Start Your Search Engines: How to Find Cyber Monday Specials

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Let the bargain hunting begin! But wait – are you a Cyber Monday first timer? I wouldn’t be surprised. E-tailers launched Cyber Monday specials in 2005; many shoppers still aren’t aware of Cyber Monday. If you never heard of Cyber Monday, brush up with this article. On Cyber Monday, you can leisurely peruse major sales from work or home. No parking lot riots. No fist fights over the newest toy. No sniffling, germ-ridden children in the Santa line. Black Friday Hint: get a flu shot well before Black Friday.

Now that you know what Cyber Monday is, it’s time you learn how to bargain hunt properly. Every first-time Cyber Monday shoppers wonders if they’ll have to rise at 5:00 a.m. and log on, searching for specials through blurry eyes. I approach Cyber Monday like a race – I don’t always get a head start, but I usually finish in the money. In other words, you don’t have to get up before sun rise, but if you prepare ahead of time, you’ll get great deals.

Start Your Search Engines

This article from Time Magazine states that traffic to online shopping sites are up this year. It’s a dismal economy, but as the writer suggests, consumers are more price conscious and willing to hunt for deals online. Keep this in mind as you scour online auction sites like E-Bay. And although December 1 is the Big Day, some sales start a week early and end on Cyber Monday.

Sign Up for Newsletters

Sign up for newsletters a couple weeks before the holiday shopping season starts (November). Set up a separate e-mail account for online shopping. Yes, your inbox will flood with newsletters boasting similar sales, but the savings makes it well worth it. Consider this: it takes one minute to read and delete a newsletter. It takes at least fifteen minutes to log on to your favorite websites and search for sales. Newsletters direct you right to the source and you’re less likely to get sidetracked by that soft angora sweater – for yourself.

Free Shipping – the Honda of Cyber Monday Specials

On Cyber Monday, search for free shipping. Like the Honda Civic, free shipping isn’t flashy, but it offers the best overall value. Most Cyber Monday specials offer free shipping, usually with some caveat – for example, your order has to top a certain amount to take advantage of free shipping. With rising gas prices, you always win with free shipping. If the website doesn’t offer free shipping, go to a competitor’s.

Cruise for Coupons

Throw out the Sunday paper and cruise for coupon codes online. It’s faster than going through page after page of the newspaper, while getting ink all over your fingertips. Plus, no paper cuts and if you’re a lefty like me, you won’t have use those dangerous right-handed scissors. Bookmark Currentcodes, RetailMeKnot, and UltimateCoupons before Cyber Monday. These websites offer major coupons on sites like Amazon WalMart, and more.

Stay Ahead of the Pack

Unless you’re oddly clairvoyant when it comes to Cyber Monday, you won’t know about Cyber Monday specials until you search for them. Starting in November, check your favorite shopping sites for their holiday promotions. Before you place an order, look at comparison shopping sites and make sure you’re getting the best bargain. Lastly, subscribe to this blog – I’ll keep readers apprised of great bargains throughout the holiday season.