Just as quickly as Christmas arrives, the holiday is over and everyone’s focus turns to the new year. Soon, the decorations will be put away, the last of the egg nog consumed and your dried-up fir tree tossed to the curb. What won’t change is consumers’ insatiable desire for a bargain, something that will be stepped up in earnest beginning on December 26.
The shopping days after Christmas may not have the same intensity as a Black Friday or a Cyber Monday, but if you are online on that day, you will find prices slashed on a whole host of items.
Christmas Regalia
Everything associated with the Christmas holiday gets marked down beginning on December 26. Sure, bargains were in place before the holiday, but it is on the day after that online merchants work diligently to clear their seasonal inventory to make way for Valentine’s Day, Easter and spring products.
You can expect that everything, except for Santa himself, will be marked down. Then again, if it is a six-foot electronic and movable likeness of the jolly old elf, you will pay much less for him once Christmas is over. Twinkling lights, sparkling ornaments, yard inflatables, seasonal furniture, whimsical toys, table settings, the list goes on. As do the deep savings.
Inventory Clear Out
All retailers are required to take inventory and online shops are no exception. Done twice annually, the next big inventory taking time is in January. Inventory taking is accomplished much easier when inventories are the lowest and to expedite the process, retailers will mark down nearly everything in a bid to move product.
White sales used to represent linens, towels, curtains and other household items alone. In recent years nearly everything marketable has been included in the mix to get you to buy more.
Keep in mind a few things when searching for traditional white goods: larger towels are priced lower and the bigger your people are, the more you will pay before sales prices are factored in. Take advantage of the price slashing to snag a bargain. Your towels can last for years and one way to do this is to buy multiple sets and rotate them regularly.
Also, look for sheets with a higher thread count, for a more luxurious look and feel. White sale savings mean you can splurge on the best stuff that you might not normally buy for yourself unless it was on sale.
Next Year’s Gifts
‘Tis true that your Aunt Martha bought this year’s gifts last year. Old Aunt Martha used to be seen trolling the aisles of Macy’s, Sear’s and J.C. Penney’s after the holidays, but she wised up when her son bought her a tablet computer a few years ago. That tablet exposed her to a new world of deep savings when she realized that even better bargains could be had online.
Shopping a year in advance is where your imagination and a bit of creativity must come in. With online shopping, you may know what your grown son or daughter likes right now, but those likes can change in the coming year. More difficult is buying for the grandchildren, as kids can love Tickle Me Elmo dolls one year and LEGO figures and sets the next.
Still, there are some toys, games and Christmas-themed goodies that can stand the test of time and are marked down accordingly. Kudos to Aunt Martha whose hope chest fills up in late December for gifts that she will give out next Christmas.
Foodie Favorites
Yes, you may have had your fill of Gingerbread men, mulled wine, peppermint coffee and rum fruitcake. Except for the fruitcake, very little else will keep for another year. So, figure that if it is edible, prices will be at the lowest you will see for the next 12 months immediately following Christmas.
After Christmas food bargain hunting is prized by orthodox Christians, people of faith that celebrate Jesus’ birth on January 7. The Gregorian calendar is still used by these believers, which means that Christmas comes about two weeks later and the festivities are just warming up as they’re cooling down for everyone else.
You might wonder how Christmas food is still desirable for everyone else, but that answer is easy: you will have a house full of guests over on New Year’s Day and even though Uncle Fred will insist that he has started a new diet for the new year, he will put off its start until January 2 once his eyes take in the succulent puddings, delectable pies and candied fruits you bought online the day after Christmas.
Robert Langdon is a professional blogger that writes for GreatDeals.com. Great Deals offers thousands of coupon codes at hundreds of retailers including Best Buy coupon codes.
