Black Friday and Cyber Monday are now in the rear-view mirror. But the holiday shopping season isn’t over. Maybe you didn’t buy all the gifts you told yourself you’d shop for early. Maybe you did buy all the gifts on your list and are in the mood for some self-gifting. Maybe you’re hosting guests for the holidays and need to make sure your home is ready. Or maybe you’re traveling for the holidays and need a gift for the person hosting you.
Using our internal discount data, we calculated the average discounts December shoppers can expect in popular categories. Based on that, we’ve got your top categories to shop this month.
5 Things to Buy in December
Whatever you need to (or want to) buy in December, there are sales to shop and smart buys to make.
1. Computers & Electronics (Average Discount: 37% Off)
If you missed out on Black Friday, keep looking for tech deals in December. Retailers want you to buy laptops, smartwatches, phones, tablets, headphones, smart speakers, smart screens and other tech items as gifts, so they’ll price them to sell. In past years, we’ve seen Amazon replay some of its Black Friday greatest hits, offering steep discounts on its devices. And the end of the month will see some early New Year’s resolution sales on fitness trackers.
And the good news is that we’re not seeing the same supply chain issues and chip shortages this season that we saw in 2021, so that new gadget will likely arrive in time to go under the tree, even if you order it in December.
2. Health and Beauty (Average Discount: 34% Off)
Health and beauty is right at the intersection of gifting and self-care. So, whether you’re trying to find a gift for the beauty-product connoisseur in your life or restocking your own beauty drawer (or BOTH), expect Sephora, Ulta and department stores across the board to offer December deals on perfume and gift sets. And expect the price tag on anything holiday-themed to fall right at the last minute.
Smart shoppers will also look for free-gifts-with-purchase offers from beauty retailers, such as trial-sized goodies when you spend a certain amount.
Keep an eye on promo codes for beauty- and health-related subscription boxes, too, like Birchbox and FabFitFun.
Finally, remember that the end of December is when retailers start pushing New Year’s resolutions. So the days between Christmas and New Year’s Day are a great time to shop for home gym essentials. We have also noticed Peloton (which rarely offered discounts in the past) offering deals on equipment and packages over Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2022 — so be on the lookout during end-of-year sales.
3. Clothing (Average Discount: 20% Off)
Right at the end of the month, retailers tend to throw after-Christmas sales starring, among many other things, clothing. Just in time for self-gifting! Dillard’s is known for its after-Christmas and New Year deals. Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus usually throw sales events the last days of the year as well. And Saks Fifth Avenue becomes a treasure trove of designer finds. Top it all off at Net-A-Porter (we’ve spotted some great shoes on sale right after Dec. 25 in the past).
To maximize your savings, consider shopping winter clothing during these end-of-year sales. Retailers are already thinking about making room on their shelves for spring, so expect coats, boots and sweaters to be front and center. The selection will also be way less picked-through than it will be in January and February.
4. Gifts (Average Discount: 19% Off)
As December wears on, retailers will want to offload giftable items, so that they’re not left on their shelves come January. That doesn’t mean you should wait out deals on super-hot items, like gaming systems or the must-have toys of the year. But if you’re comfortable shopping in stores and flexible, you’ll find plenty of discounts near the last minute.
Top items to snag deals on: Toys, board games, general stocking stuffers, plush blankets, small countertop appliances, smartwatches and smart home gadgets. All these items are giftable, and retailers will want to entice you to buy them up.
Pro-level shopping tips include:
- Buying non-perishable items with holiday packaging and saving them for next year.
- Buying holiday-themed beauty sets and using them for yourself (sparkly eyeshadow in a snowflake-shaped container can be enjoyed year-round).
- Buying holiday gift baskets and popcorn tins and using them for your New Year’s Eve gathering.
5. Fine Jewelry (Average Discount: 14% Off)
Like clockwork, fine jewelry goes on sale after big gifting seasons, like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day … and Christmas. Diamond solitaire studs, tennis bracelets and pendants get pushed hard in the leadup to the holidays (you’re already seeing the commercials). And items left unsold right after Dec. 25 all get discounted up to 60% off for end-of-year sales. So get your Valentine’s Day gift early, or treat yourself by shopping jewelry sellers like Zales, Jared and Blue Nile, as well as department stores like Macy’s and Kohl’s.
More Tips for Shopping Smart in December
With holiday shipping deadlines and inflation looming, you’ll need to keep the following in mind if you’re shopping in December:
- Note shipping cutoffs: In December, retailers will start announcing their shipping deadlines — the dates you need to order by to ensure on-time delivery. Free shipping cutoffs will generally happen around the middle of the month, if not sooner, so make note if you don’t want to pay expedited shipping rates.
- Utilize free in-store and curbside pickup: Plenty of retailers offer buy online, pick up in store services, as well as curbside pickup. These are great options if you don’t want to rely on shipping, because you can often pick up your order the same day, as long as it’s in stock.
- Find gifts that don’t require shipping: Rather than buying physical items that need to be shipped, consider experience gifts, digital subscription gifts, gift cards and subscription boxes, all gifts that don’t rely on on-time shipping.
- Shop grocery stores’ and big-box retailers’ weekly ads, for savings on champagne, seasonal eats and more. Target has a particularly great weekly ad for savers, as it often throws in free gift cards with select grocery purchases.
- Buy gift cards from restaurants, get gift cards for free. During the holiday season, plenty of chain restaurants run promos where they throw in free $5 or $10 gift cards when you buy gift cards. So if you’re shopping for foodies, buy them a restaurant gift card and keep the free gift card for yourself.
- Pick up some holiday home goods for next year: Check out last-minute deals on holiday place settings, tree skirts, faux trees, festive dishware and centerpieces from home goods retailers. The prices will never be lower, and you can stash that stuff until it’s ready to come out (right after Halloween 2023).
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