From high prices to high interest rates, here’s how to earn your badges and become the ultimate holiday shopper
November 18, 2022 at 5:00 am EST
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Running into childhood enemies at his hometown grocery store. Make sure the turkey is not dry. Watching the Cowboys lose again on Thanksgiving. The holidays are stressful enough without the added burden of navigating the biggest shopping period of the year, as high costs drain our wallets.
The rules of holiday shopping are a little different than in seasons past. In 2021, shipping delays and supply chain bottlenecks made it difficult for retailers to keep stock on their shelves, leading to lackluster offers and long delivery times.
This year the opposite is happening. To avoid a repeat of last year’s supply problems, retailers placed their holiday orders early and in bulk. But that effort was met with record-high inflation: The price of food, gas and other household essentials skyrocketed, forcing consumers to cut back on discretionary spending. including in electronics, clothing, housewares, and furniture. Now many of the nation’s largest retailers are left with excess inventory and even more pressure to clear the shelves.
That’s where you come in, dear consumer. These evils are your gains. sales are earlier this year, with stores offering discounts on a wider range of products. However, please note that there may be some unexpected grounds: return fees and high shipping costs.
But rest assured, we’re here to help you find the best deals, make green choices, and manage your stress. Here’s how to earn your badges and become the ultimate holiday shopper:
Although economic uncertainty can have a chilling effect, many consumers find gift-giving a necessity. There are ways to make it work and shop smarter.
Make a budget, know what you want to buy and where. This will help you avoid impulse purchases.Keep track of prices so you can spot a good deal when it happens. Keep an eye on the biggest retailers: Target, Walmart, Amazon, Kohl’s and Gap all warned this year that they were carrying excess inventory and were offering aggressive markdowns to clear it.Use online tools. Google is your friend here. If you search for a specific product, a feature should appear on the right that shows how much the item costs at different retailers. Websites like CamelCamelCamel and Keepa are useful for tracking prices on Amazon and provide information about an item’s price history. Plus, it’s easier to compare prices and use coupon browser extensions (more on that below), which automatically populate discount codes as you shop.
Between picking up gifts, groceries, and holiday decorations, efficiency and productivity are key to getting out of the shopping season unscathed. An easy way to earn this badge is to take advantage of “omnichannel” shopping options (curbside pickup, online shopping, and store pickup) designed to make the process seamless regardless of the point of purchase (in store or by phone). , application or desktop). These are time and money savers – no more getting in and out of the car, navigating the aisles, or making impulse purchases.
Most of the country’s largest retailers offer these services, as do many local stores hoping to remain competitive. Most major retailers waive curbside pickup as long as customers meet a minimum order, typically at least $30. Sam’s Club has a $4 fee for customers who do not have the premium membership, Sam’s Club Plus.
If it’s worth giving up a little privacy to earn a few bucks on purchases and unlock special discounts, consider signing up for a cash-back or perk service. Companies like Rakuten, Ibotta, CouponCabin, and BeFrugal track your shopping and browsing habits and, in return, give you you return 1 to 10 percent, sometimes more, of what you spent.
Some services also allow you to connect your credit card, so you can get some cash when you shop in person. Rakuten sends a lump sum every three months, either by check or PayPal deposit. Others, like Dropp and Swagbucks, will pay you with gift cards or points. Websites like Honey and Coupon Cabin offer unique discount codes. Fetch has the option to donate the cash to a charity.
But be careful with these browser extensions. They may tempt you to spend more than you intended by offering you a hefty refund.
The US Postal Service, FedEx, UPS – There aren’t many other options when it comes to sending gifts in the mail. With the holidays come seasonal surcharges and potential delivery delays. Therefore, being prepared is key to earning this badge.
Early is always better, especially for the Postal Service, which is the cheapest of services. even after increasing rates every six months. It will take two to five days for the postal service to deliver a package this holiday season, but you can pay more for faster delivery. Prices for First Class Parcel Service, the Postal Service’s standard product, start at $4.80 and increase with the weight of the package. The maximum weight is 13 ounces, so consider this service for small electronics and clothing. For larger packages (up to 70 pounds), try priority mail, where prices start at $9.90. You will save money if you bring your own box.
But if you’re short on time and aren’t worried about a late fee, FedEx and UPS are your best options. Rates for both services vary based on package size, delivery speed, and shipping distance. UPS is slightly cheaper, with a medium-sized box, big enough for some clothes or a box of shoes, starting at $14.95, compared to $15.70 for FedEx. A large box, large enough to fit a football or blender, starts at $19.60 at UPS and $24.20 at FedEx.
When it comes to return policies, change is afoot. We’ve already seen the slow disappearance of return labels with online orders. Now, free returns are about to disappear, too. High gasoline prices, which topped $5 a gallon over the summer, and rising labor costs have pushed retailers to make a change that some academics and industry executives have advocated for years: charge for a return label. or add a restocking fee. Returns have always been expensive for retailers, especially for apparel, experts say.
Anthropologie, Zara, H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch, and J. Crew are among the retailers that charge restocking fees and/or return labels. That being said, making returns to physical locations is still free.
So be sure to read the retailer’s return policy before you buy. You should also think carefully before sending a gift in the mail or ordering something for someone online. Pay attention to the return window in stores: If you send the gift three weeks before Christmas, make sure the retailer doesn’t have a two-week policy. Also, ask yourself: Does the recipient live near one of these stores? Do they have a way to easily get there? If not, and you’re worried they won’t like what he buys or it’s the wrong size, consider sending a gift card.
Another great option is to order from a local company, so you won’t have to worry about returns in the mail.
An easy way to earn this badge is to avoid fast fashion brands, whose clothes are often made with synthetic materials that are bad for the environment. These companies also produce an overwhelming amount of waste. Consider purchasing higher quality clothing, which has a longer lifespan when properly cared for. Also consider shopping at thrift or consignment stores and look into resale platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.
If your mode of transportation is a car, rather than walking, biking, or taking public transportation, shopping online can be better for the planet than shopping in stores. But it’s important to make some adjustments, experts say. First, try grouping your orders. The fewer delivery trips to your house, the better. Second, stay away from express delivery. Earlier delivery dates often require items to be transported by air and less efficient delivery routes, including trucks that are unlikely to be full.
We know the holidays are about giving to others and spending time with loved ones, but it’s important to spend time with yourself. Lucky for you, inventory backlogs and changing consumer interests have expanded the items for sale this year.
Natalie Kotlyar, a retail analyst at accounting, tax and financial advisory firm BDO, said she has seen an “unprecedented” amount of promotions for health and wellness products this year. Some items that she will probably find among the Christmas promotions: shampoo, vitamins, soap, makeup, masks.
“It’s for all of us, the consumer, to feel good about ourselves … and then give it away to someone else,” Kotlyar said.
Jacob Bogage and Allyson Chiu contributed to this report. Edited by Robbie Olivas DiMesio and Karly Domb Sadof.
correction
An earlier version of this story incorrectly included Nordstrom on a list of retailers that charge for returns. Nordstrom does not charge a restocking fee or return labels. This story has been corrected.
Source: news.google.com