Kurt Knutsson explains ransomware attacks
The U.S. is the target of ransomware attacks. The CyberGuy explains how to keep your information safe.
Amazon’s Black Friday 10-day sales event will start on Friday, Nov. 17, and end on Friday, Nov. 24. This is Amazon's longest Black Friday sale yet. The first phase of deals is from Nov. 17-22, and from Nov. 23-24 expect exclusive deals. To find the Best Early Black Friday Deals click here.
During the main Black Friday event, you can browse through deals from a wide number of categories including major TV brands, Smart Home devices, Fashion, Beauty & Wellness, Furniture, Pet Supplies, Tools, Fitness equipment and more.
Amazon’s Black Friday 10-day sales event will start on Friday, Nov. 17, and end on Friday, Nov. 24. This is Amazon's longest Black Friday sale yet. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)
MORE: BEST BLACK FRIDAY LAPTOP DEALS
How to work the deals - be fast!
Black Friday deals can expire in minutes and some deals conclude when inventory is gone. Inside the Black Friday event are promotions called Spotlight Deals, Gold Box Deals of the Day, and Lightning Deals. I rank these in order of urgency.
The Lightning Deals almost always offer the best prices and last for a small window of time or when sold out – sometimes even just minutes. Even though it may look like a deal is gone, there's a tip below that could provide an easy workaround to getting the deal anyway.
The Lightning Deals almost always offer the best prices and last for a small window of time or when sold out – sometimes even just minutes. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)
MORE: BEST GIFTS FOR KEEPING COZY ALL YEAR LONG
How to get a cheap Amazon Prime membership
To get a cheap Amazon Prime membership, you can try a free trial, get a student discount, use a Medicaid or EBT card, or share your account with a household member. Each option has different requirements and benefits that you can check out here.
Pro tip: Get organized with a list and use my Amazon Black Friday Battle Plan strategy.
CyberGuy Black Friday battle plan tips
- Create a Wishlist on Amazon. Put on it everything you buy on a recurring basis throughout the year, like dog food, light bulbs and staple goods. Add upcoming birthdays, big-ticket items you have been holding off buying, and get your holiday list done for Christmas gifts way ahead of time while saving huge.
- "Join Waitlist" on sold-out products you want and missed. Think it's sold out? Maybe not. Items sitting in another shopper's cart expire if not purchased within 15 minutes. If you are on a waitlist, you could get notified that the deal is yours.
- Download Amazon smartphone or tablet app to see deals first. The app shows deals coming first and allows you to create a "Watch this deal" list to get notified when a deal is going live.
- Say "Alexa, what are your deals?" for exclusive offers. You can power through this audio form of deals by saying, "Alexa, next," as they are being described to advance to the next deal. Voice shopping is a complete hassle and Amazon knows it. That's why they are tempting us to try it with even better deals that you can find on the site.
- Compare prices at other retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, Kohl's and Target since so many other sources are taking advantage of the Black Friday excitement.
Be sure to create a Black Friday shopping battle plan. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)
MAKE IT PERSONAL: BEST PHOTOBOOK GIFTS
Watch out for these losing Black Friday mishaps
- Avoid unknown brands that can often disappoint.
- Avoid fake reviews by using fakespot.com. Instead of adding their browser extension, just link to the search field to copy and paste an Amazon product listing. Fakespot will analyze to show a letter grade and explanation. The goal is to weed out fake reviews and identify troubled listings.
- Avoid overpaying by checking the lowest price history at the Camelcamelcamel website. A price history of almost every Amazon item is recorded here to show if you are really getting the lowest price.
- Avoid the Amazon Assistant browser plug-in for privacy concerns. While Amazon's browser plug-in can make comparing items and tracking deals convenient, it also comes as a cost to your personal privacy in the way it can track your web browser activity.
How to find the best early Amazon Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals
From best laptops to kitchen gadgets to TVs and more, take a peek at our best early Black Friday gift picks here.
Kurt's key takeaways
Now you've got the scoop on how to score the best deals on Amazon this Cyber Monday. Now it’s time to act fast and snag those savings before they’re gone.
Whether you’re looking for a new TV, a smart home device, a cozy sweater or a gift for your pet, you’ll find something for everyone on your list. And don’t forget to use your Amazon Prime benefits to get free shipping and exclusive offers. Happy shopping.
How do you plan your Cyber Monday shopping? Do you use a wishlist, a budget or a strategy? Tell us how you organize your online shopping spree by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:
- What is the best way to protect your Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android devices from getting hacked?
- What is the best way to stay private, secure and anonymous while browsing the web?
- How can I get rid of robocalls with apps and data-removal services?
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