holiday shopping. Maybe more this year than ever before though we need to think creatively and plan ahead. We hope these simple steps allow your valuable dollars to stretch a little further and for your holiday shopping headaches to be non-existent by planning ahead.

To join the levelwear mailing list and be the first to be informed of our Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales of up to 80% off select items, please sign up here: https://levelwear.com/challenge#contact_form