Five Ways to Use Your Smartphone While Shopping This Holiday Season
Smartphones are ubiquitous and likely to be involved in your holiday season shopping. Seriously, even your mom has an iPhone. And if she doesn't, you might have more gifting to do this year than you bargained for. That said, the use for a smartphone is changing the way people are picking out gifts. It's making us smarter, thriftier, and even more thoughtful. So let's cut to the chase. Here are five ways you should use your smartphone while holiday shopping this year.
Find the Best Prices
This is possibly the most obvious one (and the only method with its own nickname, "showrooming"), but a lot of people don't think about it. Comparing the price of gifts in department stores can help keep you within budget during the economy boost that is your ritual holiday shopping spree. God knows, you don't want to overspend on your kids, when you're saving for a spring break vacation with a future (petty) tax return. Use apps like Google Shopper to compare prices on all your intended purchases. This can be especially helpful when you keep in mind stores with price match guarantees like Best Buy, where "Best Buy will match the price if you find a lower price on an identical available product at a local retail competitor's store or at BestBuy.com."
Stay on Top of Your Shopping List
Making a list isn't very hard these days, but it's pretty easy to leave a hard copy at home. Just imagine yourself, finally finding a parking spot and fighting your way through the crowds of shoppers when you realize you left that piece of paper with the list of what Santa is supposed to bring in your other pair of pants. Why not use your smartphone to keep track of what presents you have to buy? It's always with you! You can just type the list into your phone's default notepad program. Or better yet, you can use one of the millions of apps to help manage your list and even stay within your budget. A good one is the Santa's Bag app to keep track of things you want for the best prices. Keep track of recipients, budgets, wish lists and more. Just don't forget your phone in your other pants when you head out shopping! Avilable for iOS.
Research Reviews/Quality Assurance on Potential Purchases
Is that the model that's compatible with the one have at home? Wait, is that really a good deal or just a hunk of junk? No one wants to trek and return that cool gadget back to the store or have that cheapo espresso machine backfire on Christmas morning because they didn't take the time to read the 40 1-star reviews. That's why you need ShopSavvy, yet another price comparison app for your pocket . You might be getting jaded, but ShopSavvy will give you the downlow on all those knockoffs you might buy to save some spare change. Even better, it's more crossplatform than the others listed, as it works on iOS and Android. Also, it has a bit of a different focus. Can't find the price you want at the store? Buy it online right from your smartphone in a straightforward process from any number of online retailers for the best deals in sight.
Keep Track of Your Family
All right, this one seems like a no brainer until you end up at the Mall of America on Black Friday, and your kids are at the theme park, Mom's at Macy's, and Dad? Where did Dad go? Keep your phones handy so you can call each other in case of a shopping emergency. Follow each other on FourSquare or twitter, then update your location regularly so no one gets lost in the crowd. If anything, collaborative shopping can be a real aid when getting in and out of a mall to the head of lines with good texting communication. "Checkout 4 at Target. We forgot the faux Uggs. Brown. Size 6. Hurry!"
Collect Points and Rewards
Shopping isn't just a melee sport these days with printed coupons. Now you can earn points, rewards, and discounts using smartphone apps; FourSquare and Shopkick to name a few. With Shopkick, the "most used shopping app", you get rewards just walking in the door. Head to Target, Macy's, Best Buy, Old Navy, and Crate & Barrel and get "shopkicks." You can even enter to win a Starbucks gift card to get your mall legs moving. 60 "kicks" is what most department stores give you for walking in and 500 can get you $2 gift cards.
Happy (and smart) shopping!
[Pic via Flickr - Jason Howle]
