Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Tips to save time and money

When school starts, some people start thinking about cooler temperatures, the change of seasons, fall colors, and the holidays. Others fine-tune their shopping skills to prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. These two shopping days offer shopping enthusiasts the opportunity to save more money on their holiday shopping or their own wish list items than any other time of year.

Before you head out the door to brave the crowds for Black Friday or blaze the Internet for the best deals on Cyber Monday, do your homework. Make a list of the items you want to buy and take a look at the following infographic to help you take advantage of the best deals.

Infographic source: Valpak.com

Black Friday

Big ticket Black Friday items

53% – Clothing
42% – Books, CDs, DVDs or video games
34% – Toys
20% – Home decorating
14% – Jewelry

Most popular stores

76% – Department stores
55% – Mass merchandisers
52% – Electronics
35% – Toy stores
23% – Buy online
22% – Dollar stores

Black Friday shopping tips

• Make a list
• Check online ads in addition to paper ads
• Compare current and future sale prices
• Connect deals with coupons for added savings
• Make sure your billing and mailing addresses are updated before Black Friday
• Be familiar with price matching and return policies
• Hit the web early
• Prepare for the unexpected – Seize the deal!
• Get cash back on online purchases
• What if a deal isn’t good enough? – Cyber Monday might have the better deal!

Know when to shop

The early bird does get the worm on Black Friday!

9 PM Thanksgiving Day – Toys “R” Us
10 PM Thanksgiving Day – WalMart
Midnight – Banana Republic, Best Buy, Express, Game Stop, Gap, Kohl’s, Old Navy
4 AM – Army and Air Force Exchange Service, JC Penny, Macy’s, Michaels, Sears
5 AM – Academy Sports, A.C. Moore, Babies “R” Us, Cabela’s, Gordmans, Sam’s Club
6 AM – Office Max, Bass Pro Shops, Kmart, Pep Boys, Staples
7 AM – BJ’s, Half Price Books,
9 AM – Costco

31% of shoppers arrive at stores not later than 5 AM
3% of shoppers arrive at stores at midnight

Cyber Monday

Big ticket Cyber Monday Items

53% – Electronics
42% – Toys & Games
34% – Clothing

Best Cyber Monday Sites

• Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta
• Abercrombie & Fitch
• Levi’s
• Kohls
• Amazon
• Amazon Wireless
• Macy’s
• Target
• Best Buy

Know when to shop

• Many sales begin one second after midnight on the Monday following Thanksgiving
• Many sales are limited to a few hours
• Check for sale details before Monday strikes to get the best savings!

Cyber Monday shopping tips

• Make a wish list prior to shopping day
• Pre-shop to know the regular price and see what the actual savings are
• Use protection – Make sure antivirus software is up to date
• Read site rules to know when sales are running or if better sales are scheduled for later/earlier in the day
• Compare items in brick-and-mortar stores before purchasing
• Utilize free shipping
• Read return policies

Overall points from data

• Cyber Monday shoppers save more money
• Black Friday shoppers make more purchases
• More money is generated on Black Friday
• More people shop on Black Friday
• For department stores, electronics and mass merchandisers, Black Friday early bird deals can have huge savings
• For online retailers like Amazon and specialty stores, Cyber Monday wins out
• For the best savings, research your desired items and shop both days

Personality comparisons

Black Friday

• Finds instant gratification appealing
• OK with spending more to get items same day
• Typically young women
• Probably uses Instagram

Cyber Monday

• Loves a good deal
• Can save more money
• Patient
• Internet-savvy

Will you be an early bird and brave the crowds for Black Friday? Do you prefer shopping from your computer on Cyber Monday? Or do you shop on both days? Tell us below!

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