TORONTO -- Cyber Monday can feel like a sprint, shoppers ready at the starting blocks before discounted tech and apparel drop online.
The bargain shopping day, a digital extension of Black Friday weekend, is an increasingly popular way to score deals.
But with the internet at your fingertips, where does one begin? Marketing and retail expert spoke with CTVNews.ca to offer some tips to make the most out of Cyber Monday.
BIG BOX GOES BIGGER
鈥淭he king of Cyber Monday has historically been Walmart,鈥� said Winegard. But in recent years, the company has dealt with 鈥渢he Amazon effect鈥� as more consumers flock to the e-commerce site to buy everything from food to clothes.
鈥淲e know Walmart is going to come out swinging,鈥� she said.
To counteract the competition, big box stores such as Walmart could be preparing their biggest deals yet, Winegard suggested.
LOOK FOR SEASONAL, PERISHABLE, HOSPITALITY GOODS
The best deals might be found in products that easily become obsolete, such as outdated versions of the Google Pixel phone or Nintendo Switch, Winegard said.
That鈥檚 why some big tech items often have big discounts -- it鈥檚 likely that a new and improved version of that smartphone or gaming console will be out within months.
The same goes for seasonal and hospitality products like holiday decor and other hosting items. Perishable food items could see some of the biggest drops, Winegard said, because expiry dates prohibit their sale.
ALLOW 'RE-MARKETING'
During Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday, junk mail could finally be your friend.
Winegard suggests an experiment: pack your digital shopping cart and abandon those items at the last minute, instead of checking out online. You might get an email from the company soon after that offers an additional discount.
鈥淭hey might sweeten the pot so you鈥檒l come back,鈥� said Wineguard.
But not everyone has the patience for that, particularly if it鈥檚 high-demand products that other could snag first.
RECONSIDER 'BOGO'
鈥淏uy-one-get-one-free鈥� offers, or BOGO offers, are also popular during bargain season. There are even less appealing BOGOHO offers, or 鈥渂uy-one-get-one-half-off.鈥�
These are called bundling programs and they鈥檙e usually for staple categories where retailers know they will sell a lot of product.
鈥淭he retailer doesn鈥檛 need to discount very deeply because they know they have a fairly inelastic demand,鈥� Wineguard said.
SAVE MONDAY FOR GENERAL BUYS
People often wonder if they should wait for Cyber Monday to buy the red sweater they鈥檝e been eyeing, said Wineguard. But she suggests it might be best not to wait.
鈥淪ometimes those discounts disappear,鈥� she said. 鈥淥n Cyber Monday, retailers discount some things and not others.鈥�
Do your ultra-specific shopping on Black Friday weekend, and save your general gift ideas for Monday.
DON'T SHOP HUNGRY OR THIRSTY
Some recent research has shown that . Wineguard added that thirsty people also tend to mistake thirst for hunger, which could also lead to over-spending and buyer鈥檚 remorse. So bring snacks and a water bottle to your desk while you shop.
