Black Friday – Page 2

November 26, 2016

7 Ways to Say You’re Sorry for What You Did on Black Friday

If Black Friday shopping were a sport, you’d be MVP. Every year, you make a plan, and you execute it with minimal collateral damage. But let’s face it … other people can put a serious cramp in your Black Friday deals hunt. If you stepped on some toes this Black Friday, we at Ebates think it’s never too late to say you’re sorry. So after the high of nabbing all the Black Friday sales you could get your hands on crashes, and a moment of clarity hits you, take a look at these suggestions on how to make it up to your loved ones.

1. For the significant other who tried to sleep while you hit the snooze 10 times between 4 and 5 AM:

Offer peace of mind that it will never happen again by getting yourself a wearable, vibrating alarm.

2. For the neighbor who always has to make small talk as you’re running out the door:

Nothing says “Sorry I cut off that story about your grandson’s graduation because I was afraid they would run out of Shopkins” like a home-baked pie.

3. For the friend who drove with you to the mall and is now suffering from whiplash incurred when you frantically swerved into the last parking spot:

How about a nice massage gift card? That should take care of the kink in her neck.

4. For the other friend who met you at the mall (the one with whom you argued while you were both hangry):

Graze box. Enough said.

5. For your dog who desperately wanted quality lap time while you were busy wrapping:

A subscription to BarkBox and an extra-long ear scratching session.

6. For your mom who left you seven voicemails that you had all day to return, but didn’t because you’re a shopping machine:

Make her a beautiful online video of the grandkids (or grand fur babies) and she’ll forget all about it.

7. For yourself, who slaved all day trying to find the best prices to make holiday magic happen for your family because you obviously love them as much as you love a good deal:

A hot, quiet bath. You earned it, Champ.

November 21, 2016

Make Black Friday a National Holiday

For holiday shoppers and anyone looking for a great sale, Black Friday is a big deal. Most Americans (61.7% of them) have shopped online or in person during the holiday weekend.

And while it’s a significant event for shoppers who are seeking the sales, it’s even more significant for the retail industry. 30% of the year’s retail sales happen between Black Friday and Christmas. For specialty retailers, such as jewelers, this can be as high as 40%.

For a day that’s important to so many people and businesses, we’re asking that it be made into a national holiday. To sign the petition, click here.

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<a href="https://www.ebates.com/blog/black-friday-national-holiday/"><img alt="Make Black Friday a National Holiday" class="ngg_none" src="https://www.ebates.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/make-black-friday-a-national-holiday.png" width="600px" height="5582px" /></a><br><a href="https://www.ebates.com/blog/black-friday-national-holiday/">Make Black Friday a National Holiday</a> Created By:  <a href="https://www.ebates.com/black-friday-coupons.htm"> Ebates</a>

The statistics show that Black Friday is already a significant event for shoppers. 1 out of 3 American adults goes shopping on Black Friday. 72.8% of the weekend’s in-store shoppers shop on Black Friday. 73.1% of the weekend’s online shoppers shop on Black Friday.

Why are they shopping? 57% of Black Friday shoppers find the experience to be fun. 50.4% shop because the deals are too good to pass up. 31.2% shop because it is a tradition.

And if you’re wondering how much they’re spending, 233 million shoppers have spent $50.9 billion on a single Black Friday. On average, each person spends nearly $300.

Here’s Why It Should Be a National Holiday:

48% of the country already observes Black Friday as a paid day off. The states that already celebrate Black Friday are Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Washington and West Virginia. Nationalizing the holiday will give retailers in all states a chance for economic prosperity.

Black Friday has been spreading internationally, with both governments and retailers promoting it as a shopping day. The countries that recognize Black Friday are Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Panama, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Making Black Friday a national holiday would help U.S.-based retailers stay competitive internationally.

Who Said Yes?

Our independent survey polled Americans about making the day a national holiday. Here’s who said yes: 58% of those age 18 to 24, 49% of people age 25 to 34, 41% of respondents age 35 to 44, 39% of all age 45 to 54 and 26% of those age 55 to 64.

When we further parsed the data, we found these subgroups who also said yes: 57% of women ages 18 to 24, 68% of parents, 75% of moms and 70% of people ages 25 to 34 who make more than $50,000 a year.

Moms and dads are more likely to be in favor of the national holiday. It would mean starting the holiday season with family time and getting a head start on buying the gifts Santa will give.

How We Got Here:

In 1863, Thanksgiving was named a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. As of 1932, retailers traditionally waited until the day after Thanksgiving for Christmas advertisements. But in the 1950s, the police in Philadelphia began using the term “Black Friday” to describe the many suburban shoppers who would travel into the city after Thanksgiving. Worried that Black Friday had negative connotations and that people would stop coming into the city to shop, there was an effort to rebrand the term in 1961.

By the 1980s, the event was becoming more widespread, but retailers in Cincinnati and Los Angeles were still unaware of the term in 1985. In the year 2000, a phenomenon called “Christmas creep” began, and stores started to ignore the unwritten rule to wait until after Thanksgiving to promote holiday shopping. Notably, Lowe’s began setting up Christmas trees by Oct. 1. In 2008, the first Black Friday death occurred when a stampede of Black Friday shoppers trampled a worker at a Long Island Wal-Mart. Just as holiday sales were being advertised earlier to capture more shoppers, the stores were opening their doors earlier and earlier. In the late 2000s, they opened on Friday at 4 or 5 a.m. In 2011, stores were opening at midnight. It jumped to 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day in 2012 and 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day in 2014. Recently, sales have begun early Thanksgiving morning.

With the country’s economic policy committed to growth, Black Friday as a national holiday would allow more people to take advantage of the holiday shopping day, which would result in greater success for the retail industry.

Sources:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/9-stats-about-black-friday-that-will-blow-your-min..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/21/black-friday-shopper-statistics…
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/11/black_friday_2014_by_the_numbers.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Friday_(shopping)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)
http://money.cnn.com/2014/11/28/news/black-friday-history/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_creep
http://blackfridaydeathcount.com/
https://nrf.com/media/press-releases/thanksgiving-weekend-shopping…
https://nrf.com/sites/default/files/2015%20NRF%20HSK_102015_Final.pdf
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2015/11/29/151-million-people-shopped-over-black-friday-weekend/

November 20, 2016

The Latest Black Friday Trends You Can’t Miss

Black Friday is one of the most anticipated days of the year for many a savvy shopper. With crazy deep discounts on the hottest merchandise, you can see why this day after Thanksgiving has become a veritable holiday in its own right. It’s the ideal opportunity to check off everything on your wish list. We’re all waiting to see this year’s Black Friday ads and check out what’s in store. In the meantime, here’s a list of some of this year’s most popular Black Friday trends. Get ready to plan ahead for the biggest shopping day of the year while getting Cash Back with Ebates.

Get in the Game

Black Friday 2016 is going to be a good one for gamers. Some Black Friday experts are suggesting that the release of the Xbox One S, and the rumored release of Sony’s PlayStation Neo, along with the discontinuation of Xbox 360s and Disney Infinity, will lead to major steals on various gaming consoles. Consumers anticipate that The Xbox One bundle will be on sale for a deep discount at Walmart.

There is also a host of remastered video games to be released. Titles include Bethesda, Call of Duty: Infinite, and Pokémon Sun and Moon, suggesting that games will be a major Black Friday focal point.

Teeming With Toys

Recently, Toys ‘R’ Us and Walmart released their lists of some of the hottest toys of 2016.

Some of the items sure to light up the faces of many a child this Christmas include the Paw Patrol Zoomer Marshall, Shopkins Tall Mall Storage Case, Num Noms Lip Gloss Truck, the SelfieMic Music Set, Dreamworks Animation’s Trolls Hug Time Poppy Doll, Hatchimals, the Light ‘n Go 3-in-1 Activity Walker, Little Live Pets Snuggles My Dream Puppy, PJ Masks Headquarter Playset, Pokémon Z-Ring Set with glow, Power Wheels Wild Thing, Star Wars Interactech Stormtrooper Figure and the Think and Learn Code-a-pillar.

While most are variations on the classics, there are also a couple of new items on the toy scene: drones. Two of the hottest toys of 2016 are the the Sky Viper v2400 HD Streaming Drone with FPV Headset and the Nerf N-Strike Elite Terrascout RC Drone Blaster.

Excellent Electronics

As usual, electronics are likely going to be some of the most sought-after Black Friday items nationwide. Traditionally, flat-screen TVs are a huge seller on Black Friday. This year will likely follow suit, particularly with flat-screen HD and smart TVs. Rumor has it that Best Buy will have some such items on sale in the $500 range for name-brand models and in the $200 range for off-brand.

In addition, laptops and tablets are always huge on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday. One of the projected hits this year is a 15.6-inch HP laptop with 4GB RAM, 500 GB hard drive and Intel Pentium-class processor from Walmart.

Apple is always one of the heavy hitters as well. Items like iPhones, tablets and laptops will be on the top of many a shopper’s list. Predictions expect Amazon to offer some major steals on Amazon Fire TV, Echo and Fire tablets.

Fabulous Fashions

As Heidi Klum reminds us each season on “Project Runway,” fashion can be fickle. “One day you’re in, the next you’re out.” However, Black Friday offers an excellent opportunity to stock up on the mainstays while also snagging the latest trends to grace the pages of style glossies.

Stores like Macy’s, ASOS, Nordstrom, Belk and Gap will stock up on the latest and greatest in hot looks. You’ll want to keep an eye out for deals on hot trend pieces like striped fitted sweaters, knee-high boots and leather skinnies.

November 17, 2016

Gift Guide: 9 of the Hottest Tech Gifts of 2016

Everyone has at least one tech lover in her life—the one with an app for everything, a gadget to help with menial tasks and a digital solution to every conceivable problem. Since she’s always ahead of the curve, finding an interesting tech gift that both surprises and delights can be difficult. To help make your shopping a little less daunting, we’ve put together a list of the hottest tech gifts around, all available for unbeatable prices with Cash Back from Ebates!

Belkin WeMo Smart Switch 2-Pack, $64.95

No more stumbling through the dark after switching off the lights! This handy device lets you control any switch in the house with a phone or tablet.

Echo Dot, $49.99

A cute-as-a-button take on the Echo Bluetooth speaker, the Echo Dot is on every hot tech gift list of 2016.

Wacom Bamboo Notepad, $129.95

For the creative techies in your life, this pad can instantly transfer sketches or drawings onto a phone or tablet and store them in digital form.

Tile Mate, $29.99

We all have that friend who can’t find a thing she owns, even when it’s sitting right in front of her. This device slips easily into purses and attaches to keychains, so her phone, key or wallet is never more than a ring away.

Instax SHARE Wireless Printer, $191.99

The polaroid device of the future, this pocket printer will instantly print photos taken on smartphones or tablets. And it comes in cute designs!

Roku Ultra, $129

This upgrade to the classic Roku streaming device includes 4K and HDR picture quality and a convenient lost-remote finder for those with tech-swallowing couches.

Bose SoundSport Wireless Headphones, $149

These nondescript headphones pack Bose-quality sound without messing with your hairstyle or disturbing your workout. The well-designed earbuds easily fit in purses, wallets and pockets.

Kohler Moxie Showerhead With Bluetooth Capability, $149.95

Perfect for shower singers, this Bluetooth shower head lets you stream music from your smartphone or tablet without the clunk of a waterproof speaker. Sleek, right?

Texting Gloves, $18.99

With winter approaching, no outfit is complete without these gloves. Instead of removable fingertips, these come with tips specifically designed for touchscreen surfaces.

November 16, 2016

Where to Buy the Hottest Black Friday Items of 2016

Black Friday is just around the corner, and this year’s shopping extravaganza promises to be a great one. We are all eagerly awaiting the release of this year’s ads, but in the meantime, check out this list of go-to stores anticipated to carry the hottest items in apparel, electronics, and toys. For some awesome additional deals on Black Friday and year-round, be sure to shop through Ebates for Cash Back and exclusive coupons.

Apparel

According to Wallethub.com, JCPenney topped the charts in terms of Black Friday discounts in 2015, with an average discount rate of 68%. That’s nearly three-quarters off! Last year, JCPenney offered some mega sales on popular brands like Nike and St. John’s Bay, as well as fine jewelry.

Not far behind in terms of sales was Stage, which had an average discount in 2015 of 63.9%. Stage carries a ton of big name brands, including Puma, Fila, Madden Girl, Betsey Johnson, Kensie, and Adidas.

Belk was also high on the list, with an average discount rate of 59.5%. Belk serves up hot fashion Southern-style and is sure to offer some amazing deals on some or all of the major lines it carries. These include Coach, Dooney and Bourke, and Frye, as well as Michael by Michael Kors, to name a few.

As always, Macy’s was also near the top when it came to Black Friday discounts. With its legendary doorbusters, the mainstay store rang in an average discount of 56%.

With iconic brands like Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Chanel, among many others, this is a spot not to be missed if you’re looking to revamp your wardrobe with a Black Friday shopping spree.

Electronics

Best Buy has made a name for itself as one of the biggest electronics stores, and for good reason. They’ve got awesome deals year-round, and especially killer sales during the Black Friday to Cyber Monday week.

Year after year, Walmart has solidified that reputation with wicked deals on some of the year’s best tech items like laptops and flat screen TVs. In 2015, some of the most sought-after Black Friday items included Samsung and Toshiba HD TVs, Amazon Fire tablets, Samsung Galaxy phones, and the iPad Air.

Walmart will also more than likely be a smart stop for anyone looking to buy game consoles or games, both of which are expected to have some sweet deals on the Black Friday market this year.

If you’re in the market for a particular game or console, you’ll also want to keep an eye on GameStop, which, in 2015, offered an average discount of 29.2%. Specializing in everything gaming, this store is sure to have the latest and best available.

According to Wallethub.com, in 2015, Panasonic had an average discount rate of 47%, higher than the overall discount average for Walmart, which was 33.5%. This electronics store will likely come in once again as a close second in terms of the popularity of its Black Friday sale. Check this store for items like TVs, cameras, and home and office electronics equipment.

Kohl’s, with an average discount of 66.7% in 2015, is also an excellent stop for home entertainment items, including flat screen TVs. One of the best things about these two stores is that each is also a one-stop shop where you can snag some awesome deals on everything on your list, from home goods to apparel.

Toys

When it comes to kids’ toys, Toys ‘R’ Us continues to come out on top in terms of carrying the greatest variety of must-have items for playtime fun. In 2015, the store offered an average discount rate of 28.9%.

Recently, Toys ‘R’ Us released its list of some of the hottest toys of 2016, all, or at least many, of which are sure to be available for a discount during the Black Friday holiday. With brands like Shopkins, NERF, Power Wheels, and Pokémon, they’re definitely a must-watch.

Target, which came in last year with an average discount of 37.3%, is also expected to have some sweet discounts on the year’s most-beloved playthings. Like Kohl’s, Target offers the bonus of also carrying multiple other items in home goods and apparel, so you can check a number of things off your shopping list in one go. The store is currently advertising brands including Our Generation, Star Wars, and Lego, among many more.

November 15, 2016

Top Toys Gift Guide: Best Selling Toys of 2016

From Toys R US to Target, retailers this year pulled out all the stops by creating some of the most inventive and curious kids toys on the market. There are eggs that hatch into blended animals, caterpillars that teach kids to code, and mini-trucks that dispense flavored lipgloss. With an endless array of gift ideas for kids, finding that popular or educational toy for your child is tough. Luckily, we have curated a list of this year’s top toys for kids – complete with Cash Back at Ebates — so you can focus on perfecting your holiday season!

Hatchimals, $49.99

The hottest new toy on the market, this furry little creature is a surprise until it hatches, keeping your kids guessing until the first crack.

Go! Go! Smart Friends Enchanted Princess Palace, $39.99

Spanning more than four feet wide, this beautiful play set comes with all the ballrooms and baubles to make your child’s princess palace dreams come true.

Sky Viper V2400HD Streaming Video Drone, $99.99

Let your kid show off her filming skills with this high flying drone. Up, up, and away!

Shopkins Happy Places Miniature Decor with Popette and Puppy Parlor Petkins – Happy Home, $25.99

Bursting with cute furniture, happy Shoppies, and adorable Petkins, this puppy parlor toy will keep the kiddies endlessly entertained.

Doc McStuffins Hospital Care Cart, $37.99

Perfect for all the little doctors-to-be, this top toy comes with a light and sound patient scanner, a talking EKG area, and even its own patient, Findo.

Paw Patrol Monkey Temple Play Set, $59.49

Complete with lights, sounds, a trap door, and Mandy the Monkey, this play set takes jungle adventures to new heights.

Little Live Pets My Dream Puppy, $49.99

No slobber, shedding, or barking! Just maximum cuteness. This fully interactive little puppy will melt your heart.

Num Noms Lip Gloss Truck, $27.99

What could be cuter than a mini lip gloss maker? A mini lipgloss-making ice cream truck, of course! Pick your favorite flavors, blend with glitter dust, and serve. Yum!

Speak Out Game, $19.99

This game takes Chubby Bunny to hilarious new levels with its mouthpiece challenge games. Even your teenagers will like it.

Shopkins Tall Mall Playset, $24.99

When your Shoppies get bored of their Happy Homes, they can pop over to the mall, complete with a food court and home & garden section. Adorable!

Fisher Price Code-A-Pillar, $37.96

Start your kids coding careers early with this little bug’s removable coded parts.

FurReal Friends Torch My Blazin Dragon, $62.42

With over 50 sounds and motions, this fluffy fire breather will light play time up. Literally.

Simon Air Game, $14.99

Who knew this thing was still around? This revamped version has even more features with motion sensors to swoop up high scores.

Furby Connect Friend, $89.99

More terrifyingly adorable than ever before, the newest version of Furby features a light-up antenna that connects to smartphones for music and videos.

CHiP the Lovable Robot Dog, $199.99

This uniquely programed pup responds to your kid’s personal play style, so no two pups are ever alike.

Star Wars First Order TIE Pilot Sixth Scale Figure, $219.95

For all the little star wars fanatics, this TIE Pilot action figure comes with full battle gear and its own hex stand.

November 13, 2016

90’s Throwback: Black Friday 1996

Ah, the ‘90s. The era of bucket hats, butterfly clips, the first Macintosh computers, “Friends,” and phones made for the sole purpose of actually making calls. A lot has changed in the decades since, and Black Friday is no exception.

Though the biggest sale day of the year has always drawn hearty crowds of savings-hungry shoppers, the craze of the holiday has increased tenfold in the past two decades. What was once a day of wildly low prices on the year’s most-wanted items is now a cultural phenomenon spanning an entire week, with its cousin Cyber Monday immediately following.

In 1996, we could watch the morning news broadcast live interviews with those few dedicated shoppers camped outside of electronics stores, determined to be the first to grab one of a limited stock of coveted Macintosh computers or Nintendo 64s.

This year, we’ll scroll through Twitter to see online versions of local news broadcasts showing interviews with scores of similar dedicated Black Friday veterans, though they’re more likely to be awaiting a chance to snag a new 50-inch TV, or an Apple product exponentially more advanced than that of its ’96 predecessors.

To see just how much things have really changed, check out this list of comparisons between Black Friday ads and sales in 1996 to projected Black Friday ads in 2016.

Electronics

Not only did technology — and the world — not come to a screeching halt in the year 2000, but the world’s fascination with and reliance upon technological innovation has increased tenfold in the years since.

Aside from the aforementioned Macintosh desktop, some of the other biggest electronics buys in ’96 were the 1.2 GB hard drive ($220 after rebate); the Motorola flip phone (free with contract); the Walkman (between $15 and $60); the 4MB memory upgrade ($30); 28.8 kbps modem ($280); 13-inch TV with built-in VCR ($300); CD Rom drive ($150); pagers ($70); and the Packard Bell desktop computer ($1,467 after rebate).

This year’s list of most-wanted tech items looks pretty similar to that from 1996, though much more advanced. Although most Black Friday 2016 ads aren’t live yet, there are some predictions based on previous years and current sales. According to TheBlackFriday.com, one of the hottest items on sale at Best Buy right now is the LG 55-inch 4K Ultra Smart HD TV, which may also be a Black Friday favorite. In 1996, we could barely fathom a smart TV, let alone an ultra-smart one. Also, some Black Friday aficionados are suggesting drones will be a big hit this year, though these are a bit of a wild card.

Games

Games, too, are traditionally a huge draw for Black Friday shoppers. In 1996, besides the Nintendo 64, the Sega Saturn was a major deal, selling for $200. The Super Game Boy was advertised at $40, as were PlayStation games. And lest we forget, before there were smartphone apps like Pokémon Go, there was the Tamagotchi, which, in ’96, sold for just a few weeks’ allowance, or $15.

This year, some Black Friday experts are suggesting the release of the Xbox One S and the rumored release of Sony’s PlayStation Neo, along with the discontinuation of Xbox 360s and Disney Infinity, will lead to major steals on gaming consoles. There are also a host of remastered video games about to be released, such as Bethesda, Call of Duty: Infinite, and Pokémon Sun and Moon, leading many to suggest that games will be a major Black Friday focal point.

Toys

Of course, no Black Friday would be complete without a mad dash to the toy aisle for the season’s most beloved toy. In 1996, the champions of children’s hearts everywhere were by far the Tickle Me Elmo doll and Beanie Babies. As for the latter, these were also a big hit with many teens and adults, rumored to gain significant value over time.

Today, some of the hottest toys of 2016, as named by Walmart, include the Nerf N-Strike Elite HyperFire Blaster, Razor Scooter, Paw Patrol Zooming Marshall, and the Sky Viper Streaming Drone. No word yet on which of these will be available for deep Black Friday discounts, but it’s likely the drone won’t be the only one flying off the shelves.

Entertainment

When it comes to pop culture, though the faces have changed, our hunger for it has stayed the same. While most of us nowadays watch TV and movies from our computers or flat-screens, back in ‘96 the wide-screen TV marked the dawn of a new era. Some of the hottest Black Friday deals on movies included films like “Forrest Gump,” “True Lies,” and “Braveheart” available from $9.99 to $15.95—or about the price of one month’s subscription to Netflix. When it came to the still-popular VHS, some of the coolest buys were “Buffy,” “Young Frankenstein,” “The Good Son” and “Alien Nation,” all on sale for $5.99 a piece.

This year, predictions for some hot entertainment buys include DVDs of popular movies like “Anchorman 2” and “Magic Mike XXL” on Blu-Ray for $9.72. You’ll also be able to grab titles like “The Walking Dead” and “True Detective”—full box sets for about $10 each.

Clearly, Black Friday has changed quite a bit over the past 20 years, but our love of shopping will never end.