[tubemonkey]

Shopping Tips & Thoughts

• make sure all account information is up-to-date at the stores you plan to shop at
• smart monkeys do their Black Friday shopping online
• download leaked ads ASAP - stores have been known to order blogs to remove ads
• free gift cards and credits only have value if they're from stores you normally shop at
• always wear a football uniform if you plan on shopping at Walmart
• always get the one with the bigger gee bees

Account Info

• Spoiler:

  Account Information
  
  Go through all of the online store accounts you currently have and update them now. Personal information changes over time and you may have neglected to make those changes; especially at stores you only order from during Black Friday. For stores you plan on shopping at that you don't have accounts with, set up those accounts now. You won't have time to do so once the deals go live.
  
  

  • login - can you still do so? if not, update your username and password
  • email - make sure your email address is current because this is the address they send order confirmations and other correspondence to
  • address - make sure your home, shipping, and billing addresses are current
  • phone - make sure your phone numbers are current
  • stores - make a list of all store phone numbers in case you need to complete purchases over the phone because of computer or website problems

Credit Cards

• Spoiler:

  Credit Card Information
  
  For each store you plan on shopping at, make sure the credit card, account number, expiration date, 3-digit security code, billing address, and home phone number are accurately entered.
  
  When shopping online, have all credit cards you'll be using in front of you because:
  
  

  • you may have to re-enter your credit card info if there's a glitch in the store's website
  • you may have to complete your order over the phone if the store's website goes down
  • you may have to complete your order over the phone if you have computer problems
  • you may have to call the credit card company if a purchase gets blocked

  
  Remember - when shopping online during Black Friday doorbusters, every second counts. If you have to scramble to hunt down your credit card you may lose your deal.

  Credit Card Blocks
  
  Be prepared to have an order declined because your credit card company detects unusual activity. This frequently happens when you place several high-value orders at multiple stores in a short period of time. It happened to me several years ago when I placed two back-to-back orders for iPad minis. My credit card company blocked the second purchase. I had to call them to get the block removed.
  
  You can head off possible blocks by calling your credit card company ahead of time and informing them of your plans for high credit card activity during Black Friday weekend. Some companies will flag your account so none of your purchases get blocked. YMMV
  
  The only downside to a card block is the possibility of a lost deal. Not likely if the item is still in your cart, but a possibility nevertheless. Again, YMMV

General Thoughts

• Spoiler:

  General Thoughts
  
  Some of these deals involve a gift card/store credit. You buy the item at a set price and get a free gift card/store credit for later use at that store. I counted these as a discount and used them to calculate the final price for that store. Of course, this only works if it's a store you routinely shop at because it's easy to spend the gift card/store credit on items you would normally purchase anyway. If it's a store you rarely shop at, then these gift card/store credit offers are false savings because you're forced into spending them on something you may not want before they expire. Take that into consideration before making a purchase.
  
  Also note that some devices come in multiple storage sizes (tablets, phones, mp3 players, etc). For the most part, I only included the most popular size, but that doesn't mean that other sizes aren't also on sale. So please check the store to see if they offer other sizes you may be interested in.
  
  Many stores offer free shipping without a minimum purchase throughout the holidays. Some also offer free return shipping. Something to consider if the item you want is available at multiple stores.
  
  Generally, stores extend their return policy to cover purchases made during the holidays, giving you a chance to return items until sometime in January. Please check the store's return policy for exact dates and items covered.
  
  Many credit cards offer price protection, theft protection, and double the warranty on items purchased for up to an additional year. Some also increase the amount you get back from select stores from 1% to 5% for the last quarter.
  
  Additionally, credit cards and cash back sites like Ebates also offer savings if you make the purchase by going through them to get to a store's website.
  
  Oh, and don't go to Walmart unless you're suicidal

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