MintStyle with Rachel Weingarten: The Best of the Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales

If you’re reading this, chances are good that as much as you love the turkey, trimmings and time with family, you’re already secretly plotting the best holiday shopping plan of attack.

To save you time crowded against thousands of other sweaty shoppers, I’ve sifted through a mountain of Black Friday (November 23^rd) and Cyber Monday (November 26^th) deals to offer some of the ones worth looking into.

Instead of regaling you with statistics about the biggest shopping day of the year, I’ll get right to the good stuff.

Fashion

Ecco: Known for stylish and comfortable shoes and trendy accessories, the retailer will be offering 25% of all handbags and leather items (iPhone cases, iPad cases, and wallets), 40% off select shoes and free shipping on all orders.

On Cyber Monday, take 60% off over 80 styles of heels, flats, boots and more (including these adorable animal print ballerina flats).

Zappos: The site is offering Black Friday upgrades to VIP Membership between 12:00 am and midnight where customers can earn double points during that time for purchases, reviews, sharing items with friends. Best of all, you can use your double points on Cyber Monday to redeem special products, including the I “heart” VIP shoe bag.

Coastal.com: The eyewear company begins an entire week of special offers with frames up to 60% off plus free shipping and handling. Orders placed between Black Friday and Cyber Monday receive a free coatings bundle on any eyeglasses purchase.

Look for daily specials, including lens upgrades, transition lenses and progressives during Cyber Week.

Bella Bag: This is a great resource for authentic, pre-loved, luxury bags, and is offering 20% off the entire site.

AccessoryArtists.com: The site dedicated to indie and unique accessories will be offering an amazing 40% off of plus free shipping on all purchases.

Fitness

BodyMedia: This line of armbands helps you to keep fitness and weight loss goals on track — even during the holiday season. These make an amazing gift for anyone on your list trying to meet and/or keep their fitness goals. Best deal: The Link, which is normally $149.00 will be on sale for $119.00.

Sports Authority: The sports retailer will open for the first time at midnight on Friday, November 23 and will feature Black Friday doorbuster deals that will be available until 3PM on Friday (including 25% off of Under Armour hoodies for men and women).

Home

Sears: This retail giant offers a whole suite of holiday savings including early Black Friday deals. Shop Your Way members can shop Thanksgiving and Black Friday doorbusters online all this week at www.Sears.com/members, for pick-up in-store only, while quantities last.

The more than 1,000 doorbusters and two rounds of doorbusters (8 p.m. Thanksgiving and 4 a.m. Black Friday) include a 32-inch HDTV for just $97 and $1,000 off on a Kenmore 27 cu. ft. stainless steel refrigerator. 

Crock-Pot: There are some seriously delicious deals including their Red Cook & Carry Slow Cooker (Reg. $39.99) on sale on Black Friday for $24 + Free Shipping. On Cyber Monday, the  Countdown Designer Series Slow Cooker will be only $35 (reg. $69.99).

Art.com and Allposters.com: The two sites are teaming up for holiday savings: Friday – November 23th: 25% off of everything on both sites, Cyber Monday: 30% off, and National Free Shipping Day on December 17th: Free Shipping + 20% off.

Tech

NewEgg: The tech discount site isn’t limiting their sales to a few days. Visit them for a full rundown on all November discounts.

Marware: This company makes great cases for your tech toys (including an armband for your iPod Touch that doubles as a stand) and will be offering 30% off all purchases Black Friday through Cyber Monday.

Lakeshore: The educational toy, game and other learning tools retailer will be giving away a free Lakeshore software title with any purchase before noon on 11/23 (in-store).

Spa/Travel

Canyon Ranch (Tucson, AZ and Lenox, MA): The resort that is synonymous with luxury and pampering is offering a 20% bonus on a purchase of any gift certificate of $250 or more.

Fontainebleau (Miami Beach): From midnight on November 26th and lasting until 11:59 PM that night, save 50% when you book a stay (be sure to stop in at the over-the-top luxurious Lapis Spa).

Trump Hotel Collection: The company is offering 30% off all suites that are booked on Nov. 23 and Nov. 26, 2012 only and for stays Jan. 1-March 31, 2013 at all Trump Hotel Collection properties. Reservations must be made online only at www.trumphotelcollection.com/suitespecial.

Howard Johnson: For one day only on November 28, nicknamed Orange Wednesday, consumers can save 50 percent off the rate of an upcoming day when they book an upcoming stay of up to three consecutive nights at any of 50 participating Howard Johnson hotels throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Misc.

PetSmart: The popular pet supply chain will be offering up to 50% off some of their more popular items including pet costumes that won’t make Fido cringe.

Holmes: All products will be 20% off site wide, including free shipping. Deal good from 11/22 – 11/25.

Medical ID Marketplace: Create fashionable medical accessories that can easily pass as everyday pieces and will only stand out to medical professionals in case of emergency (each bracelet can be customized with an engraving on the back to alert EMT’s of medical conditions).

On Cyber Monday you’ll receive 20% off everything on the site.

Other Deals

Small Business Saturday: This great concept of supporting small and local businesses was conceptualized and created by credit card titan American Express.

In a nutshell, register on the site (registration is limited) to enroll your American Express card and on Novemer 24^th, get $25.00 back on one purchase of $25.00 or more at participating small business locations.

Brookstone: The cool gadget retailer rewards you for shopping throughout the month of November. Spend $99 and earn $20 in Brookstone Bucks to apply toward any purchase online or in stores between November 27 and December 29.

Start off Safe

Before you even start to shop, cyber security expert Bob Bunge offers some online shopping safety tips:

• Use only one form of payment – a credit card. Putting your debit card information online opens up details to your checking account. Also consider using sites with the PayPal and VeriSign icons.
• Never shop on an open Wi-Fi network. If it’s open, your information is open. That means no coffee shop or airport shopping backgrounds.
• Never store personal information or your credit card details online. Once you post your private information or passwords, thieves might be to access your card.

Stay tuned for the MintStyle holiday gift guide coming in the next few weeks!

Rachel Weingarten is thankful to connect with all of you every week. Happy Thanksgiving! Connect with Rachel online at her new gift etiquette and ideas site http://rachelpresents.com or on Twitter @rachelcw Write to Rachel with your burning style questions at mintstylerachel [at] gmail.com.