Sick of the sales yet? Turns out you’ve got a few more days to grab a bargain…
Black Friday may be dead and gone, but its online-only little sister Cyber Monday is here, showering us with even more tech deals. And despite the name, the bargains aren’t just here on Monday of this week – most retailers are extending the sales until Friday Nov 30.
On the one hand, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are both thinly-veiled marketing ploys to increase sales ahead of the holiday season. It’s worth exercising some cynicism when being blasted with offers from every side. That said, for many items – in particular gadgets, accessories, and even Apple products – it’s genuinely the best time of the year to buy or upgrade your tech.
Whether you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to check out Apple’s HomePod (currently $100 off at Best Buy), or you’re just looking for some cheap-but-impressive toys for the kids this Christmas (like this app-controlled R2-D2), Cyber Monday sales are the best place to look. We’ve even seen the latest 9.7-inch iPad for just $249, an all-time low!
Imagine how good you’ll feel if you get all your gifts sorted in November! So – where are the best places to shop?
Apple Store
Unlike most other retailers, Apple’s three-day shopping event is coming to a close today (Monday). It’s giving away gift cards of up to $200 with selected purchases that can be spent on other products in the Apple Store. It’s a sneaky way to encourage you to spend more money on Apple stuff, but if you’re planning to buy something soon anyway it’s a no-brainer to do it today!
You can get a $50 gift card when buying an iPhone or Apple Watch, $100 for an iPad, and $200 for a Mac. Even some smaller purchases like Beats headphones come with gift cards. These offers mostly apply to last-generation devices – sadly there are no discounts on the X-generation iPhones or the new iPad Pro. Check out the available deals here on the Apple Store website.
Amazon
Amazon takes Cyber Monday to the next level, and is partially responsible for the sales lasting so long. It has thousands of deals and tends to price-match the best prices from around the web, so you can be sure you’re not missing out. The only thing it can be guilty of is promoting barely-discounted products alongside genuine bargains – it can be hard to know which is which! We recommend you cross-reference the deals using trusted price-tracker camelcamelcamel.com to see how the Cyber Monday discounts hold up to historical sales. If a product is at an all-time low, you know it’s a good deal!
Amazon’s offerings change by the hour and differ by region, so your best bet is to get online and do some browsing yourself. You can find a full roundup of every Cyber Monday deal right here
Photography
We’re big fans of the iPhone Photo School. They provide all kinds of great photography tips completely free on their website, and their paid course is second to none. If you’ve wanted to improve your photography skills for a while but have been reticent about opening your wallet, good news: the iPhone Photo School is still offering big discounts on its extensive lessons.
Course founder Emil Pakarklis told us: “I almost never discount this course. I’ve worked hard to create the best iPhone photography training in the world. And 59,471 past students agree that my course offers great value. However, I decided to make an exception for this Black Friday. That’s because I want to get my course in the hands of even more people, including those who can’t afford the regular price.” Check it out here.