Sunday, December 9, 2012
Procrastinators rejoice: You can still find great deals buying gifts online, with free guaranteed Christmas Eve delivery.
Didn't get everything on your list on Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Not to worry, deals are still to be had. Free Shipping Day is coming, Dec. 17. On Free Shipping Day you'll find plenty pre-Christmas deals online, with free shipping with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. Many stores who always offer free shipping will lower or eliminate the minimum purchase amounts required for free shipping. FreeShippingDay.com has a list of 1,173 merchants participating in Free Shipping Day this year, from Kohl's and Home Depot to Best Buy, Tiny Prints and Red Envelope. "Free Shipping Day makes procrastination possible," the website proclaims. You can try to plan ahead and put off making purchases from participating retailers until Free Shipping Day…
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Used responsibly, credit cards can offer extra benefits and protections for your holiday gift purchases.
American consumers use credit cards more during the month of December than in any other calendar month. The Federal Reserve reported that last December shoppers spent over $851 billion on their credit cards. Credit cards have a bad reputation, because people tend to spend more than they can afford, and get into financial trouble when the interest starts to rack up. But when used wisely, credit cards can actually provide consumers with added protections against fraud and theft, and they can extend warranties on purchases. When you're shopping online, your purchases are protected against damaged or missing items. Some credit cards offer price protection, where the card issuer will refund the difference if you find a lower price on a purchase…
Saturday, November 24, 2012
"Our customers get great deals and perks for shopping on SBS, and small businesses get noticed a bit more. It's a win-win," said OBVI Boutique owner Antoinette Poluch.
Small Business Saturday is today, Nov. 24. This Saturday is designated as a day to patronize small businesses in your communities: Shop for holiday gifts, buy services, have lunch. Event host American Express just wants you to get out and "shop small." Lots of businesses in our area are participating in Small Business Saturday, and many of them are offering additional incentives to shop locally, in the form of special sales and discounts. Daniela De Souza, owner of Conshohocken's 'feine coffee shop, plans to participate in her first Small Business Saturday, after the Fayette Street location opened earlier this year. "I recently found out about this promotion through Amex," De Souza said. "Any opportunity to get more traffic is welcomed, …
Gift card purchases are expected to top $28 billion this year.
This holiday, gift cards will be one of the most wished-for and most oft-gifted gifts, according to the National Retail Federation, which calls gift-cards "a win-win gift for givers and receivers." They're simple, they're highly portable, easy to buy, easy to wrap, easy to spend. Gift cards are flexible enough to fit into any budget, and your recipient will probably be happier with a gift card than an ugly Christmas sweater or a fruitcake. The gift card allows them to buy something they really want. More than 80 percent of shoppers will buy at least one gift card this season, and they'll spend an average of $156.86 on gift cards. Total spending on gift cards is expected to reach $28.79 billion, the NRF reports. With gift-card giving, as …
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Get the scoop on Black Friday ads, deals and store hours.
Are you ready to shop till you drop? Get a good night's sleep on Wednesday night, because to get the great deals you might have to venture out after the turkey leftovers are put away on Thanksgiving night. Many retailers are prolonging the holiday shopping extravaganza that is Black Friday by opening late on Thanksgiving night. Patch has the low-down on the biggest retailers' Black Friday special hours and sales: Store: Target Special Black Friday hours: Stores open at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving Doorbusters: $40 Target Gift Card with purchase of Apple 16GB iPod Touch; $49 Nook Simple Touch (save $50); $199 4GB XBox 360 Kinect Bundle (save $100) Other great deals: $60 Target Gift Card when you buy any Apple iPad; $79 TomTom 1400M GPS (save $40…
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Patch helps you navigate the web of Cyber Monday deals.
After Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, rack up the savings without waking up at 2 a.m., fighting for a parking space or waiting in long checkout lines. Cyber Monday is the online marketplace's day to shine, with virtual retailers offering serious discounts and promotions like free shipping. This year's biggest online shoping day of the year is Nov 26. Score major savings by shopping online on Cyber Monday while you're at work - ahem - on your lunch break. For starters, many of Ebates' 1,500 online retailers will offer double cash back on Cyber Monday, in addition to other sales and promotions. CyberMonday.com is a good resource for planning your Cyber Monday shopping, with highlights of the best deals from more than 800 online …
Thursday, November 8, 2012
AmEx's third annual Small Business Saturday is coming later this month.
Sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is Small Business Saturday. It's a day to patronize and support the locally owned small businesses in your community. Hosted by American Express and sponsored by FedEx, Clear Channel and many other corporate supporters, public officials and advocacy groups, the third annual Small Business Saturday will be held Nov. 24, to help small businesses generate exposure and, well, business during the biggest shopping season of the year. Supporting these businesses invigorates the economy and the community. Last year, more than 100 million people pledged to "Shop Small," by visiting brick-and-mortar shops in their neighborhoods, and American Express estimates this year's turnout will be even greater. …
Friday, November 25, 2011
The traditional start of the Christmas shopping season is no longer confined to Black Friday.
It gets earlier every year. I’m fairly certain that in a year or two we’ll just skip dinner all together and gather for shopping. Somewhere, Sam Walton would be smiling. This year, the traditional Black Friday is really more of a late Thursday ritual. Many major centers of commerce are opening around 8, 9 or even 10 p.m. Thursday. In my opinion, it's ridiculous that they are cutting into a family holiday! But then, I’m not much of a shopper any of the other 364 days, either. This year, we're again promoting Small Business Saturday, asking Americans to consider the economy around them and support small, family-owned and operated businesses instead of large box stores. Companies like American Express have incentivized their cardholders to …
Hipster Kitty
10:31 am on Monday, December 3, 2012
Do you have a professional source for all of this information, or are you just making it up from your own experience, Sarah? more ›