Ah, September! You start out the month with barbecues and back-to-school, and wrap it up with \u2026 doing all your holiday shopping? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It sounds ambitious, and a little unrealistic, but it\u2019s the smart thing to do \u2014 and not just because you\u2019ll be way less stressed in December (a HUGE perk). Doing your holiday shopping well before the holidays can save your bank account too, even if retailers don\u2019t want you to know it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This might just blow your mind: Black Friday’s models of electronics and appliances are often lesser versions of their normal counterparts. Oh yes, every year, manufacturers churn out these lower-spec products just for the Black Friday frenzy. As a result, retailers dangle these ‘deep discount’ carrots in front of you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even bigwigs like Walmart and Best Buy are in on it, often offering TVs with unique model numbers for Black Friday, usually with stripped down features. So, yeah, think twice before you wait for those ‘deals.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ever noticed a coffee maker that rose from $150 to $200, only to become $150 again as a “25% off” deal during holiday sales? Confusing, right? It’s a sneaky strategy called price anchoring, where retailers bounce prices up and down to make discounts seem more attractive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep an eye out for the TRUE discounts. They may not be the same as what you\u2019re led to believe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
September is the real treasure hunt month with loads of clearance sales. Retailers wave goodbye to summer inventory and last year’s holiday leftovers, often with discounts deeper than those flashy holiday promos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Think patio furniture and grills from Home Depot \u2014 better deals in September than on Black Friday. Now that\u2019s a score!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The loss leader strategy is basically the holiday season equivalent of a BOGO sale. It\u2019s a tricky way of getting you to spend more by saving more (spaving). Retailers get you in the door with one really amazing flash sale deal on an in-demand item to get you in the door, then boom! \u2014 you\u2019re filling your cart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a strategy we associate more with in-person shopping, but there are plenty of online tactics too (ahem \u2014 free shipping). It\u2019s all part of the holiday shopping buzz machine, which brings us to\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Retailers have this crafty habit of engaging in what\u2019s called \u201cstrategic inventory management.\u201d They intentionally understock popular items early in the season to create a buzz. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fall prey to their artificial scarcity tactics, or beat them at their own game by shopping before the holiday rush. It can save you from the \u201csold out\u201d heartache later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A lot of things that make great holiday gifts are just as discounted during back-to-school and Labor Day sales. And we\u2019re not talking about backpacks and gel pens \u2014 laptops, clothing, and home goods are often marked down during these events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Think about it: you might actually get a much BETTER deal on a sweet outdoor grill setup when it\u2019s on clearance for 50%, 60%, or even 70% off after summer ends, rather than during the holidays when retailers are likely to discount them a little less because demand will be higher. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It may not be the latest model by the time December hits, but your quality to cost ratio could easily outweigh that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve said it before and we\u2019ll say it again: sellers on Amazon love to jack up prices right before a \u201csale\u201d so that they can label it as discounted, even if the sale price is higher than the price before it was inflated. This is the new way of the world in online shopping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But with a little know-how, you can stay one step ahead. Tools like Keepa<\/a> and CamelCamelCamel<\/a> are invaluable for tracking the price history of items on Amazon and other online retailers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Just plug in the product link and see its price for any given point during the year to ensure you’re getting the best deal possible on your chosen gifts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Travel, concerts, and shows don\u2019t typically price by seasonality. In fact, waiting to buy concert tickets until peak time in December just means those center stage seats probably won\u2019t be there anymore. And get this: you might even get a way better deal by combining travel and a concert. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A lot of savvy shoppers recently discovered that Taylor Swift tickets were so much cheaper in Europe than America that they could buy a flight to somewhere like Amsterdam AND see her there for less than the ticket price in their hometown.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLook to experiences <\/h2>\n\n\n\n