It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and you know what that means? Christmas shopping! With finals around the corner, it can be tough to find time to go to the mall. Online shopping will be your best friend this time of year. About 3 years of online shopping experience have helped me put together these tips to get you through the season.
1. Plan ahead.
It’s important to have an idea of what you want to buy as early as possible. Ordering and shipping takes time, so you want to have a cushion in case anything goes wrong. I recommend online shopping at least a month before Christmas. I tend to start looking around Thanksgiving time — there’s also loads of deals around this time, so, it’s a good idea to start then. I also recommend shipping things to your home (or wherever you plan on spending the holidays) that way you don’t have to travel with any extra things.
2. Shop around and compare prices.
If you find something you really want, check Google for any other sites that may also sell it. Sometimes you can find better deals on different websites, so always check before you order!
3. Sign up for emails!
If you haven’t already, sign up for the email list for your favorite websites. Many companies have holiday sales, usually for a limited time, and you’ll be notified via email as soon as they start. Cyber Monday, the Monday following Thanksgiving, is a day where almost every website will have crazy good deals; sign up by then so you know what the deals are!
4. Check out Amazon’s Interesting Finds, and Urban Outfitters’ Gift Shop.
Amazon has a really cool explore feature known as Interesting Finds. I didn’t know about it until recently and it is definitely one of my favorite features so I highly recommend checking it out. It organizes the items Instagram-style, with a list of images and hearts that allow you to “like” the item and save it for later.
It’s filled with unique items for a reasonable price and often Prime-friendly. It makes it super easy to find a great gift for someone.
Another one of my favorite places to shop is the Urban Outfitters website. During the holidays, they have a super cool Gift Shop with TONS of fun gifts, organized based on price, gender, and size (e.g. Stocking Stuffers).
They have fun gifts, but can sometimes be a bit pricey — we are broke college students, after all. So, I recommend shopping around for cheaper prices on items you find here, just to make sure you’re getting the best deal.
5. Shop for friends after Christmas.
If you plan on buying your college friends gifts, I’d recommend shopping after Christmas. You might not see them until after Winter Break anyway, so hold off on shopping for them. Usually, stores having sales after Christmas to get rid of some things. Plus, you’ll avoid the crazy Christmas madness.