With Black Friday and Cyber Monday coming up, now is the time to start choosing which stores you want to buy from, picking products, and comparing sales.
Of course, many artisan makers like me here at Earth Song Jewelry will also be running sales and promotions on our handmade goods. If you’re looking for natural stone jewelry and a deal, keep an eye out for my 2023 sales!
I promise, there’s going to be plenty to be excited about.
In the meantime, here are some tips and tricks to make Black Friday shopping a little easier and less of a hectic and draining experience!
Tips and Tricks For A Better Black Friday
Everyone’s Black Friday strategy is a little different. But here are some tips from me to you, to help make it easier to find the best deals and have a good time doing it.
After all, who doesn’t love a good deal?
Tip 1: Buy High Priority Items First
Even with most stores stocking and overstocking on the most popular items for any Holiday season, it’s still important to make sure you’re getting your most high priority items out of the way first.
You never know what stores might run out, and you don’t want to be the person struggling to find a more high-priced alternative when you could have gotten something on a steep discount on Black Friday.
The sting is a little less with more stores running sales on more than just Black Friday, but you’re still likely to get the best prices of the year if you find your most important items the day of.
If you have high-priority purchases at multiple stores, there are a few options. You can divide and conquer, teaming up with friends or family members to purchase the most important options as soon as stores open at multiple locations.
You can also spend the early part of the day store-hopping, making one or two important purchases and then moving to the next location.
That way you can get more of the most important things on your list, and then spend the afternoon, when stock is more likely to run low, on purchases that aren’t quite as important, or discounts that aren’t as good.
Tip 2: Sign Up For Promotions and Notifications
Even if you don’t normally sign up for mailing lists and email promotions, the lead up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday is a good time to get your name on some of those lists.
Not only will that be the easiest way to learn about sales and promotions from your favorite retailers, it’s also a good way to get exclusive offers only available to email or text subscribers.
Black Friday sales are already good. Imagine how much better it would feel if you could take another $5-$10 off the purchase price of an already-discounted item!
Tip 3: Stay Hydrated, Pack Snacks, Take Breaks
One of the most common rookie mistakes on Black Friday is underestimating how draining it can be to shop all day, or how overcrowded most restaurants will be, all day long.
Black Friday used to be mostly a retail holiday, but these days a lot of restaurants and food stalls expect one of the busiest days of the year as well.
Don’t get stuck spending precious shopping time waiting in long lines for food. Stash drinks and some high-energy snacks in your vehicle or bag before you head out for the day. Make sure you have at least one hydrating beverage, and gatorade or another sports drink is a better option than plain water. Shopping is hard work, and that means you’ll want electrolytes to keep your energy up and help you get the benefits of good hydration faster.
Tip 4: Shop Small
A lot of people focus so much on big box stores come Black Friday that they forget about smaller stores and artisans.
The truth is that you usually won’t save as much money when you shop small, smaller retailers just can’t afford to give the big discounts larger retail chains can afford. But, you’re probably getting a better deal when you shop small.
Why is that? Big box stores and most modern retailers run sales all year. Smaller retailers often stock better quality products and items you can’t get anywhere else, and only run a handful of sales in a year.
So, you might end up spending a little more, but you’re getting higher quality products, supporting your local economy, and getting something unique and special all at the same time.
Tip 5: Compare Prices Across Different Retailers and Sales
Don’t let the big numbers on some sales and discounts fool you. Not all sales are created equal, and retailers know every trick in the book for making a small savings feel like a big one.
Don’t go into Black Friday and Cyber Monday unprepared. Do your shopping ahead of time, especially anywhere with pre-posted deals, and compare prices from different retailers with similar products.
For sales that take a percentage off the total, do the math to approximate your cost before you commit. Sometimes those big percentages don’t actually add up to as much off as the flat-dollar rate discounts.
Keep An Eye Out For Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals Here At Earth Song Jewelry!
As always, I’ll be announcing my Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts a little closer to the actual date. But, I’m excited for this year’s savings, especially since I have a bunch of new natural stone jewelry thanks to one of Denver’s gem and mineral shows!
I’ve also added a brand new Czech Fire Polished Glass collection that includes bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and a new product - Bookmarks!
If you’re looking to learn more about my natural stone jewelry before Black Friday this year, or just want to know about natural stones in general, the best place to look is the blog. I’m always adding new information about the stones and my jewelry, and I’ll also announce new products and product lines there first.
Happy shopping and May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!
