Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the most anticipated shopping events of the year, so it is the perfect time to take advantage of the huge sales and buy those items you’ve been longing to purchase.
While we don’t know exactly what’s in store for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, in this blog, we give you the essential knowledge you need to know about these biggest back-to-back retail events in the calendar and what you can expect this year. We also have a ton of expert tips to share to help you score the best items on your wish list. We’ve written this guide to outline what to look forward to when Black Friday and Cyber Monday rolls out.
When is Black Friday This Year?
Black Friday traditionally starts the weekend after Thanksgiving, so that means Black Friday 2021 falls on the 26th of November. Although this is the technical date, the reality is that in the recent past years, retailers have been anticipating the hype and launch their Black Friday deals a few days ahead. Some stores even run deals throughout the week or the month, turning the sale into a much longer event.
We expect this year to be just the same so it’s important to start looking out on your favorite stores and retailers early on.
What Sales Should I Look Out For?
That’s an easy question! The immediate answer is to look out for sales on items that you have been longing for. There are always great deals on big ticket items especially gadgets and home appliances like TVs, laptops, and furniture.
There is really something for everyone during this special weekend of sales, so no matter what item you’re looking for, you can surely find something of interest. Whatever you are shopping for, you should be able to find some incredible deals you just can’t say no to.
B.O.G.O.
BOGO or otherwise known as “Buy One, Get One” deals is popular during big sale events like the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale. It’s a great deal where you can actually save 50% on your favorite items.
Discounts
Of course! Discounts are staple offers that seals the deal. Different stores may offer different range of discounts that can go up as high as 70% off. Other’s may offer price cuts rather than percentages.
Freebies
Aside from price drops, gifts or freebies are great deals to grab too. In this kind of offer, the product you are meant to buy comes with extra item/s that you will receive for free.
Flash Sales
Deal hunters will find flash sales popping regularly throughout the weekend. These types of deals are often very special, limited-time or limited-stocks offers that run out so quickly. Therefore, you have to be alert and act fast!
What Deals Do I Get on Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday has historically been an online event, although in recent years, we’ve seen more Cyber Monday sales happening in physical stores. Either way, it is indeed a great time to get huge savings on items you’ve been contemplating on buying.
This year, Cyber Monday will be on the 29th of November 2021, the following Monday after Thanksgiving and Black Friday. The biggest sales we expect to see will feature gaming deals, tech products, and home appliances. Look out for cheap laptops, TVs, fashion items, beauty, and appliances.
You may see a ton of great deals before the date as retailers often launch their promotions early. For many retailers, Cyber Monday deals are generally a continuation of the prior Black Friday offers. So, you may see some leftover deals from Black Friday still running. But most definitely, Cyber Monday tends to bring a wave of new and separate deals. Many of which will be much more exciting and worth waiting for.
Another exciting scenario is when retailers extend their one-day event into a bigger Cyber Week Sale that runs throughout the entire week.
Cyber Monday Versus Black Friday: Which is Better?
Some of you might ask: Is Cyber Monday better than Black Friday? Though historically Black Friday is for those who prefer to shop in person while Cyber Monday works better for online shoppers, the separation blurred between the two holidays. That’s why most retailers often offer similar deals for the two events or host one large “Holiday Weekend Sale” event to cover both holidays.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer fantastic deals and discounts, but some past year shoppers found that the savings on Cyber Monday were a bit overhead. The risk though is that because of the huge wave of shoppers, some of your target items might be sold out by Monday.
Shopping Tips to Get the Best Holiday Deals in 2021
As one of the biggest sales events of the year, it’s definitely worth getting prepared ahead of time. Regardless of what’s on your shopping list, these practical tips will be useful if you want to score the best possible deals during this important holiday sale.
- Check in early – While it’s not always a case of the ‘early bird catches the worm’, checking in early lets you see what’s on sale. You’ll also be able to determine which retailers stock the products you’re after.
- Know what you’re looking for – We’d definitely recommend that you come up with a wish list of some sort that has the names or descriptions of the items you want to find. You can list down a shortlist of options, set your budget, determine the quantity or sizes you need, brands and features you want.
- Be open to alternatives – Following up on the second tip, it’s also good to have an open mind to alternatives. You may have an exact picture in mind of what you want to buy but if it’s not available at a price expected, be open to consider another similar choice. In the end, what’s important is you get the most out of your shopping.
- Compare prices – Once you have an idea of exactly what you’re interested in buying, you can start tracking the prices now and you’ll know a great deal when you see one. It doesn’t hurt to shop around for the best deal available on the product you’re looking for.
- Understand each store’s policies – Take time to check if what you’re buying is returnable or at least refundable. While it’s always great to enjoy savings as much as you can, receiving or buying a wrong item and being unable to return it is a bigger letdown.
- Shop on verified stores with secure payments – With most of this holiday weekend sales taking place online, ensuring a safe and verified method of payment is crucial. Avoid scammers by making sure your credit card information is safe and secure.
- Product reviews and recommendations – If you can’t decide which product to buy from a number of options, try to check the reviews and recommendations sections. Thoughts from actual customers who have bought and used the products can help in making that important buying decision.
- Set up alerts and notifications – Lastly, and most importantly, set up alerts and notifications on your device to remind you when it’s time to check out your favorite items. Many retailers provide email notifications and desktop alerts when you sign up on their website or use their mobile app. Be sure that they are activated if you don’t want to check back regularly and see the best deals happen when they happen. Try to download the Shiny Leaf App to see its full features!
Best Places to Find Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals
Amazon and Walmart are two of the best retailers that tend to have the biggest deals over the Holiday Weekend Sale – both in terms of the number of items on sale and the price cuts. These popular retailers cover the most categories on your checklist. This sounds perfect especially if you are looking to do a bit of gift shopping. There will be a great selection of inexpensive gifts and deals to browse through.
Aside from checking into these retailers, there are also brands that offer discounts and limited-time deals on their official websites. A ton of major online stores like Shiny Leaf run amazing promotions over the weekend sale period.
When is the Best Time to Start Shopping?
Chances are, you’ll find everything on your list on sale during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday craze, but it’s important to keep in mind shipping times especially this year. Since the beginning of pandemic, lockdowns and strict shipment protocols have had an impact to shipping and receiving orders for many. Be sure to have your wish list ready and add items to cart as early as you can. There’s no telling how the speed of shipping through major shipping companies will go with reduced staffing and other factors coming into play.
What to Expect from Shiny Leaf’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sale?
Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2021 is already marked in our calendars and yes, we’re super excited for what we think to be the best holiday deals ever! This once-a-year big sale event is looming just around the corner, and if you missed out on our Prime Day offers, then Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are the offers you’ll want to check out.
While we can’t reveal the actual deals yet, we’re certain that it’s going to be worth checking. Shiny Leaf always want to give back to our customers and holiday sales like the Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the best way for us to do it. We promise that you’ll get a taste of our 100% Happiness Guarantee experience with your every order!
