cyber monday

Cyber Monday is one week away — are you ready? Online sales are growing faster than weeds. Ecommerce sales in the U.S. alone have grown over 32% in the last year, and they show no sign of slowing down.

The convenience of online shopping and products being delivered right to your door is an easy concept to get behind — especially this year, with COVID still plaguing us.

The Monday after Thanksgiving is known as Cyber Monday. On this day every year, you’ll find a vast array of your favorite items — and all on sale — found exclusively online. With so many deals to choose from, you’re going to need a little direction. Using your online calendar, you can take advantage of Cyber Monday exclusives.

Set a Budget

Before Cyber Monday rolls around, you should set a budget beforehand. With so many accessible deals at your fingertips, it’s far too easy to go overboard without restrictions set. Using an online calendar, you can set up your budget starting today, leading up to Cyber Monday.

Starting your budget today will help you set aside enough money for any big purchases you want to make. Cyber Monday is a great chance to load up on Christmas presents so that the savings will be much needed.

Do Your Research

There are a lot of deals to cover on Cyber Monday. You’ll easily come across some great ones, but without digging deep, you might miss some even better sales.

Schedule a day to do some Cyber Monday research. Make notes of the sales you want to hit, but don’t get too attached. The more research you do, the better deals you might find to replace them.

Make a Reminder

While it’s simple to remember that Cyber Monday directly follows Thanksgiving week, you don’t want to chance forgetting and miss out on all the deals. This is especially true in 2020, where the days of quarantine seem to jumble together.

Set a reminder in your online calendar on the day of Cyber Monday. This simple reminder will ensure that the day doesn’t pass by without you getting your orders in.

Gather Up Wish Lists

As mentioned previously, Cyber Monday is a great chance to get Christmas presents for all your loved ones. Nabbing the deals is well and good, but getting the right presents is the real challenge.

In the weeks leading up to Cyber Monday, schedule some times to talk to family members and friends you want to give presents to. Getting an idea of what kind of presents they want will help you pick out the right deals instead of making blind purchases. Don’t forget a personal list; you deserve a good gift as well!

Sign Up For Newsletters

If there’s a certain company you hope to shop with on Cyber Monday, sign up for its newsletter. You’ll get updates on the sales they plan to hold, and when they will be available.

In your online calendar, you can set a recurring reminder with the newsletters you get. This will remind you to check them and cancel them if you want to get rid of notifications.

Make a Note of Return Policies

The one problem with online shopping is not being able to handle products before purchasing them physically. Because of this, some of the items you buy won’t be as you expect. Clothes may be the wrong size, and toys might not work as you hoped.

Keeping track of return policies allows you to make returns and get your money back within a set window. This time frame will be different for different companies, so record each of them in your online calendar. Early reminders will enable you to make any returns you need without penalty.

Prep for an Early Morning

Many sales will start in the wee hours of the morning. In some cases, the deals are in limited supply, so it’s first-come-first-served. If you’re worried you won’t be able to land the deals you want the most, then prep for an early morning.

Getting up earlier than you need to is never fun. You can make it more bearable by adjusting your daily routines. Move your evening routine back a bit in your online calendar to get enough sleep. Then, set up a good morning routine to get you going.

Review Your Accounts Often

Checking your bank accounts frequently won’t just help you stick to your Cyber Monday budget. With so many active shoppers during the holiday season, it’s prime time for hackers to get a hold of your information. Staying alert will keep them at bay.

Be sure to practice internet safety as you do your Cyber Monday shopping. Stay away from websites that are unknown and appear insecure. Set up reminders in your online calendar to review your balances to monitor suspicious activity just if an attack gets through.

Schedule an Internet Tuneup

There’s nothing more infuriating than your internet going out on Cyber Monday. While this may seem like a far-fetched concern, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Schedule an appointment with your internet provider for a tuneup just in case.

At the very least, you’re ensuring your Cyber Monday deals are in the bag. Additionally, you might be able to find a better internet deal or uncover a problem you didn’t know you had. Remember to restart — that fixes most issues.

Cyber Monday can be the best shopping day of the year if you play your cards right. Preparation and careful planning can make a big difference when it comes to online shopping. Come prepared and happy shopping!