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Black Friday shopping can be a hassle, but luckily most retailers are moving Black Friday deals online, making the lengthy lines and hoards of people a thing of the past.
But moving into this uncharted territory can be confusing, so we’ve found the best tips for shopping online Black Friday. We’ll show you how to organize your Black Friday wish list, which apps you need to download for the best deals, how to get the best Black Friday coupons, and more.
But as always, you should download the KCL app and text BLACKFRIDAY to 57299 to be updated on the best Black Friday deals.
1. Make a Black Friday wish list organized by priority.
This year, I’m preparing for a “Black Friday week.” That’s seven (or more) days of shopping, which is why I’m prepping with a wish list.
You can make your Black Friday shopping list by priority, person, and/or desired price. If something is low on your list and the Black Friday price is still higher than you wanted, then maybe it’s time to wish that item farewell until a better sale. Simply being organized will help you get what you need and help you avoid spending your hard-earned cash on what you don’t.
TIP: Just as with in-person Black Fridays of the past, sometimes the early bird really does get the worm — so set an alarm! If there’s a high-demand item that you’re determined to get your hands on, use this as part of your prioritization strategy. Bonus: Shopping in your pajamas is way better than waiting in line in the dark at a crowded store.
2. Use Paribus to help you get refunded for items that drop in price.
Paribus really wants to do all your heavy lifting when it comes to getting a price adjustment after you make a purchase. Paribus will work with you to get your money back from these merchants.
Sign up for Paribus, and they’ll troll your email inbox, track your purchases, and alert you of price drops. The best part? Paribus’s tracking service is completely free.
Paribus can no longer request price adjustments from Amazon, but Paribus can help score you a credit from Amazon if your shipment arrives late. Which is definitely going to happen this Black Friday.
Paribus compensates us when you sign up for Paribus using the links we provided.
3. Make sure you’re signed up for store emails in advance.
Once you have your list made, sign up to receive emails from the stores where you plan to shop. To be safe, it’s best to sign up two weeks before Black Friday.
But many stores will even send you instant coupons, like this offer for 15% off a purchase of $100 or more from Macy’s (which was 20% off in 2021).
4. … And become a member of their loyalty programs.
There could be additional discounts for shoppers who are part of a store’s loyalty program — early access to sales, for example — as well as exclusive discounts. Plus, you’ll rack up rewards while you shop.
If you’re not sure which loyalty programs to join, we know the best free store loyalty programs that’ll help save you money.
5. Save even more when you use a cashback or rebate app.
There’s no reason not to stack your Black Friday sale purchases with rebate apps like TopCashback, Ibotta, or Fetch Rewards.
Apps like these work with thousands of retailers to get consumers money back or credit on their purchases that can be used just like cash. In most cases, you need only submit a receipt for qualified items to get the money (or in Fetch Rewards case, points that can be used like cash on future purchases).
We know every reliable rebate app that’ll save you easy money.
TIP: You get $20 in Ibotta bonus cash for your first month using the app. Just make sure you’re using a device that hasn’t registered an Ibotta account before, and do everything within the first month and you’ll be $20 richer!
6. Buy discounted gift cards in advance to save up to 25% on Black Friday prices.
Buy discounted gift cards from Raise and save 3% to 25% on top of Black Friday prices.
Right now, you can get 15% off on Old Navy gift cards and 24% off at California Pizza Kitchen.
Plus, there are easy ways to save with gift cards at every retailer and restaurant available.
7. Fill up that shopping cart early and wait for a better deal on Cyber Monday.
If you’re not 100% sure you want something (or that you’re getting the best price), then just leave it in your cart. You may receive an abandoned shopping cart email, tempting your purchase with additional discounts, or discover a better Cyber Monday sale altogether.
Keep track of the best Cyber Monday deals to see if you’re getting the lowest price on all your purchases.
8. Online Black Friday deals are comparable to Amazon Prime Day deals.
Missed out on Amazon Prime Day 2022? That’s OK — Amazon’s Black Friday deals online will likely be comparable. Or maybe even better.
If you’re curious about what Prime Day deals you missed out on, or if you want to know how to prepare for the next Prime Day, we have all the best tips for you to check out.
9. Want to see your Black Friday purchase in person? Opt for curbside pickup.
Plenty of stores are doing curbside pickup for Black Friday 2022. Stores haven’t released when they’re going to be opening for Black Friday curbside pickup yet, but here are the opening times for a few stores from Black Friday 2021:
- Target: Black Friday most stores open at 7 a.m.
- Walmart: Black Friday stores open at 5 a.m.
- Dick’s Sporting Goods: Black Friday stores open at 5 a.m.
10. Use a rewards credit card for extra kickbacks for Black Friday deals online.
Make the most of your Black Friday spending with a credit card that’ll give you kickbacks. When you use a cashback or rewards credit card, those perks are happening on top of sales prices, rebate apps, coupons, etc.
To name a few…
- The Amazon Visa gets you 5% back on all Amazon.com purchases (plus a $50 gift card for new customers).
- Chase Sapphire Preferred rewards range from 1% to 5% and can be converted to discount gift cards for one of their many partners, converted to cash, or redeemed for travel.
- The Target RedCard gets you 5% savings on every Target purchase, plus other perks like free 2-day shipping, early access to Black Friday deals, and exclusive coupons in the Target app.
If you’re not sure what the best store credit card is, we’ve got you covered.
11. Mind Black Friday return policies to avoid buyer’s remorse.
While many retailers extend their return window during the holiday season, certain items will continue to be ineligible for returns. Think open/used makeup, toiletries, edible products, video games, and so on.
In short: Make sure your Black Friday 2022 splurges are covered in the retailer’s return policy.
If you’re confused about the different return policies, we’ve done all the research to make your holiday returns easier.
