2022 Holiday Shopping and Spending

If you found some extra cash in your stocking, major retailers are lining up with sales to encourage you to spend it. Like it always is, any store that has holiday items on its shelves wants to get rid of them.

DealNews shared research with ConsumerAffairs that holiday decorations and candy are the deals most consumers go for, and this year Kohl’s, Belk, Bloomingdale’s, and Target are leading the way with 70%, 75%, 65%, and 50% off, respectively, on holiday decor.

As for candy, the Krazy Coupon Lady found the perfect answer for those with a sweet tooth – the pound-size Snickers Slice n' Share Giant Candy Bar which was $10 on Amazon, is now just $3.99.

Clothing and more up to 85% off

Banking on 2022 mirroring 2021, DealNews said that about 24% of the deals it saw between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1 were for clothing and accessories of some kind. One of the most popular offers during that time was a sale at Uniqlo.

“It knocked up to 80% off men's clothing, with prices starting at $6 for shirts, $15 for hoodies, and $20 for pants,” DealNews’ Julie Ramhold said.

ConsumerAffairs also found an extra $10 coupon for people who sign up for Uniqlo’s e-blasts and spend $75 or more on their first order.

Ramhold added that the period between Christmas and New Year’s is also a great time to shop at off-price stores like Nordstrom Rack. When ConsumerAffairs checked the retailer’s site, it was offering up to 80% off, mostly on shoes, but all other categories were loaded with 60% off deals.

Other retailers that are in deal mode included:

Tractor Supply – up to 60% off

Crate & Barrel – up to 70% off

Gap Factory – up to 75% off

Home Depot – up to 70% off

Lenovo – up to 85% off

If you can wait until January…

Ramhold’s sales forecast for the first of the year holds great promise for consumers who are shopping in five categories: small appliances, bedding/white goods, fitness equipment, gym memberships and winter clothing.

“Chances are, the discounts are at least partially due to New Year's resolutions around eating healthier or dining more at home, rather than relying on takeout,” Ramhold said.

“Because of that, you can expect to see a variety of small kitchen appliances for $15 each, including panini presses, nonstick electric skillets and electric egg cookers.”

And for those of you who didn't get that big-screen TV you were kvetching about, all's not lost. With the Consumer Electronics Show coming in January, TV manufacturers are eager to unload whatever they can to make room. Last January, Best Buy knocked up to 30% off and Target 25% off on certain TVs. Those retailers are likely to do it again.

Many major retailers, like Walmart, Amazon, and Target, are offering consumers deals on last-minute gift ideas. 

With the holidays just days away, it’s still not too late. BJ’s Wholesale Club will host HoliDeals – discounts on toys, electronics, small appliances, and more – through Christmas Eve. 

“There’s an undeniable amount of excitement that is associated with holiday shopping,” said Rachel Vegas, chief merchandising officer at BJ’s. “It goes beyond just getting a great deal. People seem to really enjoy the process of selecting a special gift for everyone on their list. There’s a sense of accomplishment that our members have once they find the item they’ve been searching for, and we are happy to deliver that ‘treasure hunt’ experience, at an excellent value to our members.” 

A closer look at the deals

BJ’s is running sales on dozens of popular gift items. Currently, shoppers can expect to save up to $330 on tech deals, up to $95 on toy deals, and up to $60 on small appliance deals. 

Here’s a closer look at some of the items that are currently on sale through Christmas Eve: 

• Alpha Gaming Keyboard, Mouse, and Headset Bundle: $19.99 

• Marvel Avengers: Endgame Titan Hero Series, 4-Pack: $19.99

• Fitbit Versa 2 Smartwatch with Bonus Bands: $99.99

• XBox Series S Console with Wireless Controller Bundle: $234.99

• TCL 65-in 4K Roku Smart TV: $377.99

• Propel 15-foot Trampoline: $259.99

• HP 15.6-in Touchscreen Laptop: $349.99

• Pacman 5 Games in 1 Countercade: $99.99

• Berkley Jensen Riviera DollHouse: $74.99 

BJ’s Wholesale Club members can access the hundreds of items that are part of the HoliDeals sale here. Everything from last-minute gifts, last-minute decorations, and even ingredients for holiday dinner are available at low places. 

To save time this holiday season, and make shopping more convenient, shoppers can place their orders online and opt to pick them up in-store. For last-minute shoppers, stores will be open on Christmas Eve until 6:00 p.m. local time. 

As consumers make their final turn into the holidays, new findings from Datasembly indicate that families will be spending nearly 17% more to feed their dinner guests this year – double the increase seen last year.

Datasembly analyzed 13 popular holiday dinner items including turkey, eggnog, ham, apple pie and green beans. This year’s shopping cart totaled $60.29 on average versus $51.79 for the 2021 holidays. 

Of all the basket items, the biggest year-over-year increase is for biscuits – almost 47.7% – followed by butter and russet potatoes at 38% and 32.6%, respectively. The basket items with the smallest increase are the frozen whole turkey at 6.3%, followed by the bone in spiral ham at 7.7%.

Big box retailers to the rescue!

But, the consumer’s grocery dilemma is not lost on Target and Walmart. GroceryDive reports that both are putting holiday meal deals out front through the weekend.

At Walmart, it’s busy placing discount stickers on many of the food items that are causing sticker shock. As an example, cooks can buy bone-in ham for $2.28 per pound, whole turkeys for less than $1 per pound, plus discounts on potatoes, stuffing, ready-to-heat mac and cheese, and made-in-store pumpkin pie.

At Target, the home chef can forget about cooking altogether and buy a complete holiday dinner for $25 and sides for under $5. Target’s adding a convenience feature, too, allowing customers to place orders for the items on December 24 and get their order the very same day using pickup, drive-up, or Shipt delivery.

Kroger decides it wants in on the action, too

Interestingly enough, Kroger responded to Walmart and Target’s deals by also offering affordable meals during winter break.

In an announcement made Monday, the grocery chain said it’s pulled together discounted options that can feed a family of four at an average cost of approximately $10 per meal, including everything from a traditional breakfast with eggs, sausage, fruit and toast to a “pizza night” combo that comes with a Mediterranean-style chopped salad kit.

With the holidays nearly a week away, some of the biggest retailers – like Amazon and Target – are gearing up for the final push of holiday shopping. 

Now, Walmart is announcing its plans to ensure shoppers are ready to wrap their gifts and put the finishing touches on their holiday plans. The company has launched a last-minute gift sale, announced shipping and pickup order deadlines, and shared its diverse gift card options. 

Check everyone off your gift list

Walmart has dedicated a section of its website to Last Minute Gifts. Here, shoppers can search through thousands of discounted items and see which items are specially priced for the holidays, which are best sellers, and which have rollback pricing. 

Some of the last-minute deals include: 

• Ionvac SmartClean 2000 Robovac: $79 (originally $179.88) 

• HART 215-piece Mechanics Tool Set: $98 (originally $159)

• Nespresso Vertuo Plus Coffee and Espresso Maker: $127 (originally $159) 

• Onn. 55’  Class 4K UHD Roku Smart TV: $268 (originally $379) 

• AncestryDNA Genetic Test: $59 (originally $99) 

• Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen: $49.98 (originally $99.98)

• Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller: $44 (originally $64.99)

• Graco 4Ever DLX 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat: $230.99 (originally $329.77) 

• Cate & Chloe Ariel 18K Rose Gold Halo CZ Stud Earrings: $19.99 (originally $150) 

• Barbie 6-Doll Sports Career Collection, Related Clothes & Accessories: $25 (originally $35.67) 

For those on your gift list who may be harder to shop for, Walmart also offers a number of gift card options. These include Walmart-specific gift cards, as well as gift cards to local and national restaurants like Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A, and Dairy Queen, other stores like Apple or Disney, Visa or MasterCard gift cards, gift cards to streaming services like Netflix or Hulu, or experience gift cards, like movie theaters or airlines. 

While a gift card makes it easy for shoppers and offers flexibility to the recipient, Walmart also offers electronic gift cards. Customers can purchase them online and have them emailed directly to the recipient’s inbox, giving them even more freedom to spend their gift how – and when – they want. 

Delivery and Pickup Deadlines

In addition to last-minute gifts, Walmart has also announced its deadlines for receiving deliveries and pick-up orders in time for the holidays. 

To get your items by Christmas Day, orders must be placed with two-day shipping no later than 2:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday, December 21. Walmart also offers express delivery in two hours or less, and those orders must be placed by 4:00 p.m. local time on Christmas Eve. 

Lastly, consumers can place orders online and do curbside pick-up at their local Walmart store. Shoppers who opt for this choice must choose a time slot for pick-up by 4:00 p.m. local time on Christmas Eve. 

It’s not too late to get deals on holiday gifts! 

To help shoppers check everyone off their lists – while also saving money this holiday season – Target has announced more last-minute deals. In addition to discounting items through Christmas Eve, Target is offering several same-day shopping options that can benefit anyone who may have waited until the last minute – or needs a gift on short notice. 

“As guests turn to Target to finish up their holiday shopping, our stores nationwide are well-stocked, staffed with the best team in retail, and ready with great deals on everything needed to host gatherings, give gifts, and celebrate the season,” said Mark Schindele, executive vice president and chief stores officer at Target. “Whether guests choose to shop our aisles or use our convenient same-day fulfillment services, Target will save the day with fast and easy ways to get all their favorite deals, right up to the last minute.” 

Shop the sales

For shoppers looking for discounts on holiday gifts, Target has announced new sales – many of which run through December 24. 

Here’s what’s on sale through December 17: 

• 30% off matching family pajamas

• 30% off clothing and accessories

• 30% off seasonal decor

• 30% off shoes

• 40% off kitchen appliances

Here’s what’s on sale through December 24: 

• 30% All in Motion fleeces

• 50% off small kitchen appliances

• 5% off all pre-paid gift cards bought with a Target RedCard

• 40% off men’s seasonal apparel 

• 50% off toys 

• Buy one get one 25% off beauty gift sets

• 30% off Wondershop pet apparel 

• 40% off select women’s sweaters

• 15% off Game Pass gift cards

• 50% off connected home security from Amazon, Google, Ring, and more

• 50% off seasonal decor and trees

Last-minute gift options

Target shoppers can actually wait until the last minute to finish checking everyone off their holiday gift lists – if they want to! The retailer is offering several same-day shopping options that customers can access straight through up to Christmas Eve. 

For starters, all Target stores will be open on Christmas Eve, and most stay open until 8 p.m. local time. Shoppers can head to their local stores for the majority of Christmas Eve to pick up any last-minute essentials. 

There’s also the option to utilize Target’s order pick-up or drive-up options. Any order placed before 6:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve will be ready to be picked up before stores close that day. This also comes with no additional charge or membership required. 

Lastly, Target shoppers can utilize Shipt’s same-day delivery option. With this option, customers need to spend at least $35 to receive their delivery within one to two hours, and for non-Shipt members, delivery will run $9.99. 

While these options are always available for Target shoppers, it can be especially helpful to know the last-minute options during this hectic time of year. 

Though the holidays are now right around the corner, retailers have been preparing consumers to shop the sales for months. But what about a gift that you can’t necessarily find packaged in a store or shipped straight to your doorstep? 

A new survey conducted by OnePoll for Forbes Advisor analyzed how travel will come into play as a gift this holiday season. 

Ultimately, the survey revealed that over 50% of Americans with rewards credit cards would give those rewards as a gift this holiday season.  

A closer look at gifting travel

OnePoll surveyed over 1,000 adults across the United States between November 22-28 to better understand trends related to gifting travel this holiday season, and also how consumers’ credit card rewards come into play. 

The survey found that the younger demographic – those between the ages of 18 and 25 (64%) – were the most likely to give their credit card points or rewards as a gift this holiday season. Comparatively, the next youngest age bracket – those between the ages of 26 and 41 – were among the least likely to gift their credit card rewards (26%). 

Overall, 56% of respondents said they’d consider giving a travel-related gift this holiday season. However, not just anyone would be on the receiving end of such a gift. The majority of survey participants said they’d mainly consider those gifts for the people closest to them – 25% would give it to their kids, 23% to a spouse or significant other, and 22% to parents. 

What would a travel-related gift look like? Plane tickets, hotel stays, and cash were the top three choices from the respondents. These also correspond with the rewards that are most likely to come from travel credit cards. 

Making the most of travel-related gifts

While travel is certainly a memorable gift to give, it’s also important that consumers are getting the most for their money – or their rewards points. Caroline Lupini, a Forbes Advisor Travel Analyst, shared her top five tips with ConsumerAffairs for anyone considering giving the gift of travel this holiday season: 

1. With an increase in travel costs due to inflation, consumers should look to book flights or hotel stays they plan to gift well in advance (at least 30 days out) to save money. If booking a highly sought-after destination, booking during the off-peak season will also help keep costs in check. Flight and hotel bookings may be refundable (either for cash or a credit) if prices decrease, so know the policies for your booking and monitor for price decreases if applicable.

2. If consumers plan to use their travel credit card to give the gift of travel, they should be aware of the benefits their travel credit card offers, how points/rewards can be redeemed, and whether the card has travel insurance. The gift may be for someone else, but a statement credit could offset costs when it’s time to pay the credit card bill. 

3. When making travel gift purchases, consumers should keep in mind that plans could change. Purchasing tickets, stays, or other travel experiences that can be returned, exchanged, or modified at no additional cost will provide more flexibility for the recipient of the gift. It might also be worth looking into travel insurance just in case. 

4. If someone plans to redeem points or rewards for a flight, hotel stay, or another travel experience that will be given as a gift, understanding the redemption value of the points is key. Be sure to run the numbers – if the purchase doesn’t provide good value with points, it may make sense to save the points for another day and book with cash instead. 

5. When purchasing travel experiences, read the fine print to ensure that the gift recipient doesn’t end up covering unexpected costs. For instance, budget airline tickets might seem more affordable until the person who receives the tickets has to pay more money out of pocket for seat selection, a carry-on bag, and a bag of peanuts onboard.

Amazon has hosted a number of sales in recent months to prepare consumers for the holiday season – the Prime Early Access Sale, Black Friday sales, and Cyber Monday deals.  

Now, with under two weeks left to finalize gifts, Amazon is holding another discount shopping event for consumers – Very Merry Deals. 

Now through December 21, Amazon will continue to discount many of the biggest items this holiday season. Additionally, new items will be discounted every day, making it imperative for consumers to check back regularly if they’re looking for specific items. 

The sales are designed for consumers who need to wrap up last-minute shopping and will feature exclusive deals in several major categories: electronics, toys, beauty, home goods, fashion, and kitchen. 

What’s on sale? 

While these deals are expected to be updated on a daily basis, below is a list of some of the items available now at discounted rates: 

Amazon Devices: 

• 60% off Ring Video doorbells and bundles

• 46% off Fire TV devices

• 30% off Eero mesh WiFi systems

• 24% off Kindles

• 50% off Echo devices

• 45% off Fire tablets

Toys:

• 51% off Bakugan, Paw Patrol, and more

• 32% off National Geographic kits

• 47% off Melissa & Doug toys

Home Goods:

• 20% off Casper mattresses and accessories

• 69% off items from TempurPedic, Shark, Levoit, and more

• 63% off National Tree Christmas trees and holiday decorations

Electronics: 

• 29% off Bose home audio products 

• 54% off Logitech G gaming products

• 33% off LG OLED and QNED TVs

Kitchen: 

• 40% off SodaStream makers and bundles

• 25% off Nespresso coffee and espresso machines

• 46% off Instant Brands air fryers, mixers, and more 

Other deals include: 

• 50% off Crest White Strips and Oral-B electric toothbrushes

• 43% off Anker Charging Accessories

• 48% off Teeter FitSpine X3 Inversion Table

• 66% off Anne Klein watches

• 47% off Hiboy Electric Scooters

Consumers can shop all of Amazon’s last-minute holiday shopping deals here. 

Green Monday is only days away and if you’re running behind on holiday gifts, it is – most definitely – the last big sale of the season. 

On top of the best categories to shop and the biggest deals to be had, BlackFriday.com also let ConsumerAffairs in on some new insights about what specials the big retailers have to offer on Green Monday.

Top Green Monday 2022 sales

Here’s the A to Z (well, actually W) on what retailers are putting on sale for their own version of Green Monday:

Amazon: As usual, techy things – especially Alexa-driven ones – lead the way at Amazon on Green Monday, but BlackFriday.com says there are also good prices on home goods and toys. Keep this link handy for Green Monday to find out what Amazon has specifically for that day.

If you want to be an early bird, ConsumerAffairs found a way you might be able to get an advance peek at what Amazon will offer on Monday. At this link, you'll know how long before certain items will go on sale. If you go in on Sunday and start clicking forward on the page list at the bottom until you find out what deals go live 12-24-hours from then, you might be able to find out. Might…

Best Buy: DealNews' Shannon Flynn says that tech will rule the roost at Best Buy, too, and expects deals on everything from Roombas to tablets and 4K TVs.

eBay: Since eBay is the company that came up with Green Monday in the first place, it, too, will have lots of things on sale. Exactly what though hasn’t been divulged, but DealNews says shoppers should expect everything from apparel to electronics. Keep this link handy to find out exactly what on Monday.

Kohl's: More apparel, more accessories, more home goods, and more smart home devices are what’s expected from Kohl’s on Green Monday. Here’s the link that’ll get you to those deals on December 12. The company is also offering free shipping with a minimum purchase and an extra 15% off when someone signs up for e-mail newsletters.

Macy's: Macy’s is already letting the Green Mondays cat out of the bag and has posted its sale items beforehand. When ConsumerAffairs reviewed what Macy’s was offering, it was pretty much everything in the store – men’s apparel, women’s apparel, shoes, home goods, jewelry, handbags, and beauty items (perfume, for example). Many of the prices we saw were slashed by at least 50% and some up to 70%.

Rakuten: Rakuten isn’t a retailer, per se, but it does aggregate deals so consumers can find options from a variety of major retailers and brands all in one place. On its special Green Monday site, ConsumerAffairs found lots of “cash back” offers like 8% back from Nike, not to mention a way to score an iPhone 14 Pro, Apple watch SE, iPad, & Beats Fit Pro free (of course, for a limited time, some exclusions apply, see store for details caveats).

Target: Much like Macy’s, Target is expected to feature tons of deals and discounts on products from just about every department of the store on Green Monday. BlackFriday deal watchers suggest keeping a special eye on the retailer’s special “Deal of the Day” to enjoy even more savings.

Walmart: Walmart is keeping its Green Monday deal cards close to its chest, but BlackFriday’s sales analysts predict that the big winners will be those shopping for toys, tech, and home items. 

Don’t forget about price matching!

When ConsumerAffairs went looking for anything we may have missed, the KrazyCouponLady brought up a nuance that shoppers might be able to use to leverage even more deals -- price matching!

“Use price matching to your advantage during the second Monday in December. If one retailer isn’t running a deal but another is, consider a price match,” she said.

“Many retailers don’t offer a Black Friday price match, but since Green Monday is so far past Black Friday, you might luck out and be able to request a competitor’s price.”

A new survey from Swiftly, a retail technology platform, found more than two-thirds of consumers indicated that they are struggling to pay their grocery bills. Those consumers might benefit from a visit to Dollar Tree.

In the past, Dollar Tree was the perfect place to go for things like party and holiday supplies, but more and more savvy shoppers are finding themselves towards the back of the store, adding food items that they might normally buy at a big grocery chain like Kroger’s, Food Lion, or Publix. 

And this fact isn’t lost on Dollar Tree, either. For two quarters in a row, consumable sales outpaced discretionary sales across the chain, grew nearly 5% and is now close to the 10% mark in food and beverage, snacks, cookies and candy.

Private-label brands are beating well-known brands

Dollar Tree CEO and President Michael Witynski told analysts that Dollar Tree – like other stores are seeing from consumers – is witness to a growing interest in its private-label items like Home Style Select and Nature’s House. Witynski said that for 39 weeks in a row, sales of private brands have outpaced those of national labels, marking the first time that has happened in five to seven years.

With that trend providing a strong backdrop for potential growth, the company will double-down on broadening the available options in the food, over-the-counter drug and health items, and paper products.

Frozen foods are warming things up, too

Increasing frozen and refrigerated offerings is another major area of Dollar Tree’s focus, the company said.

“Every time we remodel a store, we want to bring in more coolers, both cool beverages and frozen beverages, because that’s where the customer is moving to,” Witynski said. “It’s a convenience item, and it’s meeting their needs. So, there is room for continued expansion there.”

And now that the shock of Dollar Tree making most everything $1.25 has worn off, the company is adding $3 and $5 price points to its frozen foods category and says it’s finding success and not pushback.

A quick heads-up for shoppers looking for those $3 and $5 frozen items -- they're not listed on the box, but on the frozen foods case door.

Is Dollar Tree emerging as a cost-saving alternative in the face of large retailers? 

The grocery game is not suited for the weak. Dollar Tree evidently thinks it has the allure to impress consumers as they try to withstand the bite of inflation.

“As inflation continues to hammer consumer wallets, discount retailers, such as Dollar Tree, are becoming a preferred destination for today’s shoppers for a few reasons,” Sean Turner, the co-founder and CTO at Swiftly Systems, told ConsumerAffairs.

The chief reason Turner gave is that shoppers are willing to trade down brands and visit new retailers to get the most savings. He shared some recent Swiftly survey data with ConsumerAffairs that showed 69% of shoppers struggle to pay their grocery bills and 74% have changed their grocery habits in the last year. 

“Compared to Kroger, Dollar Tree’s smaller store size and diverse inventory of items cater to this change in behavior,” he said. “Given that most consumers still prefer to shop in-store, Dollar Tree offers the convenience, savings, and value that give them a strong edge against larger retailers.” 

Turner shared one interesting tidbit about Dollar Tree – that it accepts coupons (up to four of the same manufacturer coupons per customer per day) – giving consumers another way to lower their spending.

Walmart has been busy this holiday season – new features on its mobile app and website, extended returns and easier deliveries, and sales both before and during Black Friday. 

Now, the retailer has released a new way for shoppers to find discounted items available at Walmart – TrendGetter. For those looking for holiday gifts – home goods, clothes, a pair of shoes, home decor, etc. – you can upload an image to TrendGetter and then receive similar, ready-to-buy items from Walmart. 

“This holiday season, we know our customers are searching for what they love at can’t-miss prices,” said Casey Schlaybaugh, vice president of brand strategy and marketing at Walmart. “Now, whenever you find a product you love, you can easily search for a similar item at Walmart’s everyday low prices and purchase as soon as inspiration strikes.” 

How it works

The goal of TrendGetter is to make it easier for shoppers to find gifts they’re looking for – at low prices. Whether you’re scrolling through Instagram and see a sweater for your niece, or a YouTube video has the latest game for your son, TrendGetter was designed to help bridge the gap between a social media post and a gift under the tree. 

To use it, shoppers either take or upload a photo to the TrendGetter platform. Based on the image, Walmart utilizes Google Vision technology to generate a similar – or identical – item available for purchase at a low price. Then, shoppers can quickly order it, secure a pick-up, or see if it’s available for in-store purchase in their local Walmart store. 

Walmart recommends that shoppers keep their images as simple as possible when uploading them to TrendGetter. Make the item the primary focus of the image – without any background distractions. Avoid dark lighting and steer clear of shadows -- that can ensure that you get your best product match. 

Shoppers should also feel confident using TrendGetter from a privacy perspective. Images are used strictly to search through product catalogs, and after the item is either purchased or the user closes out of TrendGetter, Walmart says the image will be deleted. 

TrendGetter is available here. 

With holiday shopping going on for a few months now, the affordability of holiday gifts has been on a lot of consumers’ minds. Inflation has changed the way many people are shopping this holiday season, and now, having alternative payment methods have made it easier for consumers to get the gifts they’re most looking for and paying for them down the road. 

‘Buy now pay later’ (BNPL) has become an increasingly popular option – especially this holiday season – as it allows shoppers to make purchases on the spot with a small down payment, and then break up the rest of the cost into smaller monthly installments. The payments are also interest-free if you complete them in the allotted time. 

Having the option to make bigger purchases without the worry of being able to pay for it all upfront may have been helpful to consumers. However, some experts worry about the financial implications involved with choosing BNPL. 

Holiday shopping trends

Cardify shared results from a recent study it conducted that polled over 2,000 BNPL users about their plans for the holiday season. 

While BNPL wasn’t the top choice for buying holiday gifts, it did come in at number three, with over 45% saying they’d choose this payment method this season. Debit cards were the top choice (65.7%), followed by credit cards (54.6%). Just 31.5% of survey respondents said that they’d use cash to pay for gifts this holiday season. 

About 40% of people said they’d use BNPL for 50%-99% of their holiday shopping, while just under 9% said they’d use it for all of their holiday shopping. The majority – over 51% – said they’d use the service for more of their holiday shopping this year than they did last year; just 10.1% said they’d be using BNPL less this year than they did last year. 

The survey also found that BNPL shoppers were more likely to report spending more money this holiday season in general. Regardless of payment method, nearly 20% of frequent BNPL users said they’d spend more than $1,000 during the holidays; comparatively, 16.1% of non-BNPL users said they’d be spending that much this holiday season. 

Shopping smart this holiday season 

Business Insider offered tips for consumers interested in shopping with BNPL to ensure smart shopping practices and reduce the likelihood of accruing burdensome debt. 

BNPL shoppers should be mindful of interest rates, know the late fees, and know if they’ll be able to make payments down the road. While completing payments in the scheduled time usually eliminates interest rates, pushing payments beyond the four or six-week pay period can be costly.

Similarly, many BNPL services don’t charge late fees, but missing payments can be detrimental to your credit score. 

GO Banking Rates offered some alternatives to BNPL for shoppers this holiday season: 

• Apply for a credit card with 0% APR

• Use cashback to help fund holiday shopping

• Keep a schedule of some of the biggest sales of the season to make sure you’re buying at the lowest possible price 

The holiday season is costly, and BNPL can be an effective way to make bigger purchases, so long as consumers also understand the potential financial risks and don't get over-extended. 

While Amazon has been prepping shoppers for the holiday season for months now, its Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales were expected to be the main events of the big holiday shopping weekend. 

Now, with five days of sales in the rearview mirror, Amazon is reporting that hundreds of millions of products were purchased over Thanksgiving weekend. 

“This was a record-breaking holiday shopping weekend for Amazon,” said Doug Herrington, CEO, WW, Amazon Stores. “Customers shopped millions of deals this weekend and we have many more amazing deals to come.” 

Holiday shopping – and savings – aren’t over

Despite the big shopping days having come and gone, it’s not too late for consumers to cross everyone off their gift lists – and save money while doing so. 

Amazon said it will release new deals on potential gifts every day for the remainder of the holiday season. Everything from air fryers, clothing, and wireless headphones will continue to be discounted over the coming weeks. 

If you’re struggling to find the perfect gift, Amazon has curated several gift guides to make shopping easier. There are lists for fashion, popular internet items, home goods, most-loved gifts, stocking stuffers, and electronics. 

Amazon’s Holiday Gift Guide has also been ongoing throughout the holiday season. Shoppers can sort gift ideas by age or gender, and also get gifting tips from social media influencers.

Additionally, consumers can search through Amazon’s gift card inventory, which includes Amazon gift cards, as well as options from other leading retailers, such as DoorDash, Apple, Google Play, Bath & Body Works, and more.  

Easy returns, faster deliveries

While there’s still plenty of time to order gifts and receive them in time for the holidays, Amazon has rolled out new delivery – and return – options for customers this holiday season. 

In terms of shipping, shoppers can now choose items to be delivered either same-day or one-day shipping. Currently, there are hundreds of thousands of items that can be delivered to consumers’ homes in just a few hours, while over 20 million items can be shipped in just one day. 

Same-day shipping is currently available in more than 90 metro areas across the country, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Seattle, Miami, Baltimore, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Washington D.C., as well as other major cities. 

The return process has also been updated, making the process easier – and valid for much longer. Now, any items bought between October 11, 2022, and December 25, 2022, will be eligible for return through January 31, 2023. 

Returns are free to process, and shoppers can now drop off any items for return – with no label or package – in person. Local Kohl’s, UPS Stores, and Whole Foods are currently accepting Amazon returns. 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday may have been officially crossed off the consumer’s calendar, but the shelves aren’t as empty as some retailers might like them to be. So, what does a retailer do in a situation like this? Mark down more stuff!

As to what prices are coming down, what prices are going up, and what to wait another month or so to buy, consider that research done. Here's what ConsumerAffairs found:

Where prices are coming down

The best deals that Bankrate’s Sarah Foster said she found are smartphones – down in price by 22.9%. And if you’re looking for a combo deal, Cricket Wireless has one for value-conscious holiday shoppers.

Customers who bring their number to Cricket can get iPhone SE (2nd Generation) 64GB for $0 when they activate a new line on the $60/month unlimited plan. There’s some requisite fine print with the deal, but it may be worth looking into.

Electronics aren’t a Black Friday staple like they used to be, so there are good deals there as well -- televisions (-16.5%) as well as computers and devices (-3.1%).

There’s also one more big-time sales day – Green Monday. DealNews reports that on December 12, retailers are expected to offer discounts ranging from 20% to 60% off. Categories on sale will include electronics, home improvement, and clothing. 

“Of course, since eBay basically invented Green Monday, you won't want to miss their sale. Last year, they discounted apparel, tools, headphones, holiday gifts, and other items during their event,” Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst with DealNews, said.

Neither Lowe’s nor Home Depot are showing their Green Monday cards yet but Ramhold said if those two go the same route as they did in 2021, there could be a 10% increase in the number of tool deals overall.

If you’re a bargain hunter, you can forget traveling, bedding, lingerie, and exercise equipment – at least for a while

Travel? Not a good deal right now. Bankrate says airfare is up 42.9% as well as other forms of transportation and the gas it takes to get there, too. In addition, the price of staying overnight could add up, with hotel stays up 6.4% compared to last year.

That could translate into some big bucks. When travel insurer SquareMouth added travel costs together, it found that the average two-week vacation is now around $6,784 – 57% higher than the average trip cost as of Fall 2022 and 28% higher than the Summer 2022 average. 

However, as Bankrate analyst Sarah Foster told ConsumerAffairs, there is one way that consumers could save some money on travel – points!

“Consumers are often sitting on a stockpile of credit card rewards —'free' money that can only be put to use if it is, in fact, used,” she said.

Foster recommends utilizing any credit card rewards points to fund some of that travel.

While it expects some clothing deals on Green Tuesday, DealNews says that shoppers looking for winter clothing should wait until January or February when retailers have got more wooly, warm’y stuff on their racks than they’d like. 

Traditionally, January is also a good time to buy bedding, and because of the influx of health-related resolutions, there’s a decent amount of deals on exercise equipment and gym memberships in January.

And those whose tastes run to the intimate and frilly might want to wait until the end of December. That’s when the Victoria's Secret Sale goes live. It’s expected to run for at least a couple of weeks into January.

The holiday shopping season is in full swing, and for those mailing gifts across the country or overseas, it’s time to start thinking about the best time to do that. 

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has released its official deadline list for shipping gifts to ensure they make it to their intended recipients by Christmas Day. It also shared helpful information designed to make the shipping process easier for consumers, as well as projections for the busiest times of the season. 

For those who don’t want to trek to their local post office during the holiday season rush, there are now options to ship packages from home. The USPS website features the new Click-N-Ship app, that allows consumers to print shipping labels and ship boxes directly to their homes, and then schedule a free at-home package pickup. 

Holiday shipping deadlines

As the busiest time of year for the USPS kicks off, it’s important for consumers to know when to get their packages to the post office. Below is a list of suggested deadlines to ship packages to ensure they’re delivered in time for Christmas: 

• Air/Army Post Office/Fleet Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office (APO/FPO/DPO) (all ZIP codes) Priority and First-Class Mail: December 9 

• APO/FPO/DPO (except ZIP code 093) USPS Priority Mail Express Military Service: December 16 

• USPS Retail Ground Service: December 17 

• First-Class Mail Service (including greeting cards): December 17 

• First-Class Package Service (up to 15.99 ounces): December 17 

• Priority Mail Service: December 19 

• Priority Mail Express Service: December 22 

Alaska: 

• Alaska to/from Continental U.S. – USPS Retail Ground: December 2

• Alaska to/from Continental U.S. – First-Class Mail and Priority Mail: December 18 

• Alaska to/from Continental U.S. – Priority Mail Express: December 21

Hawaii: 

• Hawaii to/from mainland – First-Class and Priority Mail: December 17 

• Hawaii to/from mainland – Priority Mail Express: December 21

In some areas, there will also be the opportunity to pay for packages to be delivered via Priority Mail Express on Christmas Day. 

Shipping tips

Another important part of shipping packages at the post office is ensuring that your gift is properly packaged, labeled, and addressed – and doesn’t include any prohibited items. 

The USPS has broken down the whole process for consumers in how-to videos that cover everything from changing your address, labeling a package, and packing things safely.

Shipping costs and busiest season

In effect now through January 22, 2023, shipping materials are going to be more expensive than they usually are. However, consumers sending gifts overseas to military or diplomatic posts are eligible for discounts on shipping, including a $20.95 large Priority Mail Flat Rate Box. 

Based on traffic in years past, the USPS anticipates that crowds in post offices across the country are likely to start picking up starting as early as December 5. While the final two weeks before Christmas are likely to be hectic, the week of December 12 tends to be the busiest. 

The USPS has also increased its number of Sunday deliveries during the holiday season to help packages get to their final destination in time for the holidays. 

In most years, shopping for the most popular toys might present a challenge. But in spite of all the early sales, shoppers may find some of the most sought-after items may still on store shelves.

Just before Black Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that stores were overflowing with Barbies and Lego sets, the holiday season's perennial favorites.

New research from Premium Joy shows that Squishmallows, plush toys that were released in 2017, have apparently surpassed the popularity of several other more established toys like Hot Wheels and Nerf for this holiday season.

Data, based on Google search volumes and Google Trends for the past six months, show that Squishmallows are the most popular holiday toy in 21 states. Hot Wheels and Nerf are the favorite toys in only 10 and six states respectively.

"Each Squishmallow model comes with a unique personality, including a name and a background story, which makes these plush toys distinct and highly collectible," said Hassan Alnassir, founder and owner of Premium Joy. "Knowing that, I wouldn't be much surprised to hear that Squishmallows have become such a hit during the holiday season."

The Toy Insider breaks down the most popular toys in 2022 by age group:

• Infants and toddlers - Fisher-Price DJ Boouncin’ Beats; Level Up gaming chair

• Pre-school: Barbie Dreamhouse; Bluey Ultimate Lights and Sounds Playhouse

• Elementary school - Addison Rae, Delux Music Fashion Doll; Akeda Triple Strike Tag Team Arena

• Tweens - Airtitans Jurassic World Massive Attack T-Rex; LEGO Super Mario Adventures with peach starter course

Target has its own list of hot toys that start in price at $14.99. They include the Yahtzee Frenzy Dice & Card game; Kinetic Sand Swirl N' Surprise 2lb Playset; Cool Maker Stitch 'N Style Fashion Studio Sewing Machine toy.

Watch out for scams

In the event that merchants run low on the most popular toys, last-minute toy shoppers need to be aware of dangerous scams. A common trick is to post a fake ad for an in-demand and hard-to-find toy online at what seems like a heavily discounted price.

One consumer posted their experience on a scam-tracking website after they thought they were purchasing a popular Squishmallow for $40. They said they received the product in the mail but said it was counterfeit.

“There are no tags on it and it is of very poor quality,” the consumer reported. I have tried to use the email provided to request a return label and it is not a real email.”

Shoppers can avoid this experience by only shopping at known and trusted stores and online merchants. A discounted price on one of the season’s hot toys could indicate that the seller is not legitimate.

There’s been so many pre-Black Friday sales going on and so much sell-off attempted in the last few months because of overstock issues, is there anything special about Black Friday anymore?

When ConsumerAffairs went looking for the answer, the pickings were indeed slim. 

“​​All retailers are competing for attention and if there is anything left it would be a very small quantity. Most likely, if you're looking for something specific, there's nothing left,” Hannah Nash, co-founder of LucyNash, told ConsumerAffairs.

Nash said that the options aren’t as robust as they have been on Black Fridays in the past but retailers are offering significant discounts in order to attract new customers and clear inventory. 

ConsumerAffairs took Nash’s advice and went hunting for big discounts to see what might be left.

Here’s what we found… 

Retailers that have the most and largest discounts

The places to go if you’re looking for a wide range of things are the major retailers such as Walmart and Target, BlackFriday.com shopping expert Mackenzie Shand told ConsumerAffairs. And those stores also have some of the largest discounts, too, just because they buy so much from vendors.

“Best Buy is a great shopping destination for tech discounts and retailers like Home Depot, Lowe's and Wayfair are good places to check for large discounts on home-related products,” she said.

“In terms of discounts, the majority of Target's deals range from 30% to 50% off. Amazon has advertised many 30% and 40% off discounts, but the discounts reach 70% for Alexa-enabled, smart devices. Similar to Target, Walmart has many items discounted between 30% to 50% off.”

Jewelry is an exceptionally good buy at department stores

For some reason, jewelry is a particularly good choice for money-pinching gift-givers this year. ConsumerAffairs saw upwards of 60% discounts at department stores such as Kohl’s and Belk, and a hard-to-believe 75% off jewelry at JCPenney. 

Macy’s isn’t laying down when it comes to discounts in the jewelry department, either. It’s got many 60% off deals which also lets shoppers buy a necklace or pair of earrings for $29.99 when they spend $25 or more.

Free gift cards

Retailers are hanging gift card mistletoe everywhere they can. ConsumerAffairs saw some tremendous deals at Target where you could get a $20 gift card with a purchase of $100-plus on baby care items, a $50 Target GiftCard with a purchase of the Xbox Series S – Holiday Console, and up to $100 gift cards for purchases of smart TV sets.

BlackFriday’s Shand also turned up several, too -- up to $250 in Apple gift cards when you purchase Apple products such as AirPods and iPads, or an additional $15 Apple gift card when you buy a $100 Apple Gift Card at Target or Best Buy, and a $10 gift card when you purchase $100 worth of gift cards at Barnes & Noble.

Don’t forget Amazon

Amazon’s biggest deals of the year usually come during their Prime Days, but Ryan Turner, the founder of Ecommerce Intelligence told ConsumerAffairs that the online giant is doing the unusual this year – a Black Friday promotion of its own. 

“This does appear to be a 48-hour only sale window, with hundreds of thousands of items discounted across all major categories,” he said. “It'd definitely be worth it for consumers to watch their Black Friday spending budgets and be sure to save some money for the day itself.”

Some web tricks that might turn up extra savings

Retailers are using every opportunity they can to keep a consumer in their lair. When ConsumerAffairs was checking out Belk’s website, we got a pop-up offering us $10 off any $20 purchase – something the promotion said could be used on top of other coupons.

When it looked like we were clicking off Kohl's website, we got a 15% off offer if we'd sign up for its newsletter.  At Duluth Trading Company's site, we got a pop-up offering 20% off plus free shipping for signing up for its email list.

It might be a smart move to check out every retailer’s website and move your mouse a little bit to activate any pop-up discounts the company wants to offer you for signing up for their mailing list or purchasing something.

By the way -- do it in incognito mode so you can make sure that you don't have the retailer's web cookie embedded in your browser. Otherwise, a pop-up deal may never happen.

Online shoppers who aren’t afraid of plug-ins or deal-checking platforms can try out things like Cently, which sniffs out coupon codes that can be used at checkout, and CamelCamelCamel, an Amazon price checker and browser extension. 

Capital One ​​also has a browser extension called “Capital One Shopping” which automatically applies coupons to your cart and sends you price drop notifications.

With holiday sales beginning in October, will there be anything left on store shelves on Black Friday? Best Buy says there will, but the company says shoppers should show up early just in case.

Best Buy stores will open at 5:00 AM on Friday, though stores located in shopping malls may open slightly later. A list of store openings can be found here. 

The electronics and appliance retailer has already started featuring Black Friday sale items. Here are a few that stand out:

• Featured Chromebooks starting at $79

• Featured Windows laptops starting at $99

• Up to $500 off some gaming laptops

• Samsung - 60" Class TU690T Series LED 4K UHD Smart Tizen TV for $400

• Samsung - 75" Class TU690T Series LED 4K UHD Smart Tizen TV for $580

• Hisense - 55" Class R6G Series LED 4K UHD Smart Roku TV for $240

• Toshiba - 32" Class V35 Series LED HD Smart Fire TV for $80

• Sony - WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones - Black for $228

• Up to 50% on select exercise equipment

• MacBook Air 13.3" Laptop - Apple M1 chip - 8GB Memory - 256GB SSD  for $800

• Apple - AirPods with Charging Case (2nd generation) - White for $100

Many happy returns

Best Buy says it’s prepared for post-holiday returns and has tweaked its policies in a few places.  Purchases made October 24, 2022, through December 31, 2022, have an extended return period through January 14, 2023, excluding items purchased with a third-party contract (e.g., Activatable devices [cell phones, cellular tablets, mobile hotspots, and cellular wearables] and AppleCare+ plans, etc.); and holiday products (e.g., artificial trees, lights, decorations, etc.).

Other exclusions, including restocking fees, non-returnable products, and all other terms and conditions of the Best Buy Return & Exchange Promise apply. You’ll find more information about how to return items here.

Target, along with many major retailers, kicked off the holiday season early this year, offering shoppers Deal Day events back in early October. Then, in mid-October, the company announced its plans for a season-long Black Friday event, along with Deal of the Day, in which Target offered one major item at a significant discount. 

Now, with Black Friday right around the corner, Target is announcing its plans for the most anticipated shopping weekend of the year. Sales started on Sunday, November 20, and will run through Saturday, November 26. Then, new sales will be announced for Cyber Monday starting on Sunday, November 27, and running through Monday, November 28. 

“We know our guests are looking forward to Black Friday for big savings across all of their holiday needs, and we’re planning to deliver for them with our biggest Black Friday sale ever,” said Christina Hennington, executive vice president and chief growth officer at Target. 

“With more than one million items on sale, we’re offering guests incredible value on the season’s must-have items, from exclusives like Heyday and FAO Schwarz, to national brands like LEGO and Apple, and only-at-Target items across apparel, home, food, and beverage. And best of all, when guests shop Black Friday deals at Target, they can get their items that same day using Drive Up, Order Pickup, or Same Day Delivery with Shipt – all with no membership required.” 

What’s on sale?

While Target plans to update its sales over the course of the weekend, some of the things shoppers can get on sale right now through Saturday, November 26, include: 

• $105 off iRobot Roomba 675 vacuum

• $50 off plus a $50 gift card with the purchase of an Xbox Series S console

• 25% off beauty gift sets

• $300 off 65-inch Element Smart TV

• $150 off Dyson V8 Origin vacuum

• Buy one get one 50% off toy brands – Barbie, FAO Schwarz, Marvel, and more

• 40% off baby gear

• 40% off LEGO

• 50% off six-foot Alberta Christmas trees

• $100 off Beats Solo 3 Wireless Headphones

• 50% off Wondershop pet beds

• $200 off KitchenAid Professional 5 qt Stand Mixer

• $6 faux fur slippers

• $70 off PowerXL Vortex Pro 8 qt Air Fryer

• $29.99 for top Nintendo Switch games

Then, between Thanksgiving Day and Saturday, November 26, Target plans to roll out these sales: 

• $60 off Beats Studio Buds

• 40% off boots and outerwear

• 30% off jewelry

• $7 matching sleepwear sets

• 20% off Kinetic Sand

• $3 for clothing basics 

Shopping conveniently this holiday season

While Target stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, stores will reopen on Black Friday at 7:00 am local time. 

Additionally, throughout the holiday season, Target has updated its return policy and will honor its price match policy. Customers now have 90 days to return items to Target, while the company will also honor any price matches for items found at a lower price either at Target or other retailers when shoppers are in-store or within 14 days of their original purchase. 

By this time next week FedEx, UPS, Amazon Prime, and other shipping trucks will be busy delivering all the merchandise purchased on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

To make sure the deliveries go smoothly, avoiding everything from porch pirates to crushed boxes, here are some tips from shipping experts.

Don’t assume that your purchase will be delivered on time and in perfect condition. It might, but with millions of packages in the system, anything can happen.

If you are having a valuable or fragile item delivered to your home, it may be wise to purchase shipping insurance. For fragile items, it will also pay to ship them overnight, since the less time the item spends in the system the better. 

And it goes without saying, always get tracking numbers for your purchases and check the shipping progress periodically.

Watch out for scammers

You can expect scammers to step up their game in the wake of the year’s busiest shopping days. Don’t be fooled by texts, calls, or emails about a “missed delivery.” 

If a real delivery company misses you, it will leave a notice on your door with instructions on how to pick up your order. If you receive a missed delivery notice, examine the form carefully to make sure it is authentic and only then follow their instructions. 

It’s also important to remember everything you have ordered so you know what is coming and when. Don't click on any links. Instead,  go to the delivery carrier's website directly or log in and use the retailer's tracking tools. 

If you think you might not be home when a delivery is made, request a signature. While that may entail an extra change it means the delivery company won’t leave a package on your doorstep, where it might tempt a porch pirate.

Don’t let packages sit on the porch

If a package is dropped on your porch, make sure you get it inside as quickly as possible. Packages left sitting outside are particularly vulnerable to theft.

If you don’t expect to be home when the package is delivered, have it delivered to your place of employment, if possible. You could also ask a neighbor if they would be willing to accept the package for you.

UPS and other delivery services have contracts with retail chains, whose stores will accept a package and hold it until the recipient can show up to collect it.

Finally, open the box as soon as it is delivered. Look for signs of damage or tampering. If you see something that doesn’t seem right, contact the seller right away. Make sure you understand the merchant’s return policy for damaged or unwanted items. 

Amazon’s Black Friday sale is still days away, and now the company is getting shoppers ready for what’s to come after that – Cyber Monday sales. 

While some of Amazon’s Black Friday deals are already underway, the company announced that Cyber Monday sales will start promptly on Saturday, November 26, and run through Monday, November 28.

The sale is expected to feature some of the biggest brands of the holiday season – Mr. Coffee, Anastasia Beverly Hills, and Bose, among several others. 

Leading up to both the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, Amazon will offer discounts on a handful of items every day. This is in addition to the daily Deal of the Day and will feature brands like Adidas, Casper, SodaStream, Oakley, and more. 

Here’s what will be discounted

Similar to its Black Friday sale, during Cyber Monday, Amazon plans to drop new deals every 30 minutes of the three-day savings event. However, the company has already announced many of its biggest sales for this upcoming weekend: 

• Up to 30% off Solo Stove fire pits 

• Up to 45% off BLACK+DECKER tools

• Up to 30% off American Girl dolls and accessories, LEGO sets, and Bluey toys

• Up to 70% off select Alexa devices – including Fire TV and Echo 

• Up to 40% off clothes from HappyNation

• Up to 50% off Gap clothing and accessories

• Up to 25% off items from Snoop Doggie Doggs 

• Up to 60% off Ring and Blink devices and accessories

• Up to 30% off accessories from Anker

• Up to 25% off Kourtney Kardashian’s Lemme vitamins

• Up to 40% off Mr. Coffee coffeemakers

• Up to 30% off hair products from T3 

• Up to 50% off DASH air fryers and meat thermometers

• Up to 30% off Segway, Jetson, and Hurley e-scooters and bikes

• Up to 40% off Bose, Sony, and JBL headphones and speakers

• Up to 30% off Marvel clothing and toys

• Up to 40% off Tommy Hilfiger clothes and accessories

• Up to 45% off clothes from Simple Joys by Carter’s and Amazon Essentials

• Up to 40% off eero mesh Wi-Fi systems

• Up to 40% off BALEAF athletic clothing

• Up to 40% off Skullcandy and Shokz headphones

• Up to 50% off premium beauty brands – Anastasia Beverly Hills, Murad, and more

• Up to 30% off Peloton accessories and clothing

Support small businesses and get gift ideas from influencers

While Amazon is hosting sales on some of the biggest national brands, there is also opportunity for shoppers to support small businesses this holiday season. 

Resources like the Small Business Gift Guide, the filter to shop for emerging brands, and the link to shop Amazon Handmade, allow consumers to shop for a wide range of gifts while supporting small businesses. These links feature affordable gift guides, ideas for stocking stuffers, and recommendations from celebrities. 

In addition, social media influencers have partnered with Amazon to share their gift ideas for Cyber Monday and the rest of the holidays. Storm Reid, Remi Bader, Vinnie Hacker, and Dixie D’Amelio have covered nearly every gifting category – apparel, handbags, home goods, electronics, teens, technology, and more. 

With Black Friday just days away, consumers are narrowing down their holiday shopping lists. Now, DICK'S Sporting Goods has released its Black Friday deals, some of which have already started, as well as holiday gift ideas. 

The gift guide, which is live now, will continue to be updated with new deals and savings opportunities through Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The sales cover a wide variety of brands, including YETI, North Face, Peloton, and more. 

To add to consumers’ savings this holiday season, DICK’S will honor price matching. Any customer who proves that they can get the same item for a lower price at a different store will receive that same low price at DICK’S. 

While DICK’s stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, the sporting goods company will have extended hours on Black Friday, with all stores staying open from 6:00 am through 10:00 pm. 

What’s on sale?

DICK’S kicked off its Black Friday offerings on November 20, and these sales will run through Saturday, November 26. Here’s what shoppers can expect: 

• 30% off North Face hoodies
• Up to $230 off select golf clubs
• Up to 50% off Adidas shoes and clothes
• 50% off Nishiki youth Pueblo bikes
• Up to 30% off Nike shoes and clothes
• Up to 60% off basketball hoops from Goliath & Lifetime
• Select NCAA fleeces, quarter zips, and polos for $21.98 

Then, starting on Thanksgiving Day and running through November 26, DICK’S will offer a few more sales for shoppers. 

• 25% off Sorel shoes
• $2,500 off the Prince 6800 table tennis table 
• Up to 30% off Brooks shoes 

Choose how to shop

DICK’S customers can choose the shopping option that’s most convenient for them this holiday season: ship to home, in-store shopping, one-hour pickup, or same-day delivery with Instacart or DoorDash.

Additionally, DICK’S ScoreCard members receive free shipping on all orders of $49 or more, and most DICK’S stores will have extended hours for shopping during the holiday season. 

Though there’s plenty of time to order holiday gifts online without fear of when they’ll show up, that anticipation will start to build in the coming weeks. 

To help offset some of those anxieties, Saks OFF 5th has rolled out a new feature – Guaranteed Delivery Date. Rather than showing a vague window of when an item will show up on your doorstep, or having shoppers wait until their order ships to know when it’s really coming, the company will now show shoppers precisely when their order will arrive. 

“Before Guaranteed Delivery Date, SaksOFF5th.com customers were presented with a standard delivery time frame for each item, regardless of destination, which meant items shipping to New York, Seattle, or Hawaii all had the same shipping period of three to five business days,” said Shivi Shankaran, COO of SaksOFF5th.com.

“With our new logistics capabilities now in place, we’re able to analyze all of the many factors that go into estimating a delivery date, such as where the product is, where it needs to go, who can help us deliver, and provide a concrete date for when customers will receive their package based on when they order. By introducing a customer-centric approach to our delivery experience, we’re making it easier to shop with Saks OFF 5th than ever before.” 

Shoppers will be able to view their guaranteed delivery date once they’re in the checkout process. Their shopping cart will highlight the date of delivery, as well as the price of shipping for each shipping method.

However, shoppers will also see a countdown timer – they must complete their order before the timer runs out in order to lock in the original guaranteed delivery date. 

The company reported that while most orders will fall under the new Guaranteed Delivery Date, not all will. For those that don’t, there will be an estimated delivery range for when the package will be delivered. 

Additionally, should a package be delivered after Saks’ Guaranteed Delivery Date, customers are eligible for a refund for their delivery charge. 

Shopping becomes more efficient

With this new feature, shoppers will know immediately whether the item they have their eye on will arrive in time, or if they should start looking for backup options. 

Saks OFF 5th worked both internally and with Shipium, a shipping and technology company, to make their estimated delivery dates as precise as possible for every single item. The company has also started working with more delivery carriers to improve the delivery process and allow shoppers to get their items as quickly as possible. All of these efforts, the company says, combined with advancements in technology and fulfillment centers have made it possible for Saks OFF 5th to improve its delivery date process. 

The company also believes that more accurate delivery dates will improve its delivery efficiency, as well. With the holiday season underway, it estimates that shoppers will have as many as three additional days to place their order and ensure a Christmas delivery date. 

There will also be even more ways to ship deliveries this holiday season. Shoppers can expect to have more options – such as Next Day Delivery and Expedited Delivery. The Guaranteed Delivery update will be available for all delivery options, and they will also show the costs associated with each choice. 

Rakuten, the online platform that provides online shoppers with cashback and discount codes, will now offer exclusive opportunities for customers this holiday season. 

From November 12-13, Rakuten will host its first-ever in-person pop-up shop in New York City. To complement that event, and extend the cash back opportunities to shoppers across the country, customers can shop the Holiday Edit to earn 10% cash back on holiday gifts. 

“Consumers have weathered a lot these last couple of holiday seasons – last year with supply chain issues and this year with inflation,” said Vicki McRae, senior vice president of brand, creative, and communications at Rakuten.

“Rakuten wanted to inspire shoppers by creating a holiday shopping destination with impactful rewards. We are thrilled to bring our online platform to life in New York City because we know seeing, or experiencing, is believing. Our members have earned billions in Cash Back online, and for the first time, shoppers will be able to earn Cash Back on the spot at the pop-up, making Rakuten the most rewarding way to shop this holiday season.”

Sleigh Your Shopping pop-up 

For its first in-person shopping event, Rakuten will host a “Sleigh Your Shopping” pop-up event from November 12-13 at 666 Broadway in New York City. 

Shoppers will earn 10% cash back at the event for every purchase that they make, plus an additional 10% cash back to their Rakuten accounts after the event. The pop-up will also feature some of the biggest brands, ensuring shoppers are able to make progress toward finishing their holiday shopping list. This includes: UGG, JVN Hair, Patrick Ta Beauty, and Quay, among several others. 

Shoppers simply have to show up to the pop-up and start shopping. The event is free and open to the public. 

Online shopping opportunities

For that outside of the New York City area, or for those who prefer to shop online, Rakuten is also offering cash-back deals for online shopping. From November 10-13, shoppers can earn 10% cash back on purchases made through the company’s Holiday Edit gift guide. 

The company has teamed up with celebrities and social media influencers to curate gift guides in different categories to help make holiday shopping easier – and help shoppers earn more cash back. Erin and Sara Foster have created the Fashion Edit, Kate Hudson created the Wellness Edit, Patrick Ta created the Beauty Edit, and Jonathan Van Ness created the Hair Edit. Each list is full of different gift ideas that also offer shoppers cash back on every purchase. 

Rakuten also plans to offer special cash-back deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

In advance of Veterans Day, Friday, November 11, retailers are lining up to show appreciation for those who are, or have, served the U.S. in the Armed Forces.

“During this annual federal holiday, we extend this savings to our active-duty military and veterans as a way to help them save money while honoring their brave service,” said Meg Ham, president, Food Lion, one retailer offering a 10% discount. 

“Our military veterans represent the towns and cities we serve, and Food Lion is committed to caring for and honoring our hometown heroes.”

According to Military.com, the deals are pretty simple –  proof of military service, such as:

• Retiree or military ID card

• Veterans ID card

• VA Benefits card

• DD-214 form

• State of residency ID card

• And for those shopping online, some retailers will require a registration with ID.me, a digital wallet that provides secure authentication and verification for multiple federal agencies and more than 500 name-brand retailers.

If you’re a vet, you’ve got a bunch of choices, says Military.com – everything from sporting goods to mattresses. Here’s a partial list of the discounts, dates, and eligibility requirements:

Sports Gear

Academy Sports + Outdoors -- Are you (or someone in your family) the athletic type? Active-duty service members and veterans get 10% off the entire purchase online or in-store from October 23 through November 13.

Adidas -- Veterans and active-duty military get 40% off sitewide until November 12.

Clothes and Shoes

HYLETE -- Fitness apparel company HYLETE will offer two Veterans Day promotions from November 11 through November 13. For an extra 10% off service league pricing, shoppers can use code "VET10" or for $20 off a $100 purchase shoppers can use the code "VET20". Only one code may be applied per order.

Rack Room Shoes -- Military personnel and their dependents get a 20% discount off their entire purchase in-store on November 11.

American Giant -- Active-duty military, Reservists, National Guard, veterans, and military family members get 30% off online from November 7 through 11.

General Merchandise

Target -- Target is going sale crazy this time of year. In addition to its other deep discounts, it is offering a 10% military discount from October 30 through November 12 to all active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their families. The discount can be used on two separate transactions and applies to all in-basket items, online and in-store.

Dollar General -- Veterans, active-duty military, National Guard, and Reserve and their immediate family members save 20% November 10 through 13 on qualifying, in-store purchases.

Tractor Supply Company -- Active-duty military, veterans and their dependents get a 15% discount on November 11.

Kohl’s -- Veterans, active and former military personnel, and their immediate families get 30% off in-store purchases from November 11 through 13.

Automotive

Just Tires -- If your vehicle needs new tires or a tune-up, active-duty military and veterans get free Car Care Checks at Just Tires, plus an additional 10% off tires and services. Eligible guests who present a valid ID can schedule car care check appointments between November 10 and 14 and redeem service through November 17.

Goodyear Auto Service -- Active-duty military and veterans get free Car Care Checks, plus an additional 10% off tires and services. Eligible guests who present a valid ID can schedule car care check appointments between November 10 and 14 and redeem service through November 17.

Grocery Stores

Southeastern Grocers -- Veterans and active-duty military get an 11% discount with valid documentation on November 11.

Food Lion -- For its 1,100 stores, Food Lion is offering active-duty military personnel and veterans 10% off on their in-store shopping purchase total before taxes on November 11. Show your military ID and MVP Card at checkout.

Publix -- Veterans and active-duty military personnel get a 10% discount on groceries on November 11.

Haircuts

Great Clips – On November 11, veterans and active service members can go into any U.S. Great Clips salon and get a free haircut or a free haircut card for a future visit.

In addition, non-military customers who get a haircut on Veterans Day will also have the opportunity to pay it forward. They can receive a free haircut card to give to an active service member or veteran that can be redeemed for a free haircut from November 12 through December 9.

Sport Clips -- On November 11, participating locations will provide free haircuts to veterans and active-duty service members with valid proof of service.

Vitamins and Drug Stores

Vitamin Shoppe -- From November 10 to 13, veterans receive a 25% discount on their entire purchase at any in-store location of The Vitamin Shoppe and Super Supplements.

Walgreens -- On November 11 through 14, veterans, active-duty military and their families receive 20% off regular price eligible store items at any Walgreens or Duane Reade drugstore nationwide.

Office Supplies

Staples -- Active-duty military personnel, reservists, retired or disabled veterans and their immediate families get a 25% discount November 6 through 12.

Office Depot and OfficeMax -- Veterans, active-duty military personnel, Reservists, and their dependents get 25% off qualifying regular and sale-priced purchases November 11 through 13. This offer is valid in-store only and requires a coupon.

Furniture

Lovesac -- Active and retired service members and their registered dependents get 25% off online after verification. Apply for your discount code by October 30, then redeem your code by November 13.

Sleep Number -- Shopping for a new mattress? Active-duty military and veterans receive 20% off most Sleep Number 360 smart beds, all bases, and most bedding purchases. This offer is valid from November 1 through 14.

Despite all the sales that retailers like Target, Macy’s, Walmart, and others are promoting as season-long “Black Friday” sales, the real Black Friday hasn’t happened, yet, and all these little pop-up sales are causing confusion.

The shopping pundits at RetailDive pin the tail on Amazon for starting this mess.

“This year, Amazon again staged a second big Prime sales event, though the e-commerce giant didn’t want to call it Prime Day since that took place over the summer. As Target and other retailers held sales of their own around the same time, it seemed like Black Friday had begun, at least in spirit,” Daphne Howland said.

“It isn’t really turning out that way, though. Amazon’s sale was something of a disappointment, for example.”

Why the rush?

The decision not to wait until the official Black Friday on November 25 is most likely due to two issues. For one, some retailers are sitting on inventory that’s choking space on their shelves and in unopened boxes in the back of the store. The other is that stores are suffering from the impact of inflation which is keeping consumers from opening their wallets.

According to a new NDP survey, a concerning 20% of holiday shoppers say they will spend less over the holidays because their economic situation has changed. Add to that, more than one in ten (12%) shoppers will be spending less on gifts so they can spend more on holiday entertaining-related expenses, like food, drink, and decorations in our first true holiday shopping out of COVID-19’s shadows.

“Consumers are ready to get out and celebrate over the 2022 holiday season, but last year’s optimism has taken a beating as financial concerns have them feeling a bit more grinchy this year,” said Marshal Cohen, chief retail industry advisor for NPD.

“Despite economic challenges, consumers still have just as many friends and family members to shop for during the holidays, they will just be spending differently.” 

Finding deals will be different, too, this year

Being pandemic-free, consumers say they will be both shopping more and buying more in stores as opposed to online. Believe it or not, two in five Americans miss the chaos of in-person Black Friday shopping.

The question is how do consumers find these in-store specials? The key word is “retention,” suggests Heather Dougherty, vice president of success at Lexer, a customer data platform for retailers.

“Consumers who are members of loyalty programs will probably really benefit from exclusive offers, early access to sales, special discounts, gifts with purchase and all sorts of other types of benefits,” Dougherty said.

She told FoxNews2 that deal-watchers should keep an eye out for communications from the retailers they plan to shop with. And, for those who don’t belong to a retailer’s loyalty program, it would be a smart move to sign up for one or download the retailer’s app.

However, Dougherty said consumers need to make sure that if there’s a fee to take part in a loyalty program – like Walmart+ – consumers should weigh the cost versus potential savings before they commit.

With the holiday shopping season starting earlier than ever, and inflation putting a dent in consumers’ shopping budgets, Mercari is working to make it easier than ever to shop second hand this holiday season. 

Mercari, an online secondhand store where consumers can list their own new or used items or buy from others at a discounted rate, is hosting a holiday listing event from November 6-13, in addition to offering sales during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as well as through the first few weeks of December. 

“American households are sitting on an estimated $580 billion worth of products they’re no longer using (the equivalent of $4,517 per household), according to Mercari’s Reuse Report,” the company wrote. “Selling these unused items is a great way to declutter and pass on quality items to others – all while earning extra cash for holiday shopping.” 

List more items, get more savings

From November 6-13, Mercari users will get discounts on secondhand items, with the more items that they list for sale. Customers who list between two and four items will receive a coupon for $5 off a $50+ order. Similarly, listing five to nine items will yield $10 off a $50+ order, and listing 10 or more items gets $20 off a $50+ order. 

During Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Mercari is gearing its sales toward new customers. New users will receive $10 off their orders – with no restrictions on items eligible for the discount – from November 25-27. On top of that, new users will also receive 10% off their first order, and 30% off a second purchase made within the next week. 

The last sale offer will take shoppers right through the beginning of December. Mercari will host 12 Days of Gifting from December 1-12. Each day, the Mercari website and app will have different offers for shoppers to reduce their spending totals even further. 

Mercari’s online shop has secondhand and vintage items in nearly every category – toys, clothes, household items, and jewelry, among several others. It could present a unique opportunity for consumers to save money on gifts this holiday season. 

As consumers are in full swing with holiday shopping, Google is rolling out new Search features that are designed to make it easier for shoppers to save money this holiday season. 

The update comes with three new additions: price insights, new labels for coupons and promotions, and side-by-side price comparisons. 

“The holiday season is upon us, and many are already getting into the (shopping) spirit,” wrote Shashi Thakur, vice president and general manager of consumer shopping at Google. “Deals are particularly top of mind this year: Among Americans planning to shop for the holidays, 43% are planning to look for deals and sales more than last year. So we’re sharing a few new features to help you easily find those discounts and get the perfect gift at the right price.” 

Saving more money this holiday season

Google Search’s new features were designed to help make holiday shopping easier – and cheaper – for shoppers. Here’s a look at what consumers can expect from the search engine: 

• Price Insights: This feature helps shoppers compare how the price of the item they have their eye on stacks up at other retailers. On top of that, Google will start showing whether the list prices are low, average, or high for the item. This will help shoppers understand whether or not they’re getting a good deal, overpaying for a must-have gift, or can get something cheaper elsewhere. 

• New Coupon and Promotion Labels: There is no shortage of coupon codes floating around the internet. With this new feature, Google will show which sales are going on right from the Search menu, and which coupon codes are active and valid. This update will tag which items are on sale, what the sale is, and the code that’s needed to activate the discount. This may help speed up consumers’ shopping process, as all of this information is now available after doing a search with no need to click through retailers’ websites. To make things even easier, shoppers can also now clip coupons. After clicking on the promo, the coupon code will save to your clipboard for easy access to paste into checkout. 

• Price Comparisons: The side-by-side price match feature was also designed to make online shopping faster and more efficient. When looking for a good deal on something specific, it can get time-consuming going through website after website. Now, a quick Google Search will show offerings for your specific item – from different stores – offering an immediate price comparison. 

Google plans to roll out these updates in full by the end of the month – right at the height of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. 

Getting ahead of the holiday season has been a theme this year, and several retailers have already announced plans for Black Friday deals that last the entire month of November – Macy’s, Walmart, and Target, among others. 

Now, Mattress Firm is joining that list, with Black Friday sales that are running now through December 6. This is the earliest that the mattress store has ever announced Black Friday deals, and consumers can find sales both online and in-store. 

Get your next mattress for less

One such discount shoppers can expect is purchasing a king mattress for the price of a queen, or a queen mattress for the price of a twin. While certain brands aren’t eligible for this specific discount – Sealy Hybrid, Tempur-Pedic, Purple, and Nectar, among others – consumers can still expect to save on their next mattress. 

For those who have or open a Mattress Firm credit card, there will be 0% interest for five years on purchases of $1,999 or more. For consumers who spend $2,999 or more on their Mattress Firm credit card, there will be 0% interest for six years. 

Additionally, shoppers will earn up to $100 bonus cash for each purchase they make. From November 9-29, those who spend $500-$1,499.99 will earn either a $25 bonus in cash to spend online or $50 in bonus cash to spend in-store. Similarly, those who spend $1,500 or more will receive $50 online bonus cash or $100 in-store bonus cash to be spent between December 7-27. 

Customers will also receive up to $700 off select mattresses, plus a free adjustable base. 

With over a month of savings available both online and in-store, consumers can choose when and how to pick out their next mattress this holiday season. 

Like a growing number of major retailers this year, Walmart is in full holiday mode. The company has announced its month-long Black Friday plans, top toys list, new holiday return policies, and an updated gift guide and toy selection for the 2022 holiday season. 

Now, to tie all of those things together, and improve customers’ online shopping experience, Walmart has also enhanced its website and mobile app. The updates, which were rolled out this week, will make it easier than ever to make purchases this holiday season – and beyond. 

“As many of us start preparing to welcome friends and family members into our homes for the holidays, Walmart is taking the same actions to get our ‘house’ ready for holiday shopping,” wrote Brock McKeel, senior vice president of site experience and Walmart eCommerce. “We’re pulling out all the stops for our customers on Walmart.com, ensuring that they have fast, frictionless, engaging, and personalized shopping experiences that save them time, save them money, and make shopping on our site just as easy as shopping in one of our stores.” 

Saving money, prioritizing convenience 

Walmart says its new digital features are all about helping consumers save money and facilitating a fast, convenient shopping experience. 

One of the new features tags all sale items in green. The green price tag will help shoppers easily identify which items are on sale and what the discounted prices are. 

For shoppers in a hurry, there will now be the option to immediately “buy now.” Rather than going through the entire checkout process, or scrolling through tons of items, Walmart shoppers can skip right to the end to make shopping faster. 

Additionally, Walmart will start showing suggestions of items that shoppers either regularly purchase or that are increasingly popular. The website and the app will start showing how many people have added certain items to their cart and how many people are looking at specific items. 

When it comes to Black Friday, consumers won’t have to stress about missing out on big-ticket items. Walmart will now offer virtual queues, which will allow shoppers to continue browsing the site or app, while virtually holding their spot for popular items.

Not only will this feature highlight on the screen how long shoppers are able to hold something in their carts, but shoppers can wait in multiple queues to make sure they get everything on their shopping lists. 

“Every improvement to the site experience helps us create a faster, more engaging, and more personalized experience for our customers, and we’re just getting started,” McKeel wrote. “The closest store to our customer is in their pocket, and they can trust us to make it easy for them to save time, save money, and ultimately, live better this holiday season.”

In preparation for the holiday season, Amazon will now offer customers a new way to pay for their orders: Venmo. 

Starting immediately, shoppers can check out either on Amazon.com or the Amazon app through their Venmo accounts. 

“We want to offer customers payment options that are convenient, easy to use, and secure – there’s no better time for that than the busy holiday season,” said Max Bardon, vice president of Amazon Worldwide Payments. “Whether it’s paying with cash, buying now and paying later, or now paying via Venmo, our goal is to meet the needs and preferences of every Amazon customer. We’re excited to continue to offer customers even more options when it comes to how and when they want to pay for their order.” 

“We know that the Venmo community of nearly 90 million users value the safety, security, ease, and familiarity that paying with Venmo helps to bring to the checkout experience,” said Doug Bland, senior vice president and general manager, head of Consumer at PayPal. “The ability to pay with Venmo on Amazon continues our ongoing commitment to offer the community more ways to spend, send, receive, and manage their money with Venmo.” 

Ease and convenience paying with Venmo

Checking out at Amazon with your Venmo account was designed to make things easier for shoppers, and offer yet another way to pay. 

Amazon has made the option as simple as adding any other payment method to your account. When ready to checkout, select payment methods, and begin the process of linking your Venmo account. After that, you’re all set. Paying with Venmo will then be an option at checkout for all future Amazon purchases. 

You can also opt to use Venmo as your default payment setting, meaning Amazon will pre-select your Venmo account as the primary payment method moving forward. 

Amazon says its customers can feel confident knowing their purchases are secure through Venmo. Additionally, using Venmo on Amazon doesn’t come with any additional fees, and customers will be able to pay the same way they would with Venmo – using their Venmo balance, or their linked credit or debit cards. 

The company has already started rolling out the Venmo feature to users, and all Amazon customers will be able to pay with Venmo by Black Friday.  

The holiday shopping season has taken an interesting turn this year. Between several retailers offering major sales in early October, plus Amazon and the NFL announcing a Black Friday game on Prime Video for 2023, things are certainly changing. 

Now, following announcements from Target and Walmart for a November full of early Black Friday deals, Kohl’s is following suit. The retailer announced that November will be a month full of savings and discounts for shoppers. 

“Our customers have made it clear that value is more important than ever this season,” said Christie Raymond, chief marketing officer at Kohl’s. “That’s why it was incredibly important to us to offer savings events that not only give customers the choice of when to shop, but the confidence in knowing they are getting a great value on gifts for their loved ones every time they choose Kohl’s." 

“This holiday season, we’re meeting our customers where they are – wanting to shop early, and wanting to find deals on all the top gifts and products of the season,” said Ron Murray, interim chief merchandising officer at Kohl’s. “With our robust assortment of products and categories that lean into the areas where we’re really seeing our customers gravitate towards, such as outdoor, home, beauty, pet, toys, and apparel, we’re confident that Kohl’s will be a key destination for all of their holiday needs.” 

Starting Black Friday early

At Kohl’s, Black Friday sales and big savings opportunities will start on November 4 and last for the entire month. From that point, the company will offer new deals designed to help customers save money right through Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

Starting November 4, customers will receive $15 Kohl’s cash for every $50 spent at Kohl’s. On top of that, Kohl’s is offering 15% off all online and in-store purchases from November 4-10. Then, from November 5-10, Kohl’s cash will be $10 for every $50 spent. 

Customers interested in getting gifts – or their everyday favorites – from Sephora at Kohl’s can get 20% off their orders – and 30% off the Sephora collection – from October 28-November 7. 

For the two weekends before Black Friday – November 11-12 and November 18-19 – Kohl’s will host Dashing Deal Days. Not only will items across several departments be on sale – clothes, home goods, toys, and activewear, among others – but there will also be the opportunity to rack up even more Kohl’s cash and savings. 

From November 11-19, Kohl’s will be offering 20% off all in-store and online purchases. Customers will receive $10 in Kohl’s cash for every $50 spent between November 11-17, while $10 will be taken off every $25 purchase from November 11-12. Active and former military personnel will be eligible to receive 30% off all of their purchases from November 11-13. 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals

The closer it gets to Black Friday, the more deals that Kohl’s will be offering to customers – starting on Sunday, November 20 – a full five days before Black Friday. For the entire week of Thanksgiving, Kohl’s cash will be $15 for every $50 spent, and customers will receive 15% off all purchases. 

Deals on specific items are expected to be announced in the coming weeks, as Kohl’s plans to have even more discounts as the holiday shopping season heats up. Shoppers are encouraged to choose the method that best suits them – whether that’s in-store, online, on the Kohl’s app, or self-pick-up. 

The holiday shopping season has officially kicked off, and major retailers have begun hosting big savings events this month. Target hosted its two-day Deal Day event from October 6-8, Walmart will be holding its Rollback and More sales event through October 13, and Kohl’s will host a 2-Day Deal Dash through October 12. 

Amazon is also participating in the early holiday shopping festivities with its Prime Early Access Sale on October 11-12. As Prime members consider their holiday shopping lists, preparation is key for the company’s second Prime Day event of the year. 

While Amazon plans to announce new deals over the course of the two-day sale, below are some of the items that are being highlighted as part of the discount event, as well as some tips for consumers to make the most of the Prime Early Access Sale. 

What’s on sale? 

Thousands of items will be on sale during this Prime event, including some of the biggest brands of the holiday season – Peloton, Casper, Ninja, Calvin Klein, and more. Here are some of the best deals consumers can score during the two-day Amazon sale. 

Home Goods: 

• Ninja Air Fryer with 2 Baskets: $199.99 (originally $249.99)

• Calphalon 10-piece Pots and Pans Set: $100 (originally $150) 

• Keurig K-Mini Coffee Maker: $49.99 (originally $100)

• Toshiba Countertop Microwave Oven: $134.99 (originally $164.99) 

• REFSAVER Fridge Storage Containers: $20 (originally $35) 

Amazon Devices: 

• Echo Dot with Clock (4th Generation): $35 (originally $60) 

• Fire TV Cube: $60 (originally $120) 

• Kindle Paperwhite: $100 (originally $140) 

• Amazon Halo View: $45 (originally $80) 

• Kindle Oasis: $180 (originally $250) 

TVs: 

• Insignia 32” Smart HD Fire TV: $99.99 (originally $179.99) 

• TCL 50” 5-Series 4K UHD Dolby Vision HDR Roku Smart TV: $429.99 (originally $699.99)

• LG 55” C1 OLED Smart TV: $1,296.99 (originally $1,499.99) 

• Samsung 65” Class QLED Q70A Smart TV: $947.99 (originally $1,399.99) 

• Samsung 85” QN90B Class Neo HDR Smart TV: $2,997.99 (originally $4,497.99) 

Technology: 

• Apple AirPods 2: $90 (originally $169) 

• Fitbit Luxe: $87 (originally $140) 

• iRobot Roomba J7 Plus: $599 (originally $799.99) 

• Apple Watch SE (2020): $189 (originally $279) 

• Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: $179.99 (originally $229.99) 

Toys: 

• Lego Ideas Seinfeld Building Kit: $64 (originally $80) 

• TeeTurtle Reversible Plushies: $11 (originally $15) 

• Playmobil Knight Rider K.I.T.T.: $68 (originally $90) 

• Discovery Kids Gemstone Dig STEM Science Kit: $12.97 (originally $19.99)

• Nerf Modulus Recon MKIII Blaster: $28 (originally $34) 

How to make the most of the sale

To make sure you check off every family member or friend on your gift list during the Prime Early Access Sale, Prime members can set up personalized notifications for deals on specific items. You can set up these alerts on the Amazon website or app based on items you’ve recently searched for or looked at. During the sale, you’ll start to receive notifications as the items are discounted. 

Shoppers can also take advantage of Amazon’s holiday toy list and home gift guide. Both lists are broken down into different categories to help guide consumers to find the perfect gifts. 

The trend for holiday shopping this season has been: early. With Target and Walmart announcing their plans to make holiday shopping more affordable for customers – and have deals start earlier than ever – Amazon is now joining in with its own holiday efforts. 

The company announced that it will host a Prime Early Access Sale, offering customers some of the biggest deals of the holiday season, for 48 hours from October 11-12. Amazon also has plans to release its Top 100 list over the course of the two days to ensure that shoppers are seeing the best available deals during the sale. 

The two-day shopping event marks the first time the retailer has held a second Prime event in one calendar year. 

“We are so excited to help Prime members kick off the holiday season with Amazon’s new Prime Early Access Sale – an exclusive opportunity for members to get deep discounts on top brands we know they are looking for this time of year,” said Jamil Ghani, vice president of Amazon Prime. “And members can start enjoying exclusive Prime benefits and offers now, plus find gift ideas for the family with our holiday gift guides and this year’s Toys We Love list.” 

What shoppers can expect

For starters, Amazon Prime members can expect sales on some of the biggest brands – Peloton, Adidas, Philips Sonicare, KitchenAid, and Samsung, among others. Over the course of the two-day sale, Amazon will continue to announce new deals on big-ticket holiday items. 

To prepare for the sale, Prime members can set up personalized notifications for deals on specific items. Between now and the start of the sale, shoppers can set up these alerts on the Amazon app or website based on items they’ve recently searched for or looked at. Then, members will receive notifications for special deals once the Prime Early Access Sale starts. 

Prime members with an Alexa device can start making shopping lists for the Prime Early Access Sale. Alexa will let you know when deals are available for these items and can make purchases for you. 

Shoppers can also start looking at the holiday gift guides to prepare for the sale. The Holiday Toy List is broken down by age, characters, and categories to help narrow down searches and see some of the most popular gift items.

There’s also a home gift guide, which features everything from indoor and outdoor decor to furniture and cookware. 

Other benefits from Prime this month include deals on Prime Video, Amazon Music, and GrubHub. While Prime Video comes with a Prime membership, Amazon is now offering half-off select movies and TV shows.

Prime members can select one of two deals from Amazon Music – either four months free of Amazon Music Unlimited or one-month free of Amazon Music Unlimited with the purchase of an Amazon Echo Dot for $0.99.

Prime members are also eligible to get one year of GrubHub+ – which comes with free delivery on orders over $12 and other rewards – for free. 

It can be difficult to get a bargain anywhere these days. With efforts to find discounts for back-to-school supplies, holiday gifts, or airline tickets, the Cinema Foundation is giving movie lovers the opportunity to save some money – and head out to their local movie theater. 

The non-profit organization has named September 3 “National Cinema Day,” with all movie tickets costing just $3. This deal is in effect for movies shown in IMAX or 3D, and over 3,000 theaters across the country will be participating – including big-name chains like Regal Cinemas and AMC. 

As the last big weekend of the summer, very few moviegoers end up in theaters over Labor Day Weekend. The goal of the promotion is to generate interest with $3 tickets and build on the momentum from a successful summer for movie theaters nationwide. 

Scoring deals on snacks and drinks

For consumers with a local AMC or Cinemark theater, the deals don’t end with the $3 ticket to any movie. Both companies have also announced savings on snack and drink options for National Cinema Day. 

Cinemark will be offering moviegoers: $3 for a small popcorn (with the option to upgrade to a large for $1), $3 for a medium ICEE or fountain soda, and $3 candy. AMC theaters are offering its cameo combo of popcorn and a fountain drink for $5 plus tax. 

Depending on the success of this first National Cinema Day, industry sources say this may turn into an annual occurrence in the U.S. 

Labor Day weekend will be here before you know it. And retailers all over are rolling out end-of-the-season deals on all mattresses, home goods, clothing, outdoor furniture, grills, major appliances, and more.

Thanks to shopping experts at BlackFriday.com and Deal News, ConsumerAffairs has the dish on the best sales, plus buying tips for shoppers to utilize while shopping over the long weekend.

The deal and steals

Here are what Black Friday and Deal News shared with ConsumerAffairs as the best Labor Deals, A-Z.

Article - From now until September 5, you can save up to 50% on more than 400 Article furnishings. This includes patio seating, coffee tables, beds, bookcases, and more.

Casper: Casper has several different promotions running right now. Adjustable bed frames are 50% off, pillows are up to 40% off, sheets are up to 50% off, bedding bundles are 25% off and weighted blankets and other items are on sale too.

Dyson: Dyson is hosting what it says is a major sale for Labor Day. Shoppers can save up to $200 on top models, including vacuums and air purifiers.

eBay: Save up to 78% off big brands during the site's Labor Day sale. Even better, take an extra 15% off select items via code "LABORDAYSAVE". This deal is valid through September 5.

Essentia: Save 25% and receive two free Comfort pillows when you purchase an Essentia organic mattress. This offer is valid through September 5. Additionally, get 25% off your purchase, including organic mattresses, organic pillows, foundations, crib mattresses, and pet beds. Free shipping is also included, and this deal is valid September 6-12.

Home Depot: Home Depot is giving shoppers early access to its Labor Day appliance savings. Shoppers will find top-rated Samsung refrigerators marked down to 32% off their original prices, LG washer dryer sets on sale for 15% off, and GE dishwashers available for 25% off.

Joann: Stock up on craft supplies for less with these Labor Day deals, which include: Up to 50% off select fabrics; 30% off pillow forms, stuffing, batting, and foam; 40% off Cricut accessories; $1.99 Simplicity patterns.

Lowe's: The Lowe’s Labor Day sale runs Aug. 25-Sept. 7, and is full of store and site-wide savings. A few highlights include up to 40% off select outdoor power equipment and up to 50% off select patio furniture. 

Mattress Firm: Shoppers can improve their sleep during the long weekend with savings of up to $700 off on mattresses and bedding accessories through Sept. 6. 

Overstock: Overstock's Labor Day clearance sale includes savings of up to 70% off on patio furniture, coffee tables, rugs, and more.

Pom Pom at Home: Save on hand-loomed products by taking 20% off sitewide via coupon code "LABOR20". This offer is valid September 2-7.

Proof: Take 20% off your purchase via code "WEARWHITE" from 1:59 am ET on August 31 through 1:59 am ET on September 6. Gift cards and bundles are excluded from this offer.

Rockport: Save 30% to 40% on most styles during the Labor Day Sale, which also offers free shipping. This offer is valid August 31-September 6.

Rove Concepts: Score up to 60% off select items during the Labor Day Long Weekend Sale. Plus, members get a 20% discount and 20% back in vouchers that can be used for additional savings. This offer is valid September 2-5.

TUSHY: Purchase two or more of the TUSHY Classic 3.0 and get them for $69 each via coupon code "NINESIX". This offer is valid September 2-6.

What about travel deals?

Travel deals may be a bit scarce over the holiday – not completely gone, just not as good as they have been in the past.

“Many people are hyped to travel after spending the majority of the last two years at home, but that doesn't mean the deals are there,” Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst at Deal News, said. “Demand is super high, so there's no real reason for airlines, hotels, and cruise lines to offer any kind of incentive to entice travelers.”

Ramhold said that some of the best offers her team saw last year were in Mexico and the Caribbean, so it might behoove ready-to-go vacationers to search for deals in those two destinations. 

Tips from the pros

While Labor Day sales will have their share of plums, it’s not a one-size-fits-all savings feast. Black Friday’s experts told ConsumerAffairs that when it comes to things like electronics, TVs, and toys, Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales might offer more than Labor Day. They also suggested holding off on buying fall clothing and even Halloween decor as there are better prices to come.

Another BlackFriday.com tip is to use discount codes and coupons. “Make sure you're applying coupon codes and stacking cashback offers on top of retailer's sales for even more savings. Sites like RetailMeNot provide up to 15% cash back at hundreds of top stores like Adidas, Best Buy, Home Depot, and Sephora,” a BlackFriday spokesperson said.

Over at Deal News, Ramhold made note that appliances might be extra good values over Labor Day. She said that if last year is any indication – one where Home Depot slashed appliances by 53% – it might be worth checking out the big box stores this time around.

“Keep an eye out for Best Buy to offer savings on appliances, as well. Last year, it had Labor Day discounts on all the big brands, including Samsung, LG, GE, and Whirlpool, among others,” Ramhold suggested.

Another pro tip came from U.S. News & World Report’s latest inflation shopping habits survey. In its study, it found that thanks to inflation, couponing is once again a hot item. 

“Coupon clubs have gone virtual, with expert advice coming in the form of social media influencers,” U.S. News’ Lauren Naru, said. “Popular coupon advisors like City Coupon Mom, Coupon with Kayla, and CouponingCraz have hundreds of thousands of eager followers interested in money-saving strategies.”

Lastly, a spokesperson for RetailMeNot suggested stacking cashback offers on top of retailer's sales for even bigger savings. They said shoppers will find 15% cash back at hundreds of top stores on their deal-driven site, including Adidas, Best Buy, Home Depot and Sephora.

Macy’s has announced that it will open Toys “R” Us locations at all 509 of its U.S. stores by the holidays. The retail chain is expanding its partnership with WHP Global to bring the beloved toy brand to every Macy’s store beginning in late July, with the last one to be put in place by mid-October. 

Once considered gone for good, Toys “R” Us seems to have made a comeback from four years ago. In Macy’s reported earnings for the first quarter of 2022, toy sales were 15 times higher than the comparable period before the Toys “R” Us partnership. That's a positive sign for Macy's since some of its stores were also ready to be shuttered.

The in-store shops will range anywhere from 1,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet in the company’s flagship locations in Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco. The plans also have some flexibility built in so that high-performing stores with a lot of foot traffic can add 500 to 3,000 square feet and an even wider assortment of products.

“Macy’s cannot wait to bring the Toys “R” Us experience to life in our stores,” said Nata Dvir, Macy’s chief merchandising officer. "We hope Toys “R” Us kids of all ages discover the joy of exploration and play within our shops and families create special memories together. The customer response to our partnership with Toys “R” Us has been incredible and our toy business has seen tremendous growth.”

The revamped Toys “R” Us shops bring some new twists with them. In addition to hands-on demonstration tables, there will also be a life-size “Geoffrey on a Bench” available for photo opportunities.

To make the openings extra enticing, each Macy’s location will host nine days of in-store events beginning on October 15. The events will include activities for everyone in the family and daily giveaways for Barbie, LEGO, and other toy brand lovers.

Consumers who are used to seeing special deals on everything from furniture to electronics on President's Day weekend might be disappointed by this year's showing.

While many brands are still offering deals on various items, experts say supply chain issues that have been affecting U.S. markets for months may keep deals from being ultra-low. If you don't believe us, just take a look at some of the inflation stories ConsumerAffairs has covered in recent weeks. 

Prices for both new and used cars have been soaring for quite some time, with new research showing that more than 80% of car buyers are paying over the sticker price. In fact, rising producer costs are causing higher prices across several categories, prompting economists to believe that high levels of inflation may last even after the supply chain issues are resolved.

Consumers can't even catch a break when it comes to online shopping. While the prices of certain products have been going up for months, shoppers who rely on services like Amazon Prime are being hit even harder because the price of a Prime subscription is going up.

Combating illegal price increases

While economists generally agree that consumers will see higher prices going forward into the immediate future, wary consumers should rest assured that officials are keeping a close watch on companies that may want to use inflation as an excuse to artificially raise prices. Late last week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced an initiative designed to stop companies from working with each other to do just that. 

“Temporary supply chain disruptions should not be allowed to conceal illegal conduct,” stated Jonathan Kanter, an assistant attorney general working in the DOJ's Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will not allow companies to collude in order to overcharge consumers under the guise of supply chain disruptions.”

The DOJ is using the initiative to launch investigations in coordination with other U.S. agencies like the FBI to counteract companies that are looking to make illicit profits. It's even working with foreign agencies in other countries to ensure that global markets are also safe from this behavior.

“The lingering challenge of supply chain disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic has created an opportunity for criminals to fix prices and overcharge customers,” said Luis Quesada, an assistant director with the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to collaborate and investigate schemes that violate our antitrust laws and stifle our economic recovery.”

Officials are encouraging consumers who have any information about price-fixing or other anticompetitive behaviors to report the issue to the DOJ on its website. Consumers can also call the agency's Antitrust Division Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258.