Navigating the Deals

        Black Friday and Cyber Monday are right around the corner. At this time of year, I often get overwhelmed with the large amount of 'insane' deal advertisements. One of the most frustrating objectives is trying to track the plethora of online deals, especially deals for new tech like smartphones and smartwatches. In today's article, I have some tips to help you get what you want from Santa this holiday season.

Make A List

        It sounds simple but make a specific list of what you want. By listing the exact model, type, color, etc., you can narrow down on what you are hunting for. Making a list also helps you stay focused on what you actually want. This way, you are not distracted by 'flash' sales from similar products. Stick with the items on your list. When shopping on the web, this helps you search through the sea of devices by using search criteria to help narrow down your search.

Research

     Research the products you are hunting for. Ensure that you know the model number as some website might have what you are looking for cheaper, but are actually selling a Chinese or refurbished model. Compare prices from 3rd party websites like Amazon. Most likely, you have experienced shopping in a store and looking it up online where it ends up being cheaper. Ideally, keep track of the price before any 'deals' or the holidays to make sure you are actually getting a discount!

Use Internet Wizardry

     One of the best tools to use when shopping online and comparing prices is from our very own Google overlords. The Google Shopping search engine does a great job at comparing prices of not only electronics, but other items as well from a variety of sellers. Major third party vendors are also listed with Google user reviews to help test their authenticity. If you are doing heavy Amazon price comparison, check out Camel Camel Camel. Their website does a decent job at tracking Amazon listings.