The holiday shopping season is once again upon us. Are you ready to be named Best Gift Giver this year – without even breaking a sweat?
Here at Greenworks, we’re here to help you create gifting strategies to make this holiday season stress-free – and dare we say fun? Check out our effortless gift suggestions and tips on tackling that To Do list – and embrace a chaos-free holiday this year!
1. Create a list.
First things first: who are you shopping for this year? Start with a brain dump of all the people on your list. Don’t forget to include tangential gifts that will fall under your jurisdiction (aka your wallet), like your work friend who always does the coffee run or the office Secret Santa pick.
Things to consider while creating an effective holiday shopping list:
- What’s your overall shopping budget?
- What’s your ballpark budget per person?
- Does this gift need to be shipped, or can you give it in person?
Once you’ve gotten those details ironed out, it’s on to the fun part: organizing your shopping list.
2. Organize the list.
Different types of organization works for different kinds of people. Maybe you love creating detailed spreadsheets – or perhaps you prefer a good old-fashioned paper list. There are even free gifting apps with gift tracking options like “need to buy” and “wrapped” to keep you on task. No matter what organizing style fits you best, pick a method and get to it.
Once you have that list out of your brain and into your preferred format, try breaking it into categories that feel natural. A few categorization suggestions include:
- How: Are you gifting in person or shipping items?
- When: Determine your timeline for having all gifts in hand for distribution.
- Who: Break out your list into groupings like family, teachers and friends.
3. Know Your Shopping Style.
Whether your dream is to admire beautifully-wrapped presents under the tree at least a week ahead of the holidays or hit up last-minute deals right before the big day, there’s no wrong way to shop – as long as you have a plan! Pick your strategy and get ready to rock it out.
Early holiday shopper? You know the drill.
If you’ve finished your holiday shopping before Remembrance Day is even over, you’ll be reaping benefits such as:
- Early deals: the early bird gets the worm – and often, you can get a great deal, too. Many shops are now offering holiday discounts as early as November 1st!
- Variety of inventory: The shelves are typically well-stocked for early shoppers, even those hard-to-find items.
- The ability to turn it off: You don’t need to pay attention to lightning deals, cyber sales or doorbusters – so toss those thick holiday catalogs straight into the recycling bin.
- Your holiday season is yours to enjoy: No last-minute stress here – you’re all done, wrapped and ready to take in all the wonder of the season.
Last-minute Christmas shoppers, unite.
There is a distinct crew of procrastinators who do their best shopping work under the tightest of deadlines. If shopping at the last minute is more of your vibe, we say go for it – with a few suggestions to help make this an effective gifting strategy:- Own that you’re procrastinating this year – and set a firm shopping deadline by X date. You can even make it a tradition and take off every December 22nd to hit every nearby mall.
- Keep an eye on shipping times. Cutting it too close to the final shipping date cutoff is a risky game – and even if you purchase in time, it doesn’t give wiggle room for factors out of your control, like bad weather or unforeseen shipping delays.
- Start thinking about gift ideas ahead of time. Even if you’re not ready to go out and purchase – or click “submit order” online – giving some casual thought to your gifting strategy will help you feel energized and ready to shop when it’s time.
- Last-minute sales: Sure, there are early-bird sales – but there are also plenty of last-minute deals to be had. Keep an eye out for last-minute sales – and make sure you’re following us on social media for Greenworks alerts to access the best one-day sales!
4. Good listeners are great gifters.
Thoughtful gift-givers are usually the best listeners. Try it out this year – when chatting with someone on your gift list, see if there are any spots where you can creatively solve a problem for them. Are their hands cold walking the dog? Maybe they’d enjoy a new pair of winter gloves. Not sleeping well? Perhaps a new set of sheets would be a welcome bedroom refresh. Constantly annoyed by the leaves on their deck? A Greenworks leaf blower might be just the ticket.
Solving a problem is also a great gifting strategy for reluctant gift receivers. If your spouse insists on only practical gifts, step outside the potentially boring gift zone and select something useful. Pick a new coffeemaker to replace the old one that “works just fine” but is covered in duct tape. Find gift cards for their local favorites like a car wash and drive-thru coffee shop, or update their 15-year-old winter coat with a warmer version.
Make sure your gift comes from an inoffensive place (no thank you on breath mints or deodorant unless they’re part of a stocking stuffer!). And – pro tip! – a Greenworks robotic vacuum is a gold-star choice for anyone on your list because absolutely everyone needs a vacuum that does the work for you.
5. Watch the sales.
Black Friday is the hallmark day for giant sales – but you can find huge deals before and after the big day. If you’re considering purchasing a large gift this year – say, a new Greenworks 24” Dual Stage Snow Blower that your dad has had his eye on for months – start watching prices early to get a feel for price fluctuations, sales and promotions. Hint: Our Greenworks promotions start every Thursday, so keep your eyes peeled each week for the latest and greatest! You can also sign up for email alerts and follow us on social media.
It’s essential to have your gifting strategy in place for big-ticket items. For example, is the lawnmower a group gift from all your siblings? Have that locked down – along with how much each person will chip in – before you purchase.
Another cost-saving tip is to look for bundle deals. At Greenworks, you can purchase some of our best-selling bundles like the Greenworks 80V 21” Self Propelled Mower and 16" Cordless String Trimmer combo kit. All Greenworks bundles are packed in individual boxes – meaning you can save big money and give the mower to your mom and the trimmer to your twin brother.
6. Online shopping is a valuable resource.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro at online shopping or new to browsing from the couch in your pajamas, it’s always exciting to see what new deals you can unlock on the internet. Virtual window shopping can help you get a lay of the land on pricing, availability, colors, sizes and similarly-price items at various stores. You name it, you can find it on the internet – and what you want is literally at your fingertips.
Online shopping gives you the chance to:
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Compare models
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Capitalize on free shipping promotions and special cyber deals
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Send gifts straight to the gift receiver's house
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Access a wider variety of items than in-store
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Open doors to unique gifts, brands and models that aren’t in-store
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Use reviews to help you decide on your purchase
If you haven’t checked out the review section yet, it’s a great way to get insights on what real consumers think about the items they’ve purchased– and if they’d recommend them.
7. Embrace the unexpected gift.
Our last gifting strategy is to embrace the unexpected: don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Just like there’s a tool for every job, there’s a perfect gift for each person!
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Get creative: Gifting can create a story – a leaf blower for Grandma, a lightweight vacuum for your sister with three young kiddos or a circular saw for your newly retired dad. Getting creative can help fill a need in your loved one’s life – and give them something fun to talk about!
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Explore categories: Go beyond the typical sweater or book idea and think in broader categories. What would be fun for the yard? What would you enjoy doing together as a family? What’s a hobby that your partner has off-handedly mentioned wanting to start?
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Gift cards: It can be tricky to find the right gift for teachers, coaches and anyone else in our life that deserves a heartfelt thank you. Everyone loves getting gift cards, but buying them for others can sometimes feel anti-climatic. Elevate gift cards with an unusual pairing – or from an unexpected store.
Remember: your holiday shopping list doesn’t have to be a chore. Create a gift-giving strategy that best fits your life, budget and schedule – and enjoy the holiday season!
