ArchivesCategory: Tips

Leaked Black Friday Ads Heavy on Home Electronics By Doug Desjardins With Black Friday just one week away, word is leaking out on what various retailers will be offering for their annual door-buster sales. Though the importance of Black Friday has been watered down this year by the slate of pre-Black Friday sales, they still Continue Reading

With almost two weeks left until Thanksgiving, I've stepped up the shopping a little bit.  I want to have all the non-perishable groceries I'll need for Turkey Day in my pantry as soon as possible, because I absolutely hate to go grocery shopping during the week of Thanksgiving (or as I call it, Amateur Week.)  Continue Reading

by Doug Desjardins Wal-Mart fired a shot across the bow of Amazon.com and other online retailers this week when it announced free holiday shopping for online orders through December 20. The move makes Wal-Mart the first major retailer to completely waive the minimum-purchase standards typically attached to online orders, raising the bar for other retailers. Continue Reading

by Doug Desjardins Video-game retailers have been in a downward spiral all year and even though analysts are forecasting an increase in overall holiday spending, game sales aren’t expected to be in that mix. Research firm NPD Group reported that video game sales dropped 8 percent in September, marking the sixth consecutive month that sales Continue Reading

by Doug Desjardins Once thought to be recession-proof, the video game industry has been mired in a prolonged slump, but the arrival of two new game console add-ons is giving retailers hopes for a long-awaited rebound. The September release of Sony Move and November release of Microsoft Kinect gave the industry some much-needed new products Continue Reading

If you think that postponing your shopping until mid-December is a good idea, you haven't been paying attention to the bargains being offered early this year to savvy shoppers.  You can strike gold this November with great deals on things like: THANKSGIVING-DINNER NECESSITIES Aluminum foil Plastic wrap Disposable baking pans Cookware GIFTS Electronics Toys Tools Continue Reading

Are you afraid to shop this early for Christmas, figuring that the best deals won't show up until December? This year, you might do better to get it done now--especially if you like to do your shopping at Walmart. They're discounting all kinds of toys and electronics--as well as many other hot holiday items--way before Continue Reading

by Doug Desjardins Something that started in 2009 as an almost desperate attempt to drum up sales in a down economy is rapidly becoming a retail staple: the pre-Black Friday sale. Retailers ranging from Amazon.com to Best Buy held sales on Halloween weekend to kick off the holiday shopping season earlier than ever. Analysts say Continue Reading

by Doug Desjardins While early projections are calling for a modest 2- to 3-percent increase in holiday retail sales, analysts are looking for much bigger things from online sales. Research firm comScore is projecting a 7- to 9-percent increase in online holiday spending, far higher than forecasts for physical stores and double the 4-percent increase Continue Reading

by Doug Desjardins Anyone planning to travel by air over the holidays had better make their reservations soon because airfares aren’t getting any cheaper. After a slow year in 2009, airlines have seen business increase in 2010 and have raised prices accordingly. With airlines continuing to reduce flights, there are fewer seats available and they’ll Continue Reading