Cyber Monday is one of the exciting shopping events of the year. Retailers and brands offer many deals to give shoppers an enriching experience. From newly launched products to best-sellers of the year, everything goes for sale at marked-down prices. But with millions of shoppers flocking to online stores, it’s essential to have a strategy to make the most of it. Here are ten hacks to help navigate online sales to have the best Cyber Monday ever.

Check last year’s sale prices
Checking last year’s sale prices can be a useful hack. This is because it will help to predict the bargains that will be on offer. By checking the previous year’s catalog, it is possible to know which products may have the biggest deals this year too.

Set price alerts
In the frenzy of shopping, it can be easy to miss out on deals on some top products. To avoid this, make use of price drop alerts. Many online retailers have this feature on their websites. In addition, several free plugins are available that keep track of price fluctuations. These send out reminders and alerts through email or text messages, whence there is a drop in the price of the item.

Plan ahead
With a plethora of discounts available to shoppers, it can be easy to be overwhelmed. There can be much confusion as to which deals to purchase and which to let go. Additionally, it’s easy to be tempted by high discounts and end up buying things that are not necessary, resulting in a waste of time and money. To make the best use of this shopping extravaganza, it is recommended to plan before the sales start. Make a list of all products required for home, personal use, or gifting purposes during the holidays.

Start out with free shipping deals
Make a list of retailers who are sure to offer free shipping during the sale day. When Cyber Monday starts, head over to these sites. Make sure that free shipping is offered on entire purchases. Also, check for websites that do not have any minimum purchase requirement for free shipping offers. Finally, apply coupon codes to get more savings.

Bookmark favorite retailers’ websites
During the holiday shopping season, the best deals are often only available for a limited time, sometimes only 12 to 24 hours. Some discounts are so irresistible that products sell out in minutes. So a great hack to grab the best deal on favorite products is to bookmark the retailer websites. For example, if an iPad needs to be purchased through Best Buy, bookmark the product page. This way, it is easier to navigate to the deal quickly.

Abandon the cart a few days before Cyber Monday
This simple hack uses the algorithm of retailer websites to one’s advantage. Right before Cyber Monday starts, head over to any of the favorite retailers. Add some products from the shopping list to the cart. Then abandon the cart without making any payments. This will trigger a few coupon codes to land in one’s email account. This hack uses online retailers’ engagement strategy to bring back shoppers to complete their purchases.

Sign up for newsletters
Retailers and brands start their marketing campaigns a few weeks before Cyber Monday. These ads give a good idea about what offers and scouts shoppers can look forward to. From free shipping to early-bird offers, everything can be known beforehand. Also, many brands send exclusive discounts to those who subscribe to their newsletter or become members of an exclusive circle of shoppers. So to get ahead of the rush of shoppers, make sure to subscribe to newsletters of online retailers and brands before Cyber Monday.

Create membership accounts and save details
Most online retailers require shoppers to create accounts. While some allow guest logins, creating accounts make the shopping experience more seamless. Also, saving details such as payment options, delivery address, phone number, and email addresses makes the process all the more easier. So to save precious time during the busy shopping frenzy, create user accounts on favorite retailer websites before the shopping season starts. This will make it easier to log in quickly, add products to the cart, and checkout without any hassles.

Use mobile apps
Many brands and retailers offer exclusive deals on their mobile apps. These include free shipping, BOGO offers, exclusive coupon codes, and flash sales. To access these, download the mobile applications of preferred online retailers and favorite brands.

Secure the online payments
Cyber Monday offers several exciting deals. To keep the joy of shopping intact throughout the sale day, prioritize online security as well. Take precautions to avoid any scammers getting hold of personal data or bank details. Always shop through reputable websites with secure checkout options. Use credit cards or digital wallets with additional fraud protection to make payments.