9 Shopping Errors to Avoid This Cyber Monday

9 Shopping Errors to Avoid This Cyber Monday

Shopping during big sales events is fun, especially on Cyber Monday. However, retailers may sometimes offer limited time for users to purchase products. And this time crunch may compel one to feel overwhelmed even before the shopping sale arrives. Some may even end up buying items that they dislike later or go overboard with their spending, causing disappointment and financial distress. Therefore, one must avoid these nine shopping errors for a better shopping experience during Cyber Monday.

Buying without research
Some people end up making purchases during Cyber Monday just for the sake of it. However, these individuals realize much later that they have overspent on things that they probably never required. So before opening a retail website on the day of the sale, one must research what they need and the related prices to expect during the Cyber Monday sale event. Compare the prices with last year’s deals to see if the current price is worth its tag.

Ignoring budgeting
Budgeting is one of the key elements of shopping online. However, many individuals ignore setting a budget and spend way more than they should have, even if it is just a couple of extra dollars for each product. If each product costs $10 more than one anticipated, it could cost well over $200 extra if they buy twenty items. Such overspending could lead to the individual incurring a debt later on. Therefore, one must set a fixed budget in mind before they shop during Cyber Monday.

Not signing up for mailers
Most brands and retail websites have a pop-up that may appear the moment a user opens the website. The box asks for information such as the email address so the retail store can send newsletters and other promotional content to the user before the sale time. However, many people ignore this pop-up. Doing so could lead to one missing out on steep discounts and deals during sales such as Cyber Monday. One could sign up for these mailers so that they are well informed about any upcoming deals for the big sale.

Neglecting early-bird deals
Most users wait for Cyber Monday to shop for the things that they need without checking the deals. But these days, retailers have grown fond of releasing early-bird deals and discounts so that customers can get their products earlier. So, if one wants to buy a particular item, one should keep an eye out for early-bird deals.

Overlooking social media
Besides skipping mailers, many individuals do not follow brands on social media. These days, such networking platforms have become a significant medium for manufacturers and other retailers to reach their audience. To engage followers, the brand may also launch contests and promotional offers that are only visible on these platforms. So following these pages could also help find the best deals on favorite products during Cyber Monday. Sometimes they also offer freebies for users who complete certain tasks on their page.

Not paying heed to the returns policies
One may get the most attractive deals during the Cyber Monday sale. But it might only be worthwhile if they pay heed to the retail store’s returns policy. Individuals might spend hundreds of dollars on something that does not suit them. It could include an uncomfortable mattress, an outdated smartphone, or tight clothing. So before making a purchase, one must check the return, exchange, or refund policy of the product to avoid incurring a loss.

Skipping shopping on applications
Retail stores and marketplaces have started listing their products through smartphone applications. These applications also potentially house more deals and discounts for customers in comparison to the offers on the website or brick-and-mortar stores. Sometimes the offers are exclusive to the app. So one must check the website and app for the best deal when shopping for products.

Opening a new credit line without research
There are multiple retail websites that offer unbelievable cashback and discounts if a user agrees to open a new credit line. While these have a simple “sign-up” procedure and offer impressive deals, individuals may incur more expenses in the future. Failing to pay back a credit bill in time may lead to interest accumulating on the amount. Furthermore, there may also be card activation charges that might be applicable if a certain limit is used in a particular month or year. So if one must open a new credit line, conduct research in advance to avoid future losses.

Falling prey to scams
The sale period is a thriving place for scamsters. It is easy for users to get carried away during shopping festivals and open spurious websites. This may eventually result in them losing money and getting inferior products or nothing at all, with no way of gaining back what is lost. Therefore, one should ensure they shop from reputable retail websites during Cyber Monday. Moreover, it is also important to check emails before clicking on a link, as it could be a fake website with a name that resembles a familiar brand.

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A handy guide to buying the right laptop

Laptops are powerful portable tech that is versatile, compact, and fast, making them the preferred choice. However, the best laptop for you is the one that complies with your needs. Now, there is a plethora of laptops in the market. This makes choosing the right device a daunting task. To help you, here is a guide to help you buy a laptop as per your needs and the best ones available in the market. Plan your budget Thanks to tough competition between laptop brands, you can buy a laptop for as low as $200. But if you can increase your budget, you can buy a quality laptop with better performance and features. Laptops like HP Stream and Dell Inspiron 11 3000 are the least expensive, costing about $150-$200. Laptops costing $900 and above have faster processors, cutting-edge graphics, and powerful resolutions. Moreover, they are lighter, making them efficiently portable. Pick your operating system Do you want a Windows or a macOS? There is no wrong answer, as the choice of the operating system solely depends on your preference. If you are confused, here’s a brief summary of each. Windows 10, Microsoft’s latest operating system, is the most flexible. Moreover, laptops with Windows OS are generally inexpensive and offer features like touch screens and dual graphic chips. On the other hand, macOS Big Sur is Apple’s latest desktop operating system and is expensive. If you are a tech wizard and know your way around an OS, you can also choose operating systems like Chrome OS and Linux. Specifications As per your needs and budget, opt for the most powerful processor, as processors influence the performance and speed of the laptop. Most laptops have an Intel® processor, although some laptops even come with an AMD processor. Inexpensive laptops offer Intel® Atom®, Intel® Celeron®, and Intel® Pentium® CPUs that are good for light document editing and browsing. However, if multitasking and speed are important to you, then opt for an Intel® Core™ i3, or better yet, an i5 or i7. Next, you should check the RAM size. Most offer only 4GB RAM space. However, experts recommend that you opt for a minimum of 8GB RAM. Furthermore, get a laptop with a solid-state drive (SSD) since these are three times faster than a hard drive. Consider buying a laptop with a minimum of 9-plus hours battery life with a 12.5- to 14-inch screen size. Top 5 laptops of 2021 To further help you, here are the five best laptops of 2021: Equipped with an 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processor and 16 GB RAM, the Google Pixelbook Go is the perfect choice if you’re looking for a fast and efficient laptop. Along with a great processor and impeccable response rate, this laptop boasts of a touchscreen display that can play 4K videos. If you’re looking to upgrade your laptop, checkout Google’s laptops on sale and save big this shopping season. The Dell XPS 13 offers excellent performance, 3.5K OLED touchscreen, i3-i7 processor, option to choose an 8GB or 16GB RAM, SSD storage, powerful display, and a sleek design. The Apple MacBook Air with the latest M1 chip provides an outstanding 14-plus hours of battery life and lightning-fast processing speed. Next is the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 that is powered by the Intel® Core™ i5/i7. It comes with features like touchscreen, top-notch graphics, and up to 1TB SSD storage. Finally, don’t forget to check out the latest IdeaPad Slim 7 by electronic giant Lenovo. The recently-released laptop comes with a 15.6” display, 11th Gen Intel® Core™ processor, 512 GB SSD storage, Dolby Atmos® Speaker System, and a whole lot more. If you find this laptop a bit pricey, don’t worry. There are several fantastic deals on Lenovo laptops right now, and you can grab this one at a lower price from the company’s website.

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Top 20 Black Friday Appliance Deals Expected in 2023

Home appliances like air conditioners and refrigerators are most used in every household. Even devices like washing machines and electric stoves are frequently used for heavy-duty work. Unsurprisingly, such high usage can cause home appliances to wear out and stop functioning properly after a while. Therefore, the shopping deals that emerge on Black Friday offer the perfect solution to this problem. Based on previous years' trends, here are some expected deals on appliances: Washer The top washers in online retail stores come with features and capabilities such as quick (20 to 25 minute) cleaning, bacteria elimination from fabric, multiple baskets-worth of capacity to clean as many clothes as possible in one go, and similar others. According to recent trends, washers are expected to come with discounts as high as 29% when Black Friday comes around. Dryer Many washers come with built-in dryers, but several buyers prefer high-quality dryers to remove the excessive water and moisture from washed clothes. Many dryers are expected to come with discounts worth about $320 on online retailer stores. Buyers expect their dryers to have a host of features like Wi-Fi connectivity to receive end-of-cycle alerts, schedule drying cycles through one's mobile phone, remote start, automatic sensor-based time and temperature regulation for drying clothes, steam sanitization to remove wrinkles, static, and odors from washed clothes. Dishwasher Retailers identify the high demand for this product, so they offer particularly lucrative deals on dishwashers. Shoppers can expect discounts that run up to $321 on even high-end dishwashers with features such as a fingerprint-resistant body, digital touch controls to regulate the machine's functions, hidden heating elements to protect the plastic panels, multiple placeholder settings to wash as many dishes at once as possible in the system. Pressure cooker As per recent trends when it comes to Black Friday deals, buyers can expect up to 12% off on feature-heavy pressure cookers as well. Such cookers have multiple (even up to 10) modes for cooking, including slow cooking, rice/grain cooking, sautéing, yogurt making, and other top-tech specifications. Microwave oven Shoppers are likely to get big discounts of up to 27% on their favorite brand of microwave ovens this Black Friday. Some of the best ovens have handy features such as multiple power levels for more precise cooking, automatic defrost/sensor reheat preset to specific times and temperatures for different foods, and a scratch-resistant build. Refrigerator Shoppers can purchase a brand-new refrigerator with top-quality features like factory-fitted ice maker/freezers, multiple crisper drawers to keep fruits, beverages, and vegetables, and an energy-efficient working mechanism this Black Friday for lowered prices and discounts worth about $279. Automatic coffee maker For those who want to buy a new coffee maker or upgrade to an automatic one, the upcoming shopping season is the right time to bring one home. This Black Friday, shoppers can get premium coffee espresso machines with unique features like the functionality to make several types of coffees and espressos, fully recyclable capsules, precision brewing, and daily ease-of-use for up to 25% off on retail prices. Electric air fryer Electric air fryers are safer and relatively more sustainable alternatives to gas-powered fryers. Shoppers will likely get discounts worth $20 on these devices, which come with a range of features, including a non-stick basket, the capability to heat and fry multiple foods, and energy efficiency.  Ice maker Many icemakers are expected to be sold with discounts up to $20 this Black Friday. Many top icemakers have features like multi-layer foaming technology to keep the device's surface fingerprint-free and batteries that ensure fast cooling and low fuel consumption. Juicers During the summer, juicers are essential appliances to concoct refreshing juices and smoothies and beat the heat. Black Fridays are the best occasion to purchase juicers as they are available for highly discounted rates. Buyers last year found discounts of up to $150 on their favorite juicer. This is a trend that shoppers can expect this year as well. Space heater In the past, retail outlets such as Amazon and Best Buy sold space heaters with barely believable discounts worth 52% of the product's original price to celebrate Black Friday. Shoppers can expect similar offers on heaters that come with many features, including portability, heating large rooms (up to 200 square feet), high-temperature heating capability (up to 158 degrees Fahrenheit), and several others. Electric fireplace Electric fireplaces are a safer alternative to conventional ones. Shoppers looking to purchase electric fireplaces will likely find great discounts of up to $269 in retail stores. Ceiling fan Online retailers will slowly announce their early-bird offers and deals to shoppers who want to purchase essential appliances like ceiling fans. One can find discounts of up to $59 on feature-rich fans on several retail sites. Blenders Blenders are required for making a wide variety of foods, including smoothies, various gravies, and curries. Modern blenders with great offers attached can slice, grate, and shred food ingredients precisely to make a perfect blend. Blenders are expected to come with incredible discounts worth $15. Air conditioner ACs are just as essential during summers as fireplaces are during chilly winters. Shoppers looking to purchase the air-conditioners of their choice will find a plethora of offers on them. For instance, in past Black Fridays, ACs would come with discounts worth 40%. That is something buyers can totally look out for this Black Friday as well. Toaster Toasters provide one of the most indispensable foods that make many people's breakfast: toast bread. Shoppers seeking to buy brand-new toasters with features such as a tough build and automated operation can expect discounts worth $11 on these products on retail sites. Cooktops Users will likely find discounts of up to $28 on their favorite cooktops this Black Friday. At that price, users will get cooktops with features such as CSA certification and compatibility with several types of cookware. Wall oven Electric wall ovens offer the convenience of wall-mounted devices married to the effectiveness and efficiency of conventional ovens. The discounts on these appliances are likely to be mind-boggling.  Beverage chiller Beverage chillers are different from a refrigerator or an icemaker in the way that they are purpose-built for a specific task. Users are likely to find hundreds of dollars worth of discounts on the beverage chillers of their liking. Video doorbell Safety is a major priority for homeowners. Therefore, camera-based doorbells with motion-tracking technology are an excellent product to purchase during the shopping season. Shoppers can expect price cuts of about $10 to $25 on these products on retail sites.

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