Be Prepared for the Online Christmas Shopping Rush With These Steps

Be Prepared for the Online Christmas Shopping Rush With These Steps
Contributor: Lifehacker Staff
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It’s the first week of December which means many of us will be getting ready to start our Christmas shopping. With many homes already showcasing their Christmas trees, it won’t be long before people start putting gifts under there, too. In all the frenzy of the festive season, it can be tricky to know where to start.

To save you the hassle and stress, we’ve thought up five tips that’ll help you nail your online Christmas shopping this year. Nothing is too major and is just about knowing where to look and when – we guarantee it’ll be your most organised Christmas ever.

#1 Look for Christmas shopping deals

Every large retailer is launching or has already launched their pre-Christmas sale deals – it’s just about knowing where to look!

eBay, Amazon, EB Games, JB Hi-Fi and countless others have dedicated Christmas sale portals at the moment. This is a great way to see the best bargains and most popular gift ideas. It’s also a great opportunity to set up wish lists for your family members so you know exactly what they’re hoping to receive.

#2 Sign Up For Special Shopping Offers

If you’re not already an Amazon Prime of Ebay Plus member, now is a good time to sign up.

If you pop over to the Amazon Prime home page, you can score 30 days of free Amazon Prime which offers faster and cheaper delivery than usual as well as access to some special member-only deals.

Ebay Plus has a similar offer although its free trial goes for 90 days and includes double Fly-Buys points and free deliver on selected items as well as access to special deals.

#3 Follow Santa’s Advice

Even Santa makes a list. Make a list of all the people you need to buy a gift for, set a budget for each person and stick to it. As you purchase a gift, make sure you check it off and resist the temptation to top up someone’s gift when you spot something extra they might like.

#4 Watch Out On Vouchers And Gift Cards

One of the best gifts you can give is an experience. For example, you might want to give someone a voucher for a night out at the movies, or a hot air balloon ride or some other activity.

Think carefully about the voucher and make sure you fully understand the terms and conditions – particularly expiry dates and limitations. Some vouchers can only be redeemed on particular days of the week or only outside peak periods. Make a note in your own diary when the expiry is approaching and give the recipient a call to ask how the experience was.

You’ll either receive a report or will have subtly prompted them to find the voucher and make a booking.

#5 Use loyalty points where possible

I travel quite a bit through the year and rack up points of airline loyalty programs. While there’s no doubt the best value way to use those points is to upgrade from a lower class fare to a more luxurious seat, you may actually prefer to simply not fly.

I’ve used frequent flyer points to either purchase fares for friends as a gift or to buy goods. For example, Qantas points can be used to purchase all sorts of goods like blenders or pet feeders. It might not be the same as upgrading a flight, but if you weren’t planning to use the points for a flight then it saves you a few bucks on the Christmas budget.

It’s worth noting that, as well as being able to earn Qantas Frequent Flyer at Kogan you can also use points to offset purchases there as well.

There you have it, all the tools you need for a stress-free online Christmas shopping experience this year. All that’s left to do is wrap the presents, leave them under the tree and watch the look of joy on everyone’s faces when they open them up. Merry Christmas!

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