Cybershopping or Brave the Crowd???

[MsHoUlDeRs]

I agree, I think the better sales are usually online
and you don't have to deal with all the people/lines

[Sunshine4372]

I am a cyber shopper.  You can still use your coupons online, plus most places offer free shipping.  Also, some places only offer certain things online that you can't find in stores.  So I save the money in gas, I get my sleep, and I keep my sanity. 

[sommap]

Cyber shopping for me, but not today.  I have never gotten up early or stayed up all night to go shopping.  I was told that people were camping out at one of the stores here as early as Wednesday afternoon.  that is nuts!

[loulizlee]

I much prefer cyber-shopping.  As I said on another part of the forum, I have never shopped on Black Friday in the stores, and I'm too old to start now!!

[hawkeye3210]

I definitely prefer to shop online.

[tigerlilly01]

I do a little of both... but NEVER do I go out on Black Friday.  I think it is crazy to fight the crowds over a couple of dollars in savings.  I will be buying most items online but some i will be going to the mall for next week.  I actually have already started and I order some things online at ETSY and some from Amazon this morning.

[kapeh12]

I never was a Black Friday store shopper - I don't really like going on "regular" days either.  I'm cybershopping all the way.

What I've found is more and more, the online sales mostly match the store sales, and the online sales tend to last longer (the whole weekend - sometimes there are special times only offers, but most are the whole weekend).  So not only the online sales are just as good, but often, most include free shipping (straight to your door - how cool is that).

Combine that with an Ebates membership - where a lot of popular stores double their rebates on Black Friday weekend - you pretty much come out ahead (when you factor in the extra rebates).

Today I got a 10% rebate on my Barnes & Noble order, 22% on my Murad (skin care) order - and I'm looking into some items to get with a Bloomingdale's gift card I have (they're giving 6% cash back) and Sports Authority exercise equipment (they're giving 12% cash back).  I got 3% back on my Walmart order from another GPT site (Ebates rebate was only 2%).  I like to compare rebate offers between the different GPT shopping sites and Ebates and choose the one with the best rate to make my purchase.

I found sometimes it's the planning to leverage these type of kickbacks when you make purchases to maximize your return/savings.  That's why I typically use online these days.

Granted not all the stores I shop at have rebate offers (like my Amazon order), but most do - so that, and the convenience of not dealing with the crowds/parking/crazy traffic, then having the items shipped to my door - more than makes cyber-shopping worth every penny.

[timvolley]

i dont care for black friday shopping too many sales not enought of the items to go around. I am in Kansas visinting friends anway so i wont go

[alina6]

If I want to do my real shopping I get up early or go late to a store on a Sunday night in order to avoid the crowds. However there is something about being out in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season that I enjoy.

[ktheodos]

cybershopping...easier, more relaxing, gives me more freedom, takes less time, it's safer (nothing can get stolen/no one can be shot), and I don't get distracted/tempted by items in the store

[mynevaeh]

I am a cyber shopper.  You can still use your coupons online, plus most places offer free shipping.  Also, some places only offer certain things online that you can't find in stores.  So I save the money in gas, I get my sleep, and I keep my sanity. 

@ Sunshine4372 So I can still use manufacturers coupons online? I'm talking about the one's I get like in the Sunday Newspaper and Print online.  I know that I can use coupon codes and what not but they are not the same deals.  If so then I will definitely be shopping much more online and which stores do you know of for sure take them?  Thanks.

[samrhett2]

I am a cyber shopper.  You can still use your coupons online, plus most places offer free shipping.  Also, some places only offer certain things online that you can't find in stores.  So I save the money in gas, I get my sleep, and I keep my sanity. 

@ Sunshine4372 So I can still use manufacturers coupons online? I'm talking about the one's I get like in the Sunday Newspaper and Print online.  I know that I can use coupon codes and what not but they are not the same deals.  If so then I will definitely be shopping much more online and which stores do you know of for sure take them?  Thanks.

I don't know of any site that allow this other than Alice.com and they apply the coupons.  Alice has a deal with manufacturers to ofter electronic coupons automatically for products you buy. If a coupon is out there, Alice will apply it and you can see the saving even before adding the products to your list. For example, in the image below: Suave shampoo is normally priced at $1.10, but a $0.50 coupon is available for you to use. The New item price is then $0.60.

or my Piggly Wiggly which allows you to click and shop.  You choose your items and they pick and pack them for you, then you can either come in and pick them up or they will even bring them out to your car.  You bring you coupons and the will scan them and give you a credit which they deduct from you next order.  There is a $5 charge for this service, but if you have a lot of coupons and a big grocery list with a busy life it is probably worth it. 

[CHANEYLAKEGIRL]

Cyber shopping. I really don't like shopping as it is, much less braving crowds to get a bargain.

[patrick122068]

I would not mind shopping on black Friday to get nice bargains, but i would not want to deal with all those people during Black Friday! I'll just shop at Walmart online!

[footemama]

Usually I don't brave the crowds but I did this year because I wanted a bunch of the preschool games that they had on sale at Target for $3.99. So I went at midnight for my son and then when I saw the ENORMOUS supply they had stockpiled I took my son back later that day to choose some games to donate to the local Toy Drive.

I will be at least looking at the Cyber Monday deals. Fingers crossed that the ergonomic keyboard that I have been obsessing over is on sale!!!