7 Helpful Tips For Holiday Tech Shopping

If you are anything like me, you are lacking a little in the tech department. I love learning about new electronics and such, but I'm not very good at it. My husband wants an E-Reader for Christmas so, I've been looking around everywhere for info about them. It's tough for someone from the original Nintendo generation to catch on to all of these new-fangledy electronics and such, you know. So, here are 7 tips for Holiday tech shopping!

7 Tips For Holiday Tech Shopping For The Parent Who Knows Little to Nothing About Technology:

1. Look For Sales- Now, my favorite month of the year for sales in November. Black Friday ads come out a bit early so you can scope out all the on-sale products and electronics. I always look at them, write down the items I'm interested in, and then, do my research. It's fun and exciting for me. I also look through all the newspaper ads each week and online for deals.
2. Do Your Homework – Look around places like Amazon.com and Staples.com to find out more about products you may be interested in. The more you learn, the better prepared you are.
3. Write Out A List- Write down your top choices and their features that set them apart. That way, when it's time to buy, you can compare and contrast. If you don't write it down, you may get to a store or website and completely mix up the info in your head. At least, that happens to me.
4. Read Reviews – So, you may have found out about the products you like, you may have found the item on sale, but is it worth purchasing? Now it's time to listen to the voice of the people! What were the general experiences people are having with the products you are interested in buying? If 50% or more of the people give a negative rating, you are really running a risk at purchasing a bad item. There was an item I really wanted this Christmas and just looked at the reviews and there are over 200 negative reviews. Can you believe that? It completely changed my mind about wanting that product.
5. Get to Stores Early – Okay, you've done all of your homework and you've found the item that's perfect for you. Don't take a chance at missing out on the sale. Get there early, especially on Black Friday. I drove past several stores this Black Friday at 3am (2 hrs or so before they even opened) and the line was already around the building. Get there and be ready to get your item!
6. Find Coupons – For many online retailers, you can find coupon codes online at places like retailmenot.com. Always take a few extra minutes to see if you can find a coupon. Usually you can find at least 15% off or so. Sometimes you can also find print-out coupons to bring to the store, too.
7. Always, Always Get the Warranty- You want to get a good deal, I know, but please don't go cheap on the warranty. If anything happens to your item, you want to know that it can get fixed or replaced. The computer I have now was a replacement for one that died on me under warranty. In fact, they replaced my old laptop with an even better, more expensive model so, I got a free upgrade due to my warranty. It's totally worth the price and the security. 

I'm sure I am forgetting some things so, I'll add them if I come up with more. Are you purchasing electronics and such this Christmas? My husband also wants a new laptop so, I've been searching everywhere for the best deals and good quality laptops. It can be a bit frustrating, but when you finally find a good deal for a good product, it's completely worth the work!

Happy Holidays!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Staples blogging program, making me eligible for a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

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