The Toy Insider Experts Offer Tips and Insights for Holiday Shoppers to Score the Best Deals on Hot Toys on Black Friday and Cyber Monday

NEW YORK, Nov. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toy Insider, one of the toy industry's most influential organizations and a trusted go-to resource for parents and gift-givers, unveiled their expert hot toy picks for the holiday season in their 2017 holiday gift guide (https://www.thetoyinsider.com/2017-holiday-gift-guide/) in September. As the holiday gift-giving season kicks into high gear, the experts at The Toy Insider have now released a comprehensive list of insightful and practical tips for consumers to prepare for their Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending sprees so they can be holiday shopping superheroes.

"Retailers across the board have amazing Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and bargains lined up for some of the hottest toys this year," says Laurie Schacht, Chief Toy Officer, The Toy Insider. "During the frenzy of the holiday rush, it's easy to get caught up in all the excitement and overlook key purchasing factors before checkout. With our expert tips, holiday shoppers will be prepared so they can find the best deals on the hottest toys, whether in stores or online."

And with The Toy Insider's virtual wish list, gift-givers and parents can read reviews of the hottest toys and easily add items that their children would like at http://www.thetoyinsider.com/my-wishlist, which can then be shared with friends on Facebook, emailed to family members, or printed for easy in-store shopping.

For high-res product photography and broadcast-quality B-roll footage of The Toy Insider Hot 20, Top Tech 12, and STEM 10, as well as detailed product fact sheets and 2017 toy trends, click here.

The Toy Insider's Black Friday and Cyber Monday Shopping Tips:

Do your research: Always look up the MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price) before you start online shopping. Sometimes you may think you're getting a great deal, but you're actually only saving a few dollars. Avoid overpaying for toys by knowing how much the company that makes the toy says it's worth. If something seems overpriced, check thetoyinsider.com or the manufacturer's website directly to see how much it should cost.

Check through your "junk" email: When you make a purchase at a store, frequently the cashier will try to collect your email address to send promotional emails. Normally, it's just annoying and they clog your inbox, but on big sale weekends like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, keep an eye out. Lots of retailers will send out emails with deals that only last a few hours—or even less. To avoid a totally full inbox, try setting up a separate email account that is only used for promotional emails.

Sweat the small stuff: Pay attention to things like tax, shipping costs, and layaway and service fees. You may THINK you are getting a good deal on hot holiday toys, but these little charges add up quickly.

Make a list, check it twice: Come into Black Friday and Cyber Monday with a game plan. Don't try to start brainstorming ideas on the spot. Know which kids you are buying for and what they might like. This will prevent you from overbuying, and keep you less stressed when you are trying to get the best deals. The Toy Insider's wish list feature can really come in handy with your holiday toy shopping this year.

Shop early: The hottest toys of the year tend to come out between August and early October. If you can get your shopping done sooner rather than later, you are much more likely to pay a fair price for a toy that's likely to sell out and you'll avoid lots of headaches.  

Avoid Third-Party Resellers: Unauthorized third-party resellers on sites like eBay, Amazon and even in marketplaces on traditional retailer sites like Walmart.com sometimes hike up the price of hard to find toys. Don't overpay—it's not worth it. Only use trusted retailers and avoid paying three to four times the amount a toy is actually worth. When you shop at trusted retailers, always make sure items are "shipped from and sold by" the retailer. For example, on Amazon.com, this information is just below the product name on each product page. Only "add to cart" if the products are shipped from and sold by Amazon.

Be social: Social media is a great place to check in on deals, discounts, and even inventory. Some retailers will tweet about special deals and others will let you know when items are coming back in stock. Pay attention—sometimes these special bargains don't last very long.

Look for licenses: Toys featuring kids' favorite characters—such as Paw Patrol, Pokémon, PJ Masks, Hatchimals and Star Wars—are some of the hottest and quickest to sell out every year. These toys fly off the shelves, but they will be well stocked during these few crazy shopping days since retailers are looking to move as much product as possible. Even if there isn't a great sale on toys featuring some of the hottest licenses, buy them anyway; it may be the only time you see these toys on shelves.

Use comparison shopping apps: Use apps like ShopSavvy and RedLaser to check if other retailers have a better deal on a product you're looking at in store. Google Shopping is also user-friendly, and will give you an easy list of other retailers that carry the product you want.

Take advantage of price matching: Make sure you know which retailers offer price matching, like Best Buy and Walmart. That way, you may still be able to buy the item at the store you're in—even if another retailer has a better deal—which can save you a lot of travel time.

Protect your identity: Cyber Monday is prime time for identity theft scams. Be sure that you are familiar with the websites you shop on, and watch out for copycat websites that may look like their legitimate counterparts with slightly off formatting or spelling.

Avoid Knockoffs: While manufacturers do their best to keep copycat products off of shelves, sometimes fake versions of the hottest toys make it onto store shelves. These products may have safety issues and may not perform the way the originals do, resulting in disappointment. They are typically difficult to return once purchased. You'll recognize these products by their incorrect name spelling or differences in packaging. Be sure to check the product name and manufacturer name carefully, especially when shopping online.

The Toy Insider holiday gift guide, including its Hot 20, Top Tech 12 and STEM 10 lists, can be found at www.thetoyinsider.com. To join in the holiday toy fun on social media this season, use #weknowplay and find @thetoyinsider on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat.

About The Toy Insider
The Toy Insider is the go-to source for product information about children's toys, tech and entertainment. It publishes two annual gift guides—one for summer and one for holiday—and reviews toys 365 days a year on thetoyinsider.com, a trusted resource for parents. The Toy Insider's content is produced by an editorial team with more than 75 years of combined experience covering the toy industry. The Toy Insider is published by Adventure Publishing Group, publisher of leading trade publications The Toy Book, The Toy Report, The Licensing Book and Total Licensing Report. For more information, visit thetoyinsider.com.

Media Contact:
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LKPR, Inc.
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SOURCE The Toy Insider

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