What The Tech: Should you start your Christmas shopping now or wait?
BY JAMEY TUCKER, Consumer Tech Reporter
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days are October 6 and 7, but should you start buying Christmas presents now or wait until Black Friday? A few free tools can help you decide.
If you go by the sales popping up online, you might think Christmas is a lot closer than it really is.
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days are October 6 and 7, and other major retailers are rolling out early holiday sales of their own. But that Christmas gift you’re planning to buy might be cheaper next week, or you could save even more by waiting until Black Friday.
The trick is knowing when to buy.
Check the price history before buying
Amazon now offers a price-history feature on many product pages. It’s worth checking before purchasing anything advertised as a big discount.
For example, I found a 55-inch television advertised at 39% off, bringing the price down to $279.99. Its price history showed that it was at its lowest recorded price.
But a pair of Bose earbuds advertised at 16% off told a different story. Those same earbuds had sold for around $200 during last year’s October Prime Day.
Just because something is advertised as a great deal doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting the lowest price.
Two free websites that can help you save I prefer CamelCamelCamel for more detailed Amazon price histories. The free website tracks prices over time, showing how much a product has sold for in the past.
You can also set up price alerts so you’ll receive a notification when something you’re watching drops to your target price. Walmart shoppers have another option: CamelMart. It offers price-history information for Walmart products. When I checked one item, I discovered its price had dropped as low as $216 during last year’s Black Friday sales.
Both tools can help you determine whether an advertised discount is worth taking advantage of or whether you might save more by waiting.
What should you buy now, and what should wait?
Generally, Black Friday and Cyber Monday bring some of the year’s biggest discounts on televisions, computers and major appliances. If you’re shopping for one of those items, it’s worth comparing October prices with previous holiday sales.
However, there’s no guarantee a product will be cheaper in November. If you find something at its lowest recorded price during an October sale, it may be worth buying.
Popular toys are another story. If your child has their heart set on a particular toy or video game, waiting until December could mean finding empty shelves or paying more to a third-party seller.
When you find a genuinely good deal on a popular gift, buying early may be the safer choice.
Watch out for misleading discounts
Be skeptical of enormous advertised discounts on brands you’ve never heard of, especially sponsored listings and products sold by unfamiliar third-party sellers.
A product advertised at 60% off isn’t necessarily a bargain if its original price was inflated. Check its price history, read customer reviews and compare prices at other retailers before buying.
Also, be careful with buy now, pay later offers. Read the terms before agreeing to installment payments. Depending on the service and payment plan, interest charges or late fees could wipe out your savings.
Start shopping early, but don’t buy everything early
One advantage of beginning your Christmas shopping in October is that you can spread purchases over several paychecks instead of putting everything on a credit card in December.
Make your Christmas list now, research prices and set alerts for the gifts you want. Then buy when the price is right, whether that’s during Amazon’s October sale, Black Friday or sometime in between.
And perhaps the most important advice for these early holiday sales: Don’t let an online countdown clock convince you to buy something that wasn’t on your Christmas list in the first place.
