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Posts Tagged ‘Christmas shopping’

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Late Shopping Places On Christmas Eve!

December 24th, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 4 Comments | Filed in Consumer Tips

7 Tips For Late Christmas Eve Shopping

On Monday, we mentioned 7 Last Minute Christmas Shopping Tips to help shoppers find what they want with just days left to shop. Today, being that it is Christmas Eve, this means that your presents have been bought, wrapped, and sent off or awaiting your personal delivery on Christmas Day. Right?!

Merry ChristmasBut what if you still have one more gift to go and you can’t get out to shop until after the sun goes down?

Well, you are in luck. A number of retailers will be burning the late night oil in a bid to serve last minute shoppers and anyone else who realizes that they forgot to get something for cranky Uncle Harry this Christmas.

Without endorsing particular retailers per se while still naming some or certain types of businesses, the following stores will remain open past the customary 6 p.m. Christmas Eve closing time tonight:

Drug Stores – Your favorite drug store chain is not only open late on Christmas Eve, but some are also open on Christmas Day! Visit your Walgreens, CVS, or Rite Aid retailer and you just may find that store packed with other late night, last minute shoppers. Expect shelves to be picked over and the choices slim.

Fast Food Restaurants – While most stores will call it quits by evening, a handful of proprietors will be open late, particularly those on well traveled interstates. You certainly won’t be buying someone a Happy Meal for a gift, but gift cards to McDonald’s can be a nice item. And now that Mickey D has some decent coffee options, Uncle Harry might appreciate that gesture too!

Movie Theaters – Some theaters are open late Christmas Eve and they’re also open on Christmas Day. For people who don’t mark Christmas, eating Chinese food and heading to the movies is an annual rite, so some will be open on the holiday too. Stop by a nearby movie complex and purchase passes to give as gifts.

Convenience Stores – Shopping at a 7/11, Circle K, or similar convenience store is often possible late Christmas Eve night. Just don’t expect to find any bargains and do expect to pay a premium for whatever you can get your hands on at that hour.

WalMart – Most WalMart stores are open until 8 p.m. Christmas Eve, with others closing at 6 p.m. A word of note: WalMart stores which are normally open around the clock will close down too, reopening the day after Christmas. Visit walmart.com to confirm store hours in your area.

Kmart – Visit Kmart.com to find out when this retailer closes their stores in your area. But, a quick look at Kmart locations near me has revealed that every store is open until 10 p.m. Amazing!

Online – Online retailers never close including those associated with brick and mortar businesses. This means that you can get a gift card at almost any hour although have a piece of plastic to present may not be possible. Instead, get ready to print out a receipt and included that within a Christmas card you can present on Christmas morning.

Lastly, if you’re skilled at building or baking something, your homemade gift can be a welcome item too. Besides, do you really want to hit the stores in full panic mode late this evening?

Adv. — Stop by Webreader to find free tools and downloads to help you with money management, discount shopping tips, travel and vacation, achieving success, and other life management features.  If you’re looking for online shopping bargains, please check out NBuy Shopping Plaza right now!


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7 Last Minute Christmas Shopping Tips

December 21st, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 6 Comments | Filed in Consumer Tips

With Christmas at the door, maybe your presents aren’t. In other words, you still have a few gifts to buy and send which means you’re almost out of time.

Christmas CartLast minute shopping means last minute shipping, a costly, but possible endeavor. Indeed, even the United States Postal Service (USPS) can deliver a package on Christmas day, but for a price. A steep one at that.

Don’t let the lateness of the shopping season distract you – you can still finish up in time to make sure that your gifts are found under faraway trees on Christmas morn. (see The New York Times | Last-Minute Help for Those (Mostly Male) Holiday Shopping Slackers)

1. Shop Today – Yes, today is December 21st which means that most retailers use this date as the cut off for when items can be purchased, wrapped, packed, and shipped. Choose two-day delivery to assure enough time for your gifts to be processed and sent. Don’t bother choosing back order gifts at this point because they won’t ship until after Christmas if ever.

2. Christmas Cheer – If your gift recipient enjoys wine, you can stop by your local wine seller, pick up a few bottles and hand deliver them. If they live faraway, you may be able to ship these items from the store or you can ask them to package everything and take it to the USPS for delivery.

3. Holiday Home Baking – Your prized Christmas cookies are the delight of your family and friends. Why not whip up a batch of cookies, place them in a festive cookie tin, and send these off at once? These days, so many people don’t take the time to bake. Your gift beats out store bought any day.

4. Tickets or Passes – Tickets to a play, opera, or movies can be a nice gift to give. Also, consider passes to a ski resort, theme park, or museum. Some places allow you to order your tickets by phone or internet and can be picked up by the recipient on the day of the event. Find out if they’ll send a confirming e-message to your recipient too. (see Kiplinger | Give the Perfect Last-Minute Gift)

5. Magazine Subscription – Why not give the gift of reading this Christmas? Magazines are welcome especially for shut ins. Discount sites dominate the internet, making it possible to send a three year subscription for the price of one year. Most will send out a subscription card announcing your gift too.

6. Gift Cards – You know who their favorite retailer is, but you have no clue what this person wants. Besides, you can’t imagine yourself rubbing shoulders with influenza influenced shoppers this time of year. Instead, head over to the website of their favorite retailer and order the card online. Macy’s, for example, allows customers to order and customize cards right online. Add a photo if you like or order an e-card as late as December 24th (1 p.m.) to arrive in time for Christmas.

7. Cash – Some people think that giving cash or writing out a check is tacky, while others are grateful for your generosity. Teenagers love receiving money because that means they can decide what they want to buy and where they’ll buy it. It sure beats receiving an unwanted or inappropriate toy!

In the event that the weather socks you in or you just can’t get to the store today, go ahead and contact the USPS, UPS, and FEDEX for their last minute shipping options. You’ll pay more, but at least your package will arrive in time for Christmas. (see The Wall Street Journal | Holiday Shopping Tips)

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5 Smart Cyber Monday Shopping Tips

November 30th, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 7 Comments | Filed in Consumer Tips

Online Retailers Gear Up For Cyber Monday Onslaught

Beginning in the wee hours of this morning, web servers around the world will be stretched to their limits. Today is Cyber Monday, the web’s version of Black Friday whereby online retailers offer some of their best deals of the season.

Christmas giftCyber Monday is the first work day following the Thanksgiving holiday weekend when workers head back to their places of employment, log on to their computers, and shop. Needless to say it is a particularly unproductive day at some places of business as employees don’t get much done.

Before you run off to other websites to explore what deals are out there, consider the following tips first:

1. Shop Early – Though online retailers aren’t likely to run out of stock permanently, you’ll want to do your shopping as early in the day possible in order to avoid servers stretched to capacity.

At the height of the day is when most people will be online, which means that your retailer’s web site may crash if too many people try to shop at the same time.

2. Compare Offers – Amazon is one of the largest online retailers and is, as such, a price leader. However, their prices can be beat if you know how and where to shop. PriceGrabber.com, BizRate.com, MySimon.com, and Shopzilla.com are among the top sites for comparing prices.

3. Phone Apps – Sophisticated shoppers armed with phone applications (apps) such as Yowza can find bargains locally. Sometimes waiting for a product to arrive after an online purchase can stretch your patience, therefore Yowza might be a better way to go.

Downloaded to your iPhone, Yowza uses GPS technology to find store coupons in your area. Coupon Sherpa, Valpak, and mobiQpons are other services worth exploring.

4. Shop Secured – If you’re an avid web user than you already know to only shop at a secured site. A site is secured if the web page includes an extra “s” in the address such as “https” and if you can locate a closed padlock in the corner, top, or bottom of your browser screen.

Hover over that icon and it will tell you that it has been “Authenticated by GoDaddy, Inc.” or some other service.

5. Shop At Home – Lastly, the one tip many people don’t want to hear is this one: shop on your own time and on your own computer. Your employer is paying you to work which means that you should shop on your own time, not on company time.

If your work computer is faster than your home computer and your employer doesn’t mind you using it, then do your shopping while on break, at lunch or before or after work. Don’t give your employer cause to discipline or terminate you; no online deal is worth pursuing if risks are involved.

Happy Shopping!

Online retailers are battling brick and mortar merchants for customers now more than ever. For savvy shoppers, this can mean that you’ll find some of the best deals if you shop around.

Adv. — Shop NBuy Plaza for online bargains from more than 5000 retailers.  Find best buys on the Holiday Shopping page or peruse our Bargain Basement for some of the best deals out there. Visit our Party Planning page for Christmas and New Year’s party ideas!


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4 Black Friday Secrets For Savvy Christmas Shoppers

November 23rd, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 6 Comments | Filed in Consumer Tips

On the day after Thanksgiving most Americans have two choices facing them: sleep in or head out for Black Friday savings. Yes, many workers are able to enjoy a four-day weekend which means that Friday is a day off. That also means if you choose to rise ‘n shine early and head out to the mall, you could enjoy some unusual savings if you shop carefully.

Black FridayTo be sure, there isn’t anything black about the Friday following Thanksgiving. It used to be the day when retailers saw their first profits of the year, as balance sheets moved from red (losses) to black (profits) on that day. Though still an important retailing event, merchants no longer expect Thanksgiving weekend alone to bring in the profits as seasonal sales help them reach that goal.

Christmas Shopping

In any case, Black Friday is still a day of significance for consumers as it is a good opportunity to do some Christmas shopping. In a bid to lure you in, merchants offer some of the best deals of the season, savings that can be had if you’re willing to get in when stores open which can be as early as 5 a.m.

But as you head out to the mall on Friday there are some things you should know: not everything is tagged at the absolutely lowest price nor are there always generous quantities of goods available. Thus, you’ll want to keep the following in mind:

Limited Quantities – A special item, such as a popular CD or video game may be available in limited quantities such as 200 per store. Moreover, the retailer could limit the number of purchases to two each, which means that you’ll need to think of other gift ideas for people on your list. Lastly, if you get to the store several hours later, inventory may be depleted.

Limited Time – Doorbuster sales are typically offered on Black Friday. What this means is that prices on select items are reduced for only a few hours before the sale ends. If your favorite store opens at 6 a.m., then the sale could be over by noon. The item you want may still be available, but perhaps at a much higher price.

Online Deals – A recent trend noted by some is where retailers say that certain in store deals are also available online through their website. But there may be a catch: not every doorbuster deal is featured online and you may have to wait until the retailer’s brick and mortar store is open before you can log on and find out. If it isn’t featured online, then you may have to scramble to throw on your clothes and head to the mall, but by then it could be too late.

Rain Checks – If the store’s sale policy is a favorable one, then they may offer a rain check to you on whatever items have sold out. This means that you may be able to get that item later at the Black Friday low price when it ships again. Be careful: some products take weeks to ship or your retailer may not be able to get the item back again. Too late for Christmas and you’ll be forced to find something else.

New Car

Not every Black Friday deal is a dud, but you need to read the fine print to see what restrictions apply and plan accordingly. Of course, if you’re the type of person who hates shopping at the mall on Thanksgiving weekend, take heart: the best day of the year to buy a new car is on Black Friday.

Photo Credit: Jay Lopez

Adv. — Whether you head out to the mall for Black Friday savings or shop online from the comfort (and warmth) of your home, a shopping list can help you keep everything organized. Download your free copy today from NBuy Plaza, home of more than 5,000 online merchants!


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