Did you miss Amazon Prime Day? *facepalm* Don’t blame yourself! It’s usually in July, but due to the pandemic, it was moved to October 13 & 14 this year. How were we supposed to keep track of this sale with everything else that’s going on?
So yes, Prime Day. The discounts were plentiful and even deep in some cases, especially on those Alexa-enabled devices, like the Echo Dot and the Fire TV Stick. Also, several big competitors, including Target, Bloomingdale’s, Overstock.com, and Walmart, threw their hats in the ring with sales of their own.
But, never fear. Amazon Prime Day was only the beginning of the 2020 holiday shopping season. And deal experts agree: there will be many, many more opportunities to save.
Time to save
Money-saving expert, Andrea Woroch, says that even though Prime Day has passed, retailers will continue to have sales. She predicts that you might even find similar or better deals starting in early November. “This will give you more time to save up if you have a tight budget,” she says.
Save more later
Savings opportunities from deal platforms could be better later in the season. Andrew Gretchko, Director of Public Relations from CouponCabin.com, says, “Take advantage of the increasing amount of deals (coupons) offered by retailers and rising cashback percentages afforded by sites like CouponCabin throughout the holiday season.”
Dana Marineau, CMO at Rakuten, agrees: “The biggest shopping rewards and cash back offers happen during the holidays, so if you time it just right, you can stack on massive savings.”
You may have avoided over-spending
Woroch says that sometimes big shopping days can be a trap. “Any time you shop a sale event like Prime Day, there’s a sense of urgency that can cause you to buy more than you need in fear of missing out,” she says. “In the long run, you may have saved money by skipping Prime Day because you dodged impulse buys.”
Use deal history to your advantage
Regina Conway, Consumer Expert for Slickdeals.net, is anticipating dynamic pricing between now and Christmas. “This can make something appear to be deeply discounted when in reality, it may have been at a much lower price in the past (or in some cases, just minutes earlier),” she says. She suggests checking Slickdeals for a history of the deals that have been posted at that retailer or for a specific item. For instance, if you see a 10 percent discount, but you see expired deals for 25 percent, chances are that you can get 25 percent off again.
Take the time to redeem your miles and points
You may have missed Prime Day, but you still have plenty of time to redeem any loyalty rewards you haven’t yet redeemed from your existing credit cards. “Use those rewards to make gift purchases and/or book holiday travel,” says Conway.
While you’re at it, see what special perks your credit card company is offering by opening those promotional emails you usually ignore. Who knows, there might be a members-only discount available at a site where you plan to shop.
Arm your browser
So you don’t have to actively look for sales, Woroch suggests installing a browser extension to do the work for you. “Prep your browser with free tools, like Cently, which automatically search for, test, and apply any available coupon codes at check out as well as cashback offers so you never miss a deal.”
Earn cash back to use later
If you shop throughout the holiday season, you can earn cash back to use later. Woroch recommends tapping into a free app, like Fetch Rewards, to earn points along the way. “Just snap pics of all your shopping receipts and upload them to your Fetch account to start earning points toward free retailer gift cards (available for Amazon, Target, or Walmart and many more), which you can use to supplement your holiday shopping needs,” she says.
Better savings on tech are yet to come
Marineau says that if you’re looking to purchase an iPhone or gaming console, you’re better off waiting until closer to the holidays. “Next-gen products launch later in October and November, so older models will be deeply discounted and ripe for the savings.”
You can ask for price adjustments…
Because sales will come and go, Conway suggests shopping at retailers that offer price adjustments. That way, if you find a better price later, you can ask for a refund for the difference. Stores that offer price adjustments include the Gap family of brands (Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic & Athleta), JCPenney, and Kohl’s, but note that sometimes this service is not available on items purchased on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
…or let tools do some of the work
Woroch recommends signing up for the Edison Mail Price Alert tool for iOS or Android. “It tracks purchases of products you buy online that are linked to your email, notifying you if something goes on sale within a retailer’s price adjustment window,” she says. “This way, you know when to request money back for the price difference and never overpay.”
Avoid inventory issues
Big sale days, like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday can also come with inventory issues because of the increased demand. Marineau says, “The period between Prime Day and Thanksgiving is the sweet spot where holiday discounts crank up and you’re least likely to run into inventory issues and shipping delays. If you have your mind set on specific items, this is the safest time to lock them in before the rush kicks in.”
Early announcements = time to plan
Gretchko says that many retailers have already announced Black Friday deals. “Knowing about the deals in advance provides consumers ample opportunity to prepare for the holidays ahead of time,” he says. So, now that the noise of Prime Day has ebbed, take a breath, start working on your holiday list, and take advantage of all those savings along the way!
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