10 Tips For A Successful Cyber Monday

Black Friday was a shopping success...will the same hold true for on-line sales?   The Seattle P.I. newspaper knows a thing or two about life on line...since that's been their permanent location since Spring of 2009.  The cyber savvy reporters there have a ten item tip sheet for you to consider as you make your way through Cyber Monday.

1. Make a list. It keeps you on track and prevents unnecessary impulse buys. As with Black Friday, many merchants announce their online offers well in advance. Sites such as CouponSherpa have a roundup of deals available from merchants to help you compile your list ahead of time. They also have special coupon codes available.

2. Pre-shopping: Some marketers make a regular price look like a bargain. They want shoppers to be swept up in a bargain frenzy, thinking they're one of the lucky few. Before you start loading your cart, do comparison shopping. Sites like PriceGrabber.com allow you to compare prices across the web and at local stores.

3. Use protection: Online shopping has become so commonplace we rarely consider the risks. With tons of shoppers eager to transmit credit card information over the Web in one day, scammers are salivating. To protect yourself, download the latest updates for your anti-virus and spyware software. Also, make sure any page during checkout is secure by looking for the "https" in the address bar before giving the e-retailer your billing information.

4. Read up on rules: Each Cyber Monday offer has different guidelines about when it starts and how many items are available. Being aware of the details ensures you won't sleep through a deal that begins at 12:01 a.m.

5. Under review: Some of Monday's markdowns are attempts to unload junk and make room for something better. When you're shopping for high-priced items such as TVs, go to stores and compare features you can't view online, like picture and sound quality. Try Cnet.com for reviews of consumer items from cell phones to slow cookers.

6. Fast friends: Like your favorite stores on Facebook. In the days leading up to Cyber Monday, stores post additional offers exclusive to followers.

7. Find free shipping: When you're shopping online, steep shipping and handling costs quickly cut into your cyber savings. Fortunately, more merchants are starting to respond to customer demand for free shipping. Best Buy announced in late October that it would offer free shipping on everything over the holidays, and Overstock.com is the latest retailer to offer site-wide free shipping.

8. Keep your eye on the prize: Don't be distracted by offers for accessories and add-ons as you search for a special sale price on a laptop. Usually, the savings on these items are minimal, so buying them later won't make a big difference. In addition, spending an extra $100 on items you hadn't planned on eats up your discounts.

9. Preparation pays: Get ready by bookmarking your favorite sites in advance. Keep them open in different tabs so switching from store to store is easy. If a merchant requires you create an account to make a purchase, do it ahead of time.

10. Read up on returns: With deals flying around on Cyber Monday, make sure you don't get stuck with any items that don't meet your expectations by brushing up on online return policies. Some major retailers allow you to return online orders to a local store at no extra cost, while other smaller merchants might charge you for return shipping as well as a restocking fee. Return times are often limited, so act soon after you've determined an item won't work.  (Seattle P.I.)