In our new Smart Shopping series, we’ll be sharing tips and tricks to help savvy consumers like you take full advantage of online shopping. We’ll explore everything from the best browser extensions for digital shopping to how to write the perfect product review. And this month, we’re kicking things off with a topic that’s particularly time sensitive.
As holiday shopping begins around the world, analysts are predicting that a confluence of factors may lead to shipping delays and supply chain issues this season. And with global concerns about inflation also on the rise, it’s more important than ever to get your holiday shopping done as early as possible this year.
Earlier this month, our two-day Prime Early Access Sale gave Prime members a chance to shop hundreds of thousands of deals across top categories like electronics, fashion, home, kitchen, pets, and toys.
And with Black Friday just weeks away, smart shoppers are staying ahead of the potential bottleneck by starting their shopping right away. In fact, according to a recent study, nearly half of all shoppers are planning to begin their holiday shopping by October 31.
Make a list and stick to it
When you wait until the last minute, you tend to buy pricier gifts out of desperation. By making a list of gift ideas for everyone you need to buy for, as well as any projected holiday entertaining purchases, you can take advantage of sales whenever they come up. Holiday lists not only cut down on the chances of overspending, they almost always result in better, more thoughtful gifts.
By putting money aside in a separate account and planning your purchases ahead of time, it’s also easier to estimate how much money you’ll be spending and budget accordingly. Prioritize any must-give items that are going to be particularly popular this year, because with greater demand, supplies may go quickly.
Get creative
Although it won’t be an issue if you get your shopping done early, it’s always a safe bet to consider gifts that aren’t directly affected by inventory levels, like subscriptions, gift cards, online classes, and experiences.
Look for Monthly Subscription Boxes that make great gifts, like Allure’s Beauty Box, the Vinyl of the Month Club, BoxDog’s monthly handmade treats and toys for dogs, Try Treats’ International Snack Subscription Box for humans, and Toy Box Monthly for kids. And to sweeten the pot, most are available with great discounts on your first box.
Shop early and save with Amazon Pay
With prices on the rise, the easiest way to save money is to focus on finding discounts and savings wherever you can. The good news is that by shopping early with Amazon Pay, you can ensure your gifts arrive on time and get great savings.
Plus, when you use Amazon Pay to check out safely and securely, you get Amazon’s A-to-z Guarantee on the condition and timely delivery of your qualified purchases, so you know your gifts will be ready when you need them.
Amazon Pay is a fast, familiar, and hassle-free payment method that uses the same billing and shipping information that’s already stored in your existing Amazon account, so you never have to waste time creating new accounts or filling out forms.
Now make your list, check it twice, and save time and money by shopping early with Amazon Pay this holiday season.