Is Cyber Monday as bad as shopping on Black Friday?
December 01, 2015
On Monday, I posted an article listing companies that were offering up to 60 percent off on everything on Cyber Monday.
I’ve only shopped on Black Friday a few times and haven’t braved the crowds for years.
So, I thought I’d try Cyber Monday sales. You shop from home and could get up to 60 percent off.
The results were mixed.
My sister wants an electric toothbrush, so I thought I’d see if I could get a good deal. I did research and picked one out.
The price on Amazon was $69.95, with free shipping. I thought I could do better than that with one of these fantastic Cyber Monday deals.
Walgreens, Walmart, and Target had the same price as Amazon.
At Sears the price was $100.69 and at Macy’s $99.99.
So, I thought I’d try to use a coupon for Target and get the 15 percent off on everything, too.
At first, I couldn’t get Target website to work. I’d read that it was overwhelmed with the heavy load of shoppers. Then, I got the message that I was “in line” for the item, and, if I waited on the page, I could proceed.
Finally, I got in. I hit the Get Coupon button, and then tried to get the additional 15 percent off. However, the fine print said you couldn’t get the 15 percent off for items on sale.
I guess getting a coupon meant I couldn’t have the 15 percent off in addition.
I gave up. Target wouldn’t ship the item. I would have had to pick it up at the store and mail it to my sister. That would negate my $10 savings.
I’ll order it from Amazon.
I had better luck on the Nordstrom website.
I’m beginning to have problems with my feet, so I looked on the website of the American Podiatric Medical Association for companies it recommends.
I looked through the Nordstrom sale shoes for Cyber Monday for and found two pairs for $43.48 each from a company on the APMA list. A real bargain; about 70 percent off.
I spent several hours doing this shopping, and although I wasn’t fighting crowds, it was frustrating. I was disappointed to find out that Target’s 15 percent off on “any order” was limited in the fine print.
Some companies are offering Cyber Monday sales all week. If you plan to shop at these sales, the Better Business Bureau suggests:
- Sign up now to receive emails from businesses you are considering buying from, so you have time to assess the offers.
- Check out all businesses at bbb.org, so you can feel confident buying from the company.
- Make sure the website is secure, it has https:// in URL.
- Confirm delivery date prior to submitting order, so you know your purchase will arrive in time.
- Read the return policy before ordering, so you know if you can return the item.
- Use a credit card, so you have some protection. You can dispute the charge if the product isn’t delivered or the company doesn’t live up to its promises. Don’t use a debit card or wire money to the business.
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