We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this has to be brought to your attention: Black Friday is almost here. Now, we’re aware that this is no surprise to you, but we’re also aware that you’ve more than likely buried this information deep in the recesses of your mind. Truth be told, ignoring it won’t make it go away.
If only there was a way to avoid the crowds swarming brick and mortar stores (AKA temporary death traps), and finish your holiday shopping without the stress and possibility of being trampled by angry masses charging forward for that new gaming console or HDTV. Hmmm, if only…
OH WAIT! There is a way: Avoid the crowds entirely by shopping online! (Hey, they don’t call us experts for nothin’!)
“But what about the deeeeals,” you may be asking. Let’s just say that with the growth and advancement that online shopping has seen over the years, retailers are taking their deals to the Internet; in fact, in most cases, you’ll find better deals online than you will in the actual store. Of course, shopping with KickItBack will help you earn some of your cash back.
In any case, it’s a good thing to be prepared. So to kick off the holiday shopping season, we’re going to present you with some tips for shopping online this Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Make a List
This may go without saying, but you need to have a plan set in place before you head to the computer to start your shopping. Think of it like this: When you go to the grocery store hungry, all you end up with is a pantry full of Cheez-Its, sugary cereals, Mac ‘N’ Cheese, and Oreo cookies. But if you go shopping on a full stomach, your grocery store loot will be far more appealing to yourself and those you live with.
Know who you’re shopping for. Make a list of those you want to buy gifts for, and set a budget for each person on the list. If you start early enough, it’s easier to gradually think of the best gift for each person. The closer we get to the deadline, the more hurried your decisions will be.
Research, Research, Research
You’ve made your list and checked it twice. Now it’s time to check those names off, but you don’t want to break the bank in doing so. There’s only one thing you can do: Research. Use the Internet to your advantage to find those items on your list at the absolute lowest price possible.
But the Internet is a big, intimidating place, right? Where do you even start? Well, Google is a good start. But you could also head to KickItBack to make use of our superawesomeamazinglyincredible Products Search tool! Simply enter the item you’re looking for and click the Search button. You’ll get a list of results that includes every retailer that sells that particular item. In addition, you’ll see the price of the item, and the cash-back reward offered by each retailer. Couldn’t be easier!
Sign Up for Company Newsletters
Another great way to stay in the loop is to sign up to receive newsletters and other email announcements from your favorite retailers. During this time, newsletters are an incredibly useful tool; they’ll alert you to their newest and best deals and offers.
It’s also a great idea to “like” their Facebook pages and to follow their Twitter feeds. Heck, if they’re on Google +, head over and add them to your circle too!
If you haven’t already, sign up for the KickItBack email. We send several out every week alerting you to the best deals we see coming across our desk (well, computer screen…)! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up-to-date on all the latest and greatest deals!
Free Shipping
One of the most underrated ways to save money during the holiday shopping season is free shipping. A lot of retailers offer free shipping when you spend a certain amount of money. It may make sense for you to consolidate your lists as much as possible to accommodate those requirements. Some retailers even offer free shipping with no minimum purchase required. Our advice: Find those retailers, and never let them go!
Take advantage of free shipping options like the ones offered by WalMart. They’ve got Site to Store or FedEx Office, Home Free, and Pick Up Today. Read more about WalMart free shipping options from the blog we posted last month.
Start Early
The best way to avoid the crowds is to start your shopping early, and gradually complete your shopping over the next few weeks. You’ll thank yourself later!
Keep an eye on our blog over the next couple of weeks, there’s much more to come! We’ll have Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, holiday travel specials, and more! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the hottest new deals during the holiday season!
November 12, 2011
A couple of months back, we introduced Your Favorite Retailers, a feature that allows you to choose your favorite KickItBack retailers, and easily find deals and offers without having to sort through hundreds of other stores.
You probably thought to yourself, “There’s no way this feature could get any better!” Well folks, you were wrong!
We’ve tailored your Coupons page to fit your interests. Now you can easily view current coupons and promo codes offered by only your favorite retailers! This cuts down on the time you spend sifting through pages upon pages of coupons from retailers that may not interest you.
It’s extremely easy to use, especially if you’ve already chosen Your Favorite Retailers. Simply log in to your KickItBack account, and click on the Coupons link at the top of the page. Listed on the page will be your favorites, and three coupons from each retailer. Underneath each listing, you’ll find a link that will allow you to see all of the coupons available from each particular retailer.
You can also filter the coupons by Most Popular, Newest and by Expiration Date.
If you haven’t chosen Your Favorite Retailers yet, follow these easy steps:
- Log in to your KickItBack account (or create an account if you haven’t already)
- Click on the Retailers link at the top of the page
- Browse through our list of retailers
- Select the Star next to your favorite online retailers
All you’ve got to do now is click on the Coupons link at the top of the page and browse through your personalized list of coupons and promo codes!
Now just because you’ve selected Your Favorite Retailers doesn’t mean you can’t view coupon codes offered by other stores. In the top right corner of the Retailers page, you’ll see the option to view All or Favorites. Click on the All link to view every coupon and promo code available.
The new Coupons page is the latest KickItBack feature that will save you time and money! Keep up with future improvements and new features, as well as daily updates and hot deals by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.
September 13, 2011
KickItBack recently launched a new feature: Products — a search tool that allows you to search for general product types or specific items, and compare the savings, offers and cash-back rewards from multiple retailers. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the Products tool, how to use it, and its many benefits.
About
You know what you want. You know how to find it. But it’s such a pain to find the absolute best offer on that specific item. You can open up multiple tabs and perform endless Google searches in your quest for the lowest price or best cash-back reward, but that can take up a huge portion of your day and can oftentimes leave you right back where you started.
Comparison shopping is the basis for the new Products search feature at KickItBack. It allows you to search for general product types like “digital camera” or “running shoes,“ or specific items like “Canon Powershot” or “Reebok ZigFly.“ Your search return will give you every retailer that carries the item you’re looking for, and lists the price, retailer and their associated cash-back reward.
You can search using a Keyword or Exact Match to tailor your returns.
Example:
When I searched for “Converse,” KickItBack found 400 pages worth of retailers that carry Converse shoes and clothing, from Macy’s and FootLocker to Buy.com and Bloomingdale’s. The prices and cash-back rewards varied, and I was able to find the exact pair I wanted for $35 with 1.5% cash back!
How To Use Products
Using the Products search feature is as simple as any search function on KickItBack or any other Web site. All you have to do is type the item you’re looking for into the Search Box, choose the Keyword or Exact Match option, and hit the Search button.
Your search return will provide you with a picture of the item, a description and the price. Underneath each listing, you’ll find the retailer and their cash-back reward. Click on the item listing and continue shopping as normal.
Benefits
Sometimes it’s nice to just window shop, to just browse the Internet shopping for anything that catches your eye. But when you know exactly what you want, it can be pretty overwhelming to find the best deal on the entire Internet!
The Products search allows you to narrow your search as much as you want so that you can easily browse through the retailers that carry exactly what you’re looking for.
Products search makes it easier to:
- Narrow your search to show only the retailers that carry the item you’re looking for
- Compare prices, offers, discounts and cash-back rewards from numerous retailers
- Save time and money with your online shopping
Head over the KickItBack to try out the Products search tool for yourself, and make sure to leave any Feedback you may have by clicking the bubble at the bottom right corner of the page!
Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow our Twitter feed for daily updates and great last-minute deals!
August 18, 2011
