Holiday Shopping Tips II
The last issue on holiday shopping tips was so popular I decided to do a follow up to it. We're now in the "official" holiday season so here's some more ways to get the best bargain on your car stereo equipment (also applies to many items in general). There is some overlap with the last issue but most of it is new.
Local Bargains (new)
Keep checking the local flyers to see what the big box retailers are putting on sale. You'll usually find these flyers in the Sunday paper. Some chains also post the local sales online. The best sales are usually the day after Thanksgiving. This is known as Black Friday because the stores financial books go into the black (profitable) from the spike in sales. However there are many other sales that happen between then and the end of the year.
You might also call around to the local specialty car stereo shops and see if they plan to run any promotions. Most do, some don't. Usually they want to cash in on the holiday hype too. Don't waste their time on the phone asking about everything that's on sale. You can ask questions like, "Are you going to have X brand CD players on sale?".
Online Bargains (repeated from last issue)
Holiday bargains are a little easier to find online but may not be as good as those advertised in the sale flyers. But it's still worth checking the "big box" retailer's websites to see what they have to offer.
Crutchfield has several areas of their site that offer good deals. The main categories are sale items, outlet items and scratch and dent items. The sale items are just that. The outlet merchandise is customer returns and is discounted 10% if I remember right. The scratch and dent section contains returns and merchandise that may have been damaged in shipment. You'll find the best deals here. Even though the category says scratch and dent I have yet to find damage on equipment I've purchased. It's usually minor though it could be more severe. It's your call on whether you want to shop this category.
You should also keep an eye out for the term "special purchase". This is often a factory buyout by the retailer that will get you good merchandise at a fraction of the cost.
eBay (new)
eBay is a good place to go during the holiday season for two major reasons. First, the competition drives prices down for many popular items. Second, everyone needs money during the holidays to pay for gifts, travel, and year end bills. This means a lot of people will be trying to unload their equipment to get this extra cash. That means bargains for you. Keep your eye out for "Buy It Now" prices that are lower than they should be. This usually means the seller needs cash and is selling below the products value. Your best bet is to check several times a day and sort the listings by "Newly Listed".
The Car Audio Help DVD catalog includes five different videos covering many areas of car audio installation and custom fabrication. Topics range from basic system installation (head units, CD changers, amps, speakers, etc.) and mobile security (car alarms and remote start) to subwoofer box design and fiberglass fabrication. If you're interested in custom fabrication and car audio installation be sure to check out what we have to offer.
Click here to see the discount DVD packages
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