Consumer Reports eight tips for savvy holiday shopping

Posted Friday, November 30, 2007

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Yonkers, NY — Savvy shoppers need look no further than the December issue of Consumer Reports for tips to survive the holiday season.

CR’s special shopping report dispels shopping myths; warns against shopping landmines like bank gift cards; provides tips for navigating devil-in-the-detail shopping tasks such as returns, rebates, and shipping; and recommends that consumers avoid wasting money on extended warranties. The guide is a special “clip and save” pullout that will also be available online at www.ConsumerReports.org, where consumers can find CR’s special Holiday Shopping Guide loaded with best gift recommendations across fifty categories.

“Holiday shoppers are often time-pressed and cash-strapped. This guide gives insider tips on when to shop, how to pay, how to avoid huge shipping costs, and how to ensure that if, after all that good planning, the gift needs to be returned, the proper receipt is in hand,” said Tod Marks, senior editor at Consumer Reports.

CR recommends the following eight tips for surviving the holiday shopping season:

TIME YOUR BUYING
Avoid Midnight Madness sales, which can be high risk propositions, with deep discounts on a limited number of hot ticket items. Sales are first come, first served, which could mean hours of waiting on line or leaving the store empty handed. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and the following Cyber Monday are the days when merchants get serious about sales. For “hot” products that might be in short supply, it’s best to buy as soon as buyers see them. And shop in the morning when crowds tend to be light and before the merchandise has been picked through. The early morning is good for the Web too, where CR last year found retailers sometimes offering special savings.
GO ONLINE TO SAVE BIG
Use several shopping “bots” to compare product prices at dozens of retailers. Better known bots include BizRate, DealTime, Google Product Search, MySimon, Shopping.com, Shopzilla, Amazon.com, and Yahoo Shopping. If possible, sort by price because bots often put retailers that pay a fee at the top of the results page. Download coupons at FatWallet and DealTaker.com.
BE LEERY OF BANK GIFT CARDS
They’re more likely to expire and tack on fees than cards offered by individual retailers. Some cards depreciate in value if unused. When giving a gift card, it’s wise to pass along the receipt, too, in case the card is lost and needs to be replaced.
GET A GIFT RECEIPT
Gift exchanges do happen, so be prepared by providing a gift receipt. That will ensure that the recipient gets a proper store credit. Purchases made in November and December are often eligible for extended return or exchange privileges.
BE SURE YOUR GIFT IS WANTED
A recipient returning electronics gear in an opened box might pay 10 to 15 percent or more of the purchase price as a restocking fee. Computer software, music CDs, and movie DVDs generally can’t be returned or exchanged for another title once the seal is broken.
APPLY FOR REBATES
Shoppers who are entitled to a rebate should act fast. Four out of 10 people eligible for rebates forget to collect the necessary paperwork, follow the wrong procedure, or wait too long to file. What shoppers will typically need is the product serial number, a sticker or label, an original receipt, UPC code cut from the carton, and an official form.
AVOID PRIORITY SHIPPING
Using last year as a barometer, the deadline for free shipping from major retailers will expire about December 18. Keep in mind that ordering one-day service can add $20 or more and doesn’t guarantee delivery within 24 hours. The arrival date is calculated from the moment the package is shipped, so factor in two or three days of processing time.
SAY NO TO EXTENDED WARRANTIES
Most products don’t break during the first three or four years of ownership, Consumer Reports research shows. If breakage does occur, the repair cost is typically about the same as the warranty cost. For added protection at no cost, buy with a credit card. Consumers can extend the manufacturer’s original warranty free for up to one year with most gold and platinum cards.