5 things you should look into buying after Christmas
Posted by Scott Simonsen
Posted by Scott Simonsen
If you thought Christmas shopping was over when December 25 hit, then you'd be wrong. After-Christmas sales are becoming more popular every year, providing one more opportunity to score awesome deals before the season is done.
Despite the name, we saw sales begin as early as December 22 last year, with Home Depot leading the charge. (There are even bound to be a handful that offer shipping in time for Christmas.) However, even though a few sales did kick off before the actual holiday, the bulk of after-Christmas deals will still fall between now and New Year's Eve.
However you plan to shop, here are five items that will be the best things to buy during after-Christmas sales.
Clothing deals dominate after Christmas, as we typically see some of the best sales of the year during this time; often these sales match or even beat Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers.
For example, last year, Aeropostale boasted 80% off; Tory Burch brought back its best extra-percent off discount; and Eddie Bauer had its best-ever coupon. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. If you opened a ton of gift cards for the holidays, this would be a great time to ensure your dollar goes further.
Many clothing stores will match their Black Friday sales, resulting in extremely cheap prices like coats for as low as $5 and vests for free.
When perusing these sales, take special note of the handful of individual items that see incredibly steep discounts. For example, last year Eddie Bauer offered a vest for free (plus $8 for shipping) and dropped a jacket to only $5. Both are exceptionally cheap, particularly for that brand. Definitely scan each after-Christmas clothing sale for these rock-bottom prices.
About 18% to 19% of the fitness deals we saw last year were Editors' Choice picks. That doesn't sound like much, but it's worth checking out, especially if you have New Year's resolutions you want to jump on.
Two particularly noteworthy sales included one from adidas Golf, which brought back their Black Friday sale, and another from Amazon, which took up to 43% off exercise equipment. Beyond that, look for discounts on specific items, like weight sets priced at $15, and resistance band sets dropping to $20.
If you want to outdo the Griswolds, you'll need to plan for next year. Instead of stocking up on holiday lights and inflatable snowmen before the holidays, wait until December 26. Yes, there's a chance they could hit the sales racks early, before Santa even loads his sleigh. Last year Home Depot provided an excellent chance to snag last-minute items to turn your home into a winter wonderland.
But even if you manage to grab excellent Christmas decor deals before December 24, odds are you won't be able to leave the decorations up for long. So why not wait a few more days, when the sales are more likely to be even better because the holiday is over? You can revel in that smug sense of satisfaction while you deck the halls with savings (and everyone else is paying full price).
Without fail, there are always a ton of deals on video games after Christmas. In fact, last year, about 36% of the deals we saw were designated Editors' Choice. If you're into PC gaming, the Steam Winter Sale is a great opportunity to stock up. And since it lasts longer than the Autumn Sale around Black Friday, you have more of a chance to snag the titles you're interested in. Plus, Amazon tends to drop prices as well in order to compete.
SEE ALSO: When Does the Steam Winter Sale Start?
If, on the other hand, you prefer console gaming, look for GameStop's end-of-year sale. It usually offers the chance to buy two used items and get a third one for free. (Plus, you can typically bag free shipping on orders of $25.)
While last year saw fewer Editors' Choice deals on electronics during after-Christmas sales, it's still a good time to keep your eyes peeled for the gadget of your choice. You can expect to see noteworthy deals on refurbished items; last year, for example, we saw the lowest prices of the year on refurbished iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and 6s models. (They were all between $200 and $400.)
There are definitely deals to be had on new phones as well, especially if you prefer Androids. Last year, Best Buy offered the Motorola Moto Z again at its Black Friday price of $4.99 per month ($120), while B&H Photo Video offered a Huawei Honor 8 bundle at its best price. Bundles were popular and included everything from headphones and accessory kits to cases and, surprisingly, coffee makers.
Budding photographers will appreciate the chance to snag great deals on cameras once Christmas wraps up, too. About 23% of camera deals last year were Editors' Choice picks. Even January had notable offers, with a Canon bundle that fell to $395 after a rebate. Later in the month, refurb Nikon bundles dropped to only $319.
The days after Christmas also proved to be a great time to upgrade your entertainment options. Last year, prepaying for three months of DirecTV Now service earned a free Apple TV, and it was an excellent time to finally buy the TiVo. Amazon also had the Roamio 1TB DVR with lifetime service at the best price we'd seen. We expect to see similar deals this year.