If you’re planning to tackle Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday, here are some general tips and tricks to help you know when to pull the trigger and when to wait. Contrary to what marketers are telling you, most of the “deals” are merely exaggerations to lure you and your wallet. Take it from a “marketer” who plays on both sides of the fence…yours truly!

The following slide show is a mini version – just click on the different colored tabs. You can check out the extended version with all the details after the jump!

Black Friday: “Firstness” = Worstness

I’m not personally a fan of Black Friday. This video says it all. I’m not desperate enough to camp overnight to save $200 on a TV or get the “firstness” experience and $3 DVD’s aren’t worth me braving uncomfortably packed stores. However, if you must brave the chaos, here are some tricks to get the most out of it:

• Skip the door busters – chances are there is someone who wants it more and why wager countless hours you can’t get back? Special shout out to e-commerce smarty and DowtownBellevue blogger Michael Brandt, who shared this tip!
• Make a list of the people you need to shop for including any gifts you’ve already determined, but also types of gifts you’re considering. This will help you stay productive, but also keep you on alert for anything good you stumble upon.
• Check Black Friday ads to see if offers will also be online. There’s never a guarantee, but a lot of top retailers like Target, Best Buy, Costco and Sears offer the same prices online as in stores. The only thing you probably won’t be able to snag online is a door buster.
• Focus on your higher ticket items like gadgets, shoes, coats, etc.
• Return policies are key. If you are on the fence about something on special and the store has a full refund within 30 days or more return policy, take it home and think about it. Also, keep an eye out for an opportunity to get a price adjustment.

Finally, here are some retailers doing great things to make it worth your while:

• Target doesn’t mess around when it comes to a good deal. Even if you go and they are out of one thing, it won’t be a complete waste since you’ll likely find other things on your list. View their full Black Friday ad here. They also bring on extra staff to ensure they can keep lines moving. My mom also approves, who taught me everything I know about savvy shopping. Michael Brandt also plans to shop here.
• GAP – 50% off your entire purchase before 10am on Friday. They open at midnight on Friday AM too! This impressed me. GAP offers 30%, sometimes even 40% off discounts regularly so in order to get my attention, they would have to top anything they’ve done in the past few months. Well, they got me! Smart too! You have to get there before 10am to take advantage.
• Neiman Marcus Last Call is offering 40% off entire purchases online and for these locations starting now with additional bonus savings of 20% off starting Friday.

Cyber Monday: Click “Submit Order” If…

Cyber Monday transactions have been on the rise for the past few years and I expect the same to happen this year. As a result, every e-tailer is pushing out coupon codes and a lot of them aren’t that different from what is offered on any given day of the year. Here are some key things to look for when evaluating whether or not to submit your order:

• Don’t get caught up on the term “Monday” - Cyber Monday specials usually start Friday, if not earlier, and lead into Monday. Do your homework and you can probably get most of your e-shopping done over the weekend.
• Coupon code discounts – if it’s not at least 25% off, keep looking. There are some exceptions here depending on the product category, but as far as apparel and accessories go, this is a “must” for a retailer to catch my attention on Cyber Monday. Be skeptical of percentage discounts on “select items” – it’s a fancy phrase for “sale” and you’ll likely see even bigger price drops on said items the day after Christmas.
• Compare similar shops before you order and don’t be afraid to ask a retailer you prefer to shop at for a price match (see the video below from my undercover talk with Nordstrom from 2008)! RetailMeNot.com is a GREAT resource for looking up codes at a particular store.
• Free shipping as a Cyber Monday special isn’t so special anymore - it’s something you should expect from online retailers throughout the holiday season.

Here are some brands who have captured my attention:

• For anything gadget related, Amazon is consistently up to par with best deals. Shout out to Vyque from Fasshonaburu, scope out DSLR bundles for Nikon D300 and Canon Rebel XS for under $500.
• Hudson Jeans is hosting a 24 hour VIP sale exclusive to Facebook fans, offering 40% various styles. All the details are here!
• Shopbop always issues a nice discount offering that carries over from Thanksgiving into Cyber Monday. This year they have the following specials: $50 off orders of $250+, $100 off $500+, $150 off $750+, $250 off $1,000+ and $500 off $1,500+! Additionally, they are giving 20% off hot new arrivals (look for your NYE dresses, ladies!). Just enter BIGEVENT at checkout!
• SPUN Clothing, one of my favorite indie brands based in Seattle, is doing something special for Clutch22 readers. Spend $100 and get a free beater tank. Just enter code CLUTCH22 on Monday!

Shopping the Sales From Your Phone!

<p style=”text-align: center;”><a href=”http://www.clutch22.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/mobileshopping.jpg”><img class=”size-full wp-image-2182  aligncenter” title=”mobileshopping” src=”http://www.clutch22.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/mobileshopping.jpg” alt=”" width=”475″ height=”713″ /></a></p>
Thanks to advancements in mobile, I’ve been making more purchases on my phone than online lately. These timed-sale sites all have applications that let you shop without being glewed to your computer at home. Some might have extra special deals in light of the shopping holidays, but they pretty much offer Cyber Monday type deals every day of the year.
<ul>
<li><a href=”http://www.groupon.com”>Groupon</a>- I bought a stocking stuffer via through the mobile application earlier this week!</li>
<li><a href=”http://www.ruelala.com”>Rue La La</a> – They save a lot of their best sales for this weekend. I’m all over the Holiday Dash and Hanky Panky; both this Friday!</li>
<li><a href=”http://www.Hautelook.com”>Hautelook</a> – Check this for gifts – they have a good mix for different people on your list.</li>
<li><a href=”http://www.gilt.com”>Gilt</a> – Keep an eye on their special Holiday Shops!</li>
<li><a href=”http://www.LivingSocial.com”>Living Social</a> – I haven’t used this yet, but downloaded the application, which lets you know when new deals are near your location.</li>
</ul>
Also, just a shout out to Jennine Jacob of  <a href=”http://the-coveted.com”>The Coveted</a> who has “vacation” at the top of her wishlist – Gilt and Hautelook, among others, have destination deals. All you need now is a clone…still working on a deal for that one.

Thanks to advancements in mobile, I’ve been making more purchases on my phone than online lately. These timed-sale sites all have applications that let you shop without being glewed to your computer at home. Some might have extra special deals in light of the shopping holidays, but they pretty much offer Cyber Monday type deals every day of the year.

• Groupon- I bought a stocking stuffer via through the mobile application earlier this week!
• Rue La La – They save a lot of their best sales for this weekend. I’m all over the Holiday Dash and Hanky Panky; both this Friday!
• Hautelook – Check this for gifts – they have a good mix for different people on your list.
• Gilt – Keep an eye on their special Holiday Shops!
• Living Social – I haven’t used this yet, but downloaded the application, which lets you know when new deals are near your location.

Also, just a shout out to Jennine Jacob of The Coveted who has “vacation” at the top of her wishlist – Gilt and Hautelook, among others, have destination deals. All you need now is a clone…still working on a deal for that one.

Helpful Resources to Check Out:

If you want to do some of your own research for these shopping holidays, check out some of these sites:

• RetailMeNot.com
• Slick Deals
• Budgets Are Sexy
• The Purse Forum Deals and Steals
• Grechen’s Codes

Photo credit: Snuzzy.com

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