Black Friday/Cyber Monday Tips
The sales are already on strong so here are some tips to help you save a few bucks:
Comparison Shopping with Honey
I use a browser extension called Honey to keep track of the price of specific future purchases and use this app’s in browser information to know if something had just gone up or down in price on Amazon Canada, Best Buy Canada, Newegg Canada and several other online retailers I use.
This app installs in your browser and adds a orange tag with and stylish H in it to the top right of your browser, with allows you to view the recent price changes for the product you’re viewing and applicable coupons at checkout, which is quite useful.
I doesn’t work on every Canadian retailer online but the list of American retailers it works is extensive, so you should definitely consider installing it, especially if you import from the states often.
Rebates via Rakuten
Rakuten Canada is another browser extension I use regularly to get money back on my purchases and they’re offering higher rebates for some stores for Black Friday.
I personally use them on my online orders from Best Buy, Canadian Tire, Old Navy, Microsoft Canada , Home Depot, Home Hardware, Micheals, Staples, Well.ca, The Source, Joe Fresh, Shoppers+, NordVPN
and eBay. And the payments are made in the middle of the month to my PayPal account but I also have the choice to have an Amazon gift card or mailed cheque.
They’re also offering extra rebates for this period, as well as a $30 welcome rebate to new users.
Bonus Air Miles
You can get bonus Air Miles by purchasing via Airmilesshops.ca and occasionally by purchasing select gift cards at participating Shell gas stations, although the latter is only offered randomly so you need to check your local station to see if it’s active.
The list of participating Canadian retailers is extensive and you can get bonus Air Miles from American retailers. But if you don’t use Google Chrome you’ll need to access the above linked website because their browser extension is exclusive to Google Chrome.
Bonus Optimum Points & More
Bonus points offers for PC Optimum are regularly offered on gift card purchases at Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore and Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix stores. And these are listed in the Optimum Points app and on their weekly flyers.
These points are redeemable in store, online at Joe Fresh and shop.shoppersdrugmart.ca, the latter carrying some electronics.
Misc. Offers from Scene Plus
If you go to Cineplex Theatres often or shop a Sobeys or FreshCo grocery stores you might know the Scene+ program, especially if you’re a Scotiabank card holder or eat frequently at Harveys restaurants.
This program offers redeemable points that can be linked to Rakuten Canada. But you can also redeem these points directly at the aforementioned retailers or for gift cards, including gift cards for Canadian retailers Indigo Books and Home Hardware.
Comparison Shopping Online
If you can shop online, you can compare prices on in stock items more easily and have your purchases delivered or held for pick up.
This all enables you to avoid the lines and crowds, which is a good idea now that we’re in flu season, on top of the multiple respiratory diseases lingering around.
If you do need to go out you can still always use hand sanitizer, distance yourself from others and possibly wear a N95/KN95 face mask, which I recommend.
Have a safe Black Friday/Cyber Monday.
Cyber Monday Week
The deals continue at the major online retailers, like Amazon.ca, Best Buy Canada, Chapters / Indigo, Microsoft Canada
, Newegg Canada
, The Source, etc. But don’t forget to visit the smaller chains like Archambault and Sunrise Records, and your local record store sites. They’ve got deep discounts as well.
In Ottawa, my go-to records stores are Legend Records, The Odds & Sods Shop, Turning Point and Sunrise Records and I’m hoping to browse the stores along Bank Street shortly after the pandemic is addressed, including the new location for Vertigo Records, a store I used to visit on Rideau street.
Whenever I’m in Montreal I try to drop by at the Archambault store at Berri and St. Catherine Est and nearby records stores on Berri and Saint-Denis, like Beatnick Records and Disques Sonik. But it’s been a while and many stores on those streets may have moved or closed since I visited five or so years back, unfortunately.
By the way, Nord VPN, ESET North America
,
Kaspersky Canada
, Intego Antivirus, and VIPRE Antivirus are offering deep discounts on their services as well, in case you were looking to secure your computers and devices.
Have a safe Cyber Monday week.
It’s Black Friday
The day has come and I thought I’d discuss my go-to places for certain goods in this entry, beyond the miscellaneous, general goods sites like Amazon.ca, Bestbuy.ca and Newegg Canada.
There’s always an opportunity to do some comparison shopping when it comes to certain goods today and through the weekend into Cyber Monday, so I tend to visit multiple stores to find the best deals, including some American and European retailers, although you need to account for the exchange rates and possible shipping and customs fees for the later if it’s valued at over $20 Canadian.
I’ve personally saved on Vinyl Records, Blu-rays, DVDs, compact discs, sheet music and books ordered from American retailers Amazon.com, Alibris, ArkivMusic
, Barnes & Noble
and Sheet Music Plus and European retailers Amazon U.k, Amazon France and Alibris U.k.
so you might want to shop around; Sheet Music Plus is currently offering 15% off orders over US$50 and 20% off orders over $100 whilst Barnes & Noble is offering 10% Off Your Online Order until December 1st with the BLKFRI coupon code.
If you’re looking for musical instruments and accessories you might want to browse the Long & Mcquade site or pop on by one of their local Canadian stores. And you can also do some comparison shopping on American sites like GuitarCenter.com, Musician’s Friend and Woodwind and Brasswind
, who also ship to Canada.
All three of these American retailers are offering discounts; Guitar Center is offering a 15% discount on orders over US$199 today using code FRIDAY15 and on Cyber Monday using discount code CYBER15. Musician’s Friend is offering 10% off orders US$49+ and 15% off orders US$99+ with coupon code BLACKFRI19 until November 20th. And Woodwind and Brasswind is offering a 20% discount on purchases over US$99 with coupon code BF2019.
If you’re looking for miscellaneous cables, television mounts, adapters and audio accessories, you might want to browse primecables.ca for both deals on these products and a 20% discount using coupon code BF2019, which will be valid until 11:59 pm tonight (11/29) on this site and the other Shoppers+ sites (123ink.ca and living.ca). And Sonos Canada is currently discounting their home theatre speakers by 20% so you might want to check them out.
In regards to memorabilia, you could drop by at your local Indigo store for some in-store discounts on Lego, DC and Marvel merchandise and possibly visit them online for discounts on some toys. But U.S based EntertainmentEarth.com
is having major discounts this weekend and Diecast Model Warehouse is offering a 10% discount on their models with coupon code CYBERMONDAY. And deals can also be had at Toys-R-Us Canada (from 15% to 60% off) and samkoandmikotoywarehouse.com (25% with coupon code: thebigsave25).
You might also consider visiting your local record stores, some of which will also open early today to offer rare, exclusive and discounted compacts discs, vinyl records, DVDs, Blu-rays and music memorabilia in celebration of the Black Friday edition of Record Store Day.
Details on what is being made available and what stores are participating can be found on the official Record Store Day Canada web site, by clicking here.
Hope this information helps you find some good deals today. And if I think of anything else today, I’ll update this entry.
Enjoy.
Black Friday/Cyber Monday vs Boxing Day
It appears that the Good Friday and Cyber Monday sales may be winning over Boxing Day sales in Canada and the U.k. But if you’re looking for Christmas merchandise and deep discounts on electronics, the later may be preferable.
Basically, people are using Black Friday and Cyber Monday to score gifts and Boxing Day for personal purchases, sweets and impulse purchases of overstock products.
I’ve personally stocked up on chocolates using my Canadian Tire money and Optimum Points at Shopper’s Drug Mart because nothing beats free, discounted chocolates. And I also for deep discounted Christmas themed air fresheners free using loyalty programs cause I own a cat and I happen to like pine and cinnamon/gingerbread. 🙂
The boxing day sales are all week on Amazon.ca and Indigo so i’m keeping an eye out for stuff I might need in the new year. And the dollar’s stronger so I’m also looking at the year end deals are available on Amazon.com.
I’ve already imported what I wanted from the U.k, the Deluxe version of Fleetwood Mac’s “Tango In The Night“. But decided to wait for the 30th Anniversary boxed set of Def Leppard’s “Hysteria” and Queen’s “News Of The World” 40th anniversary boxed set. I’m hoping to score those later, hopefully during one of these sales.
I’ve also just run into this whilst browsing today, which is incredibly tempting regardless of the fact that I pretty much already have everything that’s included on this boxed set.
Decisions. Decisions.
Cyber Monday
Looking through the Cyber Monday sales there still appears to be a few good deals to be had from Amazon.ca, its international counterparts, Best Buy Canada, Barnes & Noble, Indigo, NewEgg Canada, Second Spin, Sonos Canada and other retailers listed on my previous blog entry so i’ll be busy shopping around today.
I’ve already found a significant drop in price for the Deluxe version of Fleetwood Mac’s “Tango In The Night” and will be keeping my eye out for other deals. 🙂
Cyber Monday Week Offers
Several retailers have extended their offers :
New and Used Book and media retailer Alibris is offering discounts until midnight, tonight.
Amazon.ca and Amazon.com will be offering deals until midnight Friday.
Best Buy Canada is also extending their sales until Friday. And don’t forget to use Visa Checkout to save $10 on orders over $100.
Chapters is offering 15% off select regular price items with code 15GIFT.
American retailer EntertainmentEarth.com has multiple offers including deals on their Top 12 most popular items.
Microsoft Store Canada is offering discounts on many of their products and free shipping until Friday.
Sears Canada is currently offering discounts on select merchandise until December 7th. $20 off $100 or $50 off $200.
American retailer Second Spin is offering $5 shipping to Canadian Addresses until December 4th, 2016.