Hottest Deals on 5 Most Searched Items for Christmas
ABC News' Becky Worley reports:
I've analyzed search data, Twitter trends and what's gotten your attention in the mall. Here's my hot list on how to find what's scarce, and how to find a deal on those must-have gifts:
1) Gadgets
- iPhone 5c: Normally $99, but starting Sunday, it's $30 at Target and you get a $30 gift card. But i f you need it right now, it's $50 with a $50 Target gift card. (Fine print: In-Store only offer thru 12/21/13. Price requires new or eligible renewal 2-year Verizon wireless voice agreement.)
- Tablets: The Android Nexus 7 is $179 at Office Depot, which is $50 off.
- iPad Mini: The best deal is at Radio Shack. You pay the regular price of $299, but you get a $100 gift card. (In-store only.)
2) Gaming Consoles
Gaming consoles are tough this year because both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 are in high demand and short supply.
- PS4: The folks at Walmart told me they are getting a new shipment this weekend. Some people are reporting success finding them at the Sony stores, and you can use this online tool to do real-time stock checking. But with all these options, I would definitely call before you go or buy online and ship to store.
3) Ugg Boots
If you have a teenage girl on your list, I'm guessing she asked for classic Ugg boots. They were the most-searched fashion item during Black Friday.
And bad news - no deals. I researched for hours and found zip, zero, zilch.
I tried codes on big department store chains and the blanket discounts always had exclusions on Uggs. I tried discount shoe retailers like 6pm.com, but they had discounts on a size 11 in green, or a size 5 in gold.
But things got really weird when I searched "cheap Uggs." I ended up on sites that were clearly masquerading as Ugg retailers, but were selling counterfeits. I recently did a story on counterfeit handbags and found the one thing all the knockoff sites had in common was slow shipping. So even if you're so desperate you'd consider a knockoff, I strongly advise against it and can almost guarantee they won't make it in time for Christmas.
Bottom line - if the deal is too good to be true, don't trust it.
4) Pu ffer Jackets
- American Eagle: This one is just $35, down from $79. Smoking hot.
- Gap: Has puffer jackets that when stacked with their % off offers, it brought the cost way down.
- Ralph Lauren: Has nice women's puffers. They are limited sizes, but cute colors are marked down from $169 to $97.
5) Toys
Toys are only getting cheaper between now and Christmas. Look for 50% to 75% off and BOGO deals everywhere.
- Walmart: Has Lego deals like this helicopter rescue Lego city scene for $47. That's 20% off.
- Toys "R" Us: Has this talking, singing Super Grover for $9.98,marked down 70%.