Finding The Best Online Deals For The Holidays

With 2020 being, you know, 2020, I'm planning to do all of my Christmas shopping online for the first time ever.

Typically, I love bopping through the malls in December, browsing the stores for the perfect holiday gifts, but with coronavirus cases rising and an inability to easily browse (and touch) in-store merchandise, I feel a lot safer checking things off my list online.

Between coronavirus concerns as well as budgetary restraints, there are a lot of tips to keep in mind when shopping this holiday season. My main advice is to make a plan and get ahead of things. but here are some other tips on finding the best deals and completing your holiday gift list on schedule:

Full disclosure: I've featured a few affiliate links and may earn a commission on those links!

Plan Ahead

Shipping delays have been the norm since the outbreak of coronavirus, and expect delays to increase during the holidays. With cases increasing by the day, more shutdowns could be coming, and most Americans are probably looking to online shopping for the bulk of their holiday purchases. Online stores will have detailed information on shipping deadlines, but just to be safe, I would order everything no later than 2 weeks out from Christmas.

And don't forget about important shopping holidays like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Brands will start announcing sales details any day now, so take a look at your favorite retailers and see if any items on your list might go on sale. Just please refrain from shopping in-person on Black Friday. It's a nightmare most years, but this year it is sure to be a feeding ground for COVID. No thanks!

Use Discount & Cash Back Apps

I can't remember how I first heard about Honey, but I cannot imagine living life without it. It's a Chrome extension that automatically finds and applies discount codes to the sites you are shopping, so if there's an extra discount code you don't know about, it will apply it for you! And even if there aren't any codes that work, you can get credits toward cash back rewards whenever you make purchases.

Another app that has become an MVP for me is Rakuten, which gives you cash back on purchases you make online shopping. I get cash back on everything from Madewell to Postmates orders, and it starts to add up! Don't forget to be on the lookout for special offers on their website too, like extra cash back or discount codes.

You can download Honey here and Rakuten here.

Check Your Credit Card Offers

I check my Chase app daily to see what new cash back offers have been added. With just a click of a button, I can get cash back on purchases online and in person, from convenience stores to pizza to luxury retailers. Take a look at your card and see if you have any special offers or rewards available. You might be surprised what money you could earn back just by making your usual purchases!

Follow Your Favorite Brands

To entice customers to sign up for newsletters and follow along on social media, brands are hosting newsletter and social media-only discounts and special offers all the time! Make sure you aren't missing out and check your favorites' accounts every so often to discover new deals. If you're annoyed about getting too many promotional emails to your account, you can even set up a promos-only account to keep things organized (and out of your main inbox).

Use ShopStyle to Compare Retailers and Track Sales

Most people know ShopStyle as a way for bloggers like myself to create custom affiliate links and make a commission when readers purchase products, but I also love using ShopStyle as a way to research and compare different styles and shops. These days, most brands are sold at a few different online retailers, so the same item might go on sale at one store while staying full price at the other. Say I find a cute dress from Alice + Olivia; I'll usually search the product name in ShopStyle's search tool so I can see where else the item is sold and if it is available for a cheaper price somewhere else.

Additionally, you can toggle "sale alerts" for items you like so that you receive an email notification when that item gets marked down. With so many surprise sales happening right now, you never know when a favorite item is going to drop in price, so the alerts will keep you informed.

Sign up for ShopStyle here.

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What tips do you have for finding the best deals during the holiday shopping season? Comment below!