Save even more on Black Friday and Cyber Monday with these 3 easy tips
Here are three tips to save even more money during online shopping sales this holiday season, including Cyber Monday and Black Friday.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t the shopping events of previous years, but shoppers are still looking for holiday deals.
And while consumers are worried about inflation and tariffs, shoppers are still expected to spend near record amounts during the holiday season.
Shoppers told the National Retail Federation in a recent survey that they plan to spend an average of $890.49 per person on holiday gifts, food and seasonal decor. This is the second highest amount in the survey’s 23-year history and is 1.3% lower than last year’s $901.99.
Retail store holiday sales in November and December are also expected to be record highs, according to NRF’s holiday forecast. Organizations representing the retail industry expect sales to be between $1.1 trillion and $1.02 trillion.
“While U.S. consumers may be cautious in sentiment, they remain fundamentally strong and continue to drive U.S. economic activity,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shea said in a press release. He said shoppers will look to save money in non-essential categories to pay for gifts for loved ones.
How has Black Friday changed?
Lauren Murphy, managing director of Wells Fargo Retail Finance, said Black Friday is evolving as shoppers move from shopping on the day to shopping throughout the season.
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen the evolution of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales,” Murphy told USA TODAY. “Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales have gone from one day to a week, with dynamic discounts spanning the entire season.”
Vipin Porwal, CEO of Smarty, a browser extension and mobile app that offers coupons and cashback offers to shoppers, said the shopping season has truly become a shopping quarter, with the addition of Amazon Prime sales and other retailer sales in October, and more retailers promoting sales like Black Friday before the actual day.
In a recent study by Smarty, 33% of shoppers said they plan to shop on “Black Friday” deals in October.
Compare prices and monitor promotions
Overall, 33% of shoppers said they plan to increase their holiday budget, but shopping trends vary by gender. Almost half of men (42%) said they would increase their holiday budget, while 25% of women said they would spend more.
Murphy said retailers are employing a variety of tactics this year, with some offering deep discounts and others capping discounts on more popular items.
“Consumers need to shop across retailers, compare product prices and monitor promotions,” he said. “Many retailers have eliminated their price match guarantees this year, so if you start your holiday shopping early, consumers should be sure to check their return policies in case they find cheaper items later in the season.”
For example, Target ended its price match guarantee on Amazon and Walmart earlier this summer, but Amazon and Walmart did not make similar offers.
More ways to save money
We’ve put together some tips to help you save money and get great deals.
From Smarty:
- Do you really need it? Before you buy, pause for a moment to make sure it’s not an impulse buy and that the price is reasonable.
- Buy local to avoid increased tariffs: Look for local or US-based manufacturers or Etsy shops that aren’t subject to import duties.
- Track price drops: Use browser tools to track the prices of big-ticket items and see when prices drop.
said Ashley Feinstein Gerstley, shopping and savings strategist at cashback shopping platform Rakuten.
- Subscribe to retailers’ email or social media accounts for early access to early and exclusive sales. (Gerstley says you can unsubscribe after the holidays.)
- Stack Rewards: Combine cashback offers and retailer promotions.
- Gerstley’s “holiday shopping red zone,” which typically begins in early December when “procrastination turns into panic and overspending is likely,” should be avoided because it can lead to low inventory and shortened shipping windows. By planning ahead and shopping, you can avoid overspending and “satisfying with leftovers,” she says.
Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her at @blinfisher on X, Facebook and Instagram and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky.. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, breaking down complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here.
