The highly anticipated shopping sale of the year is just a few months away, featuring top-quality branded products and premium services at unbeatable discounts. Although some of these offers may seem too good to be true, Black Friday is a well-known event that attracts millions of shoppers to popular online retail stores for the deal of a lifetime. Here are 10 cool shopping hacks and tips to make the most of the sale this season.

Shop for the holidays
Many people don’t realize the best time to shop for holiday gifts is over the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend. That’s because all major retailers and online platforms introduce some of the best discounts and lucrative offers on Christmas toys, stocking stuffers, clothes, winter apparel, shows, consumer electronics, hardware, and even jewelry. It’s the best time to buy all gifts in advance and save a lot of money in the process.

Log in at the right time
Black Friday sales go live early in the morning. Experts suggest logging in as early as 5 am on the 24th of November to be one of the first shoppers in the queue. Logging in late may result in missing out on early bird offers that have already been claimed.

Have a budget
It’s important to have a budget when shopping during the Black Friday weekend to avoid overspending on unnecessary items. It’s always better to create a budget and make a proper list of products that fit that budget. Having some leeway in terms of purchases is fine. But do not deviate too much from the original shopping budget. Many people succumb to the fear of missing out and end up buying too many products simply because they are listed for a cheap price. Confirm the most important categories while deciding on a spending budget.

Pay attention to policies and returns
Normally brands and e-commerce portals offer warranties, store policies, and exchanges for products sold and services rendered. During Black Friday, successful brands often offer a price match guarantee, meaning if customers find a better deal elsewhere, the store will refund or exchange the purchased item. It’s important to note that policies vary among different vendors, so it’s crucial to verify the details. Avoid buying from unverified vendors who may not be able to facilitate returns and enable exchanges.

Be consistent
Missing out on deals and offers on one website doesn’t end one’s Black Friday shopping experience. The same deal or a better offer for similar products will pop up on alternative shopping sites throughout the shopping weekend. The trick is to check multiple websites and compare offers to make sure one gets the best deal. Never get discouraged in the first couple of hours. Throughout the weekend, it’s possible to shop and capitalize on offers leading up to the Cyber Monday clearance as well.

Sign up for newsletters
Usually, it’s a good idea to avoid signing up for newsletters, as brands and e-commerce sites only bombard the inbox with unwanted offers. However, for Black Friday and Cyber Monday extended shopping weekend, experts recommend signing up for specific product and brand newsletters to keep track of the best deals going live.

Pay attention to the top sales pages
Bookmark the top e-commerce retailers in advance. Waiting until the last minute could result in missing out on popular products that sell out quickly. Logging in early and having the login information ready increases one’s chances of finding amazing discounts. Remember, the early bird gets the worm, so take advantage of the Black Friday shopping experience by logging in early and securing the best deals available.

Use smart home devices to find the best deals
Searching for deals online can be a hassle, but smart home devices like Alexa and Google Nest simplify the task. Simple voice commands like ‘Search for the best Black Friday deals and estimates’ will automatically redirect and open pages that are trending. This is because e-commerce websites integrate the top search results across multiple platforms to improve deal visibility. Basically, Alexa can and will fetch better results. Try this genius hack this shopping season.

Use a variety of apps
Don’t just rely on Google search. There are plenty of smart deal-fetching apps that run off trending keyword searches throughout the shopping weekend. Apps like Google Shopping, PriceGrabber, Shopzilla, BuyVia, ShopSavvy, and Shopkick will help compare prices and list the best deals online. Alternatively, check out websites that post authorized Black Friday ads with embedded links that redirect to the products and services. These smart hacks will save time and effort shopping across multiple verticals.

Check social media regularly
Many early bird offers and trending deals will be promoted on popular social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter (now X), and Instagram. Shoppers can check out dozens of emailers, digital flyers, and product brochures with redirect links to the sale. It’s better to bookmark these sites and make a list of links that redirect to popular shopping platforms to save a lot of hassle on the day of the sale.