Every month I team up with U.S. Cellular and share a little about my Samsung Galaxy S8 Smart Phone. This is one of those posts.
Lucky for me most of my Christmas shopping is done and most of it is already wrapped. I always have a thing or two that I need to do. Often I forgot something or need Hubby’s help to decide on a gift but most of my shopping is done. I, of course, have an idea to do a last minute gift but if it doesn’t happen, that’s no bid deal. It’s an added extra thing that I can always give as a Valentines goodie.
U. S. Cellular put together some great shopping advice for those of you who aren’t finished.
The 2016 online shopping season was one of the biggest yet, with $91.7 billion spent – an 11 percent increase from the previous year.
During this busy time smartphones can be utilized to simplify and enhance lives while also maximizing time and budgets when holiday shopping. According to U.S. Cellular’s annual consumer survey, nearly 60 percent of smartphone users have shopped online on their phones. I know our children do this all of the time!
Smartphones give us the opportunity to do our holiday shopping anywhere and everywhere. Whether in-store, at home, or on-the-go, our devices are utilized in every aspect of the process, from researching the right gift to making the final purchase.
Many people research before purchasing. Gone are the days of thumbing through thick catalogs for ideas. Smartphones make researching online and accessing customer reviews easy while on-the-go. Many apps offer rich visuals, videos and content for brainstorming. For example, Amazon has millions of product reviews, or users can search and create gift idea lists on Pinterest.
Avoid long check-out lines. The mobility of smartphones is one of their key benefits. Many consumers want to physically see and touch what they’re going to purchase, so visit stores to find a product, but actually make the purchase online to avoid long check-out lines. Many stores even allow for an item to be purchased online then picked up at the store for free.
Keep great lists. Nearly 70 percent of people are totally undecided or considering multiple gift options when starting holiday shopping, according to a 2016 Google Consumer Survey. To be more organized while out browsing, utilize the notes feature on your device or take photos of what you want to purchase for a loved one.
I’m off to bug Hubby about a gift that he has to make the decision on. If we are going to order it, I want to order it yet tonight. The clock is ticking and Christmas isn’t far away!!
The store’s smart phone apps are a big help, even if you’re not shopping online, Target’s app will tell me whether a particular item is in stock at my local store, AND exactly which aisle it’s on, complete with a map of the store. Saves me lots of time!