Sunday, November 27, 2011

Cyber Monday Coming Fast

While I did brave the infamous Black Friday crowds (Well I did wait till 6am so I didn't get trampled) I think that CyberMonday is more my style. If you haven't heard of Cyber Monday then you're in luck cause you are now getting one more chance to score crazy awesome deals for your holiday shopping! I love getting the chance to save big while shopping in my jammies. If you're hard core you'll stay up until midnight tonight and get first pick of the deals, or you could just check your computer when you have time tomorrow. Either way I'm sure you'll find some good deals. I'm more of a check the deals when I wake up type of person.

CyberMonday2011.Biz gives a short history of CyberMonday (they also have a collection of upcoming sales):
A popular myth on the Internet is that Black Friday is the top shopping day of the year in the Internet, It is just that, a myth! Cyber Monday is the biggest shopping day online! Stores offer deep discounts on all products from clothing, electronics, televisions, jewelry and much more! We at Cyber Monday 2011 will be monitoring the Internet looking for the best sales and deals at all the major vendors. Cyber Monday launched in 2005 and has been growing ever since. In 2006 Cyber Monday generated 610 million dollars in sales, in only 4 years it has grown to over a billion days in sale on one day! 2011 Is fully expected to over take 2010 numbers as sales and awareness continues to grow. Every year the Cyber Monday deals get better and better and we expect the trend to keep going this season! Cyber Monday 2011 is on November 28th 2011. Be sure to keep in mind that Cyber Monday deals can only be purchased online, not in-store! Most retailers offer free shipping for the sales which makes it even more of a great deal.

CyberMonday2011.com had some good tips on being wise in your online shopping. Along with some great sales to share!
"The Better Business Bureau has put together some tips that we feel should be shared with all of our readers.
  1. Shop trustworthy websites. If a store sounds shady, it is worth the extra time and effort to check them out. Search for their name on Amazon and see if they have a seller rating. Is their website clean and efficient or thrown together and hard to maneuver? That is another huge red flag- reliable sites usually LOOK reliable. Keep that in mind before pulling the trigger on a purchase.
  2. Protect your personal information. Again, if the site is not secure, or just looks plain sketchy- don’t give them your personal information. This really speaks for itself.
  3. Beware of deals that sound TOO great. A Black Friday travel deal that boasts a Bahamas Vacation for $200 is probably too good to be true. Some of these sites will lead with promises of huge deals, but when you get into the fine print, you end up spending thousands. Always, ALWAYS read the fine print if a deal sounds too good to be true, its worth the extra effort to avoid finding out the hard way.
  4. Confirm that your purchase is secure. When you start the checkout process, look at the URL. Most trusted sites start with https. This means that the transactions will be secure. While this is not a foolproof method, it is a great way to quickly check whether or not your information will be secure.
  5. Pay with a credit card. Credit card fees can be disputed. If the company you purchased from turns out to be fraudulent, you have the right to dispute the charges.
  6. Keep all records and confirmations. This should go without saying. Always print your confirmation numbers and receipts. Or take a screen shot and save it to your computer. The best way to dispute issues is with evidence. If you have the paperwork to prove things, you’ll feel more secure."
You can check out specific store websites like Best Buy and Amazon to find what you're looking for or you can go to sites like CyberMonday.com or Deal Taker that have pulled together a list of deals that are being offered for tomorrows big day. Do keep in mind that it's also a big day for scams, so shop retail shops that you feel comfortable with.

Now's the time to get your list out of what you've already purchased and what you are still looking for and get prepared for the awesomeness of CyberMonday :) Good Luck!

2 comments: