Holiday lights: Are LED's a better deal?

Is it a bright idea to use LED lights for the holidays? We compared LED and incandescent bulbs in three sizes — mini, C7, and C9 — determining how much it cost to light strings totaling 50 feet for 300 hours. We also exposed the bulbs to moisture, hot and cold temperatures, and UV light, and sent each type of bulb to an independent lab that measures brightness. Read on to find out which kind of bulb is better for your lighting needs this holiday season.

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Cyber Monday record: $733 million

As expected, online sales on "Cyber Monday," November 26th, hit a new record, of $733 million, according to numbers released by ComScore. However, despite marking the first day in which total ecommerce sales broke $700 million, Cyber Monday's record isn't likely to last for long. As it did last year, that number is expected to be eclipsed shortly by even higher one-day figures. "We expect that a number of individual shopping days during the coming weeks will surpass the Cyber Monday total, with some days potentially surpassing $800 million," said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni. That number still doesn't come close to Black Friday's sales figures, which some put as high as $10 billion.

Pick the right gift card for your holiday shopping

The Office of Consumer Affairs of Montgomery County, MD, just released its fifth annual gift card survey, and the results won't surprise anyone who has kept track of our reporting on gift cards. The agency recommended 18 of the 22 retailer gift cards it reviewed from late October to November.

But the Consumer Affairs office said all of the 30 bank-issued cards it examined continue to have purchase and processing fees, expiration dates and other gotchas, some of which were not properly detailed despite disclosure-related lawsuits brought by the Federal Trade Commission and 2006 guidance issued by the federal Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

The report’s criticism of gift cards, particularly those issued by banks, mirror many of the problems we identified in our recent gift card report. Bank-issued cards bear a major credit logo and, unlike retailer cards, can be used at most merchants that accept that brand of credit card.

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Top 5 Cyber Monday myths

If you didn't get your fill of shopping this weekend, you've still got today, Cyber Monday, to hunt for bargains. Actually, you've got a few weeks, though it is worth checking out some of the deals being touted today. Before clicking that "Buy" button, however, be sure to review our Top 5 Cyber Monday myths:

1. You can get the best deals today.
Yes, there are some great deals to be had if you shop right now. Dozens of stores are offering free shipping and discounts on purchases. But many of those offers don't end today. For example, at the top of the official Cyber Monday Web site (sponsored by the National Retail Federation, which created the "holiday" two years ago) is a link to Apple's online store offering free shipping on all purchases with the tag "today only." However, Apple routinely offers free shipping for orders over $50, so unless you're planning on picking up something for less than that (not an easy task, given that the cheapest new iPod is $79), there's no reason to hop online and buy it today. Similar issues apply with many other merchants, so be sure to read the fine print before you rush into a purchase.

2. Cyber Monday is the busiest day for online shopping.
Sure, it's busy. In fact, according to ComScore networks, last year's Cyber Monday was a record day, with $608 million in online sales. But by December 25th, that record had been broken over 10 times, with the trophy going to December 12th, at $667 million.

3. If you don't shop today, hot products will be sold out.
This one's tricky. Yes, some hot items may sell out today, or over the next few days. And, the closer you get to the holidays, the more likely it is that some "must-have" gifts might be harder to come by. So, if there's anything you absolutely have to buy, and you're afraid it's going to sell out quickly, go ahead and place that order soon — though in most cases, that doesn't mean today.

4. You should shop online today if you want to get your gifts before the holidays.
Because Christmas falls on a Tuesday this year, you can order gifts from many retailers as late as December 18th and still get them delivered on time using standard shipping (and some offer overnight shipping as late as December 22nd). However, if you're shopping for Chanukah, you may want to get busy. The Festival of Lights starts next Tuesday.

5. If you shop at work today, your boss is not going to be pleased.
Sorry, this one isn't a myth. According to the National Retail Federation, 54 percent of workers will shop at work today. Headhunters Challenger, Gray & Christmas (yes, that really is their name) estimate that workplace shopping may cost the economy almost $500 million in lost productivity. So, if you must shop today, do it on your lunch break, so both you and your boss will save a few bucks. (And before you shop, be sure to check out these tips from ShopSmart!)

Happy Buy Nothing Day!

Yes, we're aware that we've been going over (and over, and over) Black Friday info for the past couple of weeks. So here's something for those of you who want to do something other than shop today. It's Buy Nothing Day, an annual event organized by the Adbusters Foundation, which seeks to declare a "24-hour moratorium on consumer spending." Events include the Credit Card Cut-Up, where volunteers stand in shopping malls and volunteer to help consumers clip their cards; and the Zombie Walk, in which the "cheerful dead" wander around malls. More information is available at Adbusters.org.

Of course, if you're not into cutting up cards or getting dressed up in zombie gear, you can also join Consumers Union's “Twelve Days of Safe Shopping” campaign, and call on manufacturers, retailers, and government agencies to develop effective measures to prevent unsafe products from reaching store shelves. But we won't hold it against you if you opt to go zombie instead.

Black Friday deal roundup from CR's experts

We know you're probably just tucking into your turkey about now, and we don't want to interrupt your feast. But if you're planning on braving the crowds tomorrow, we thought it might be helpful to provide this recap of our tips on Black Friday shopping. Our editors have scoured websites, circulars and shopping malls to provide this roundup, and they've managed to find some good deals in just about every major product category. Of course, many of these deals extend past Black Friday, so be sure to read the fine print. After all, there's no reason to rush out to the mall tomorrow if you can get the same prices later in the weekend, or even next week, when you might be able to avoid crowds and do a little weekday shopping (we promise not to tell the boss).

• Best GPS navigation deals
• Best deals on desktops and laptops
• What to look for at Wal-Mart
• HDTV deals from CompUSA, Staples
• Home products, including wine chillers, grills and coffeemakers

Speaking of Black Friday, although we've long acknowledged that the day's name is derived from the notion that hordes of tryptophan-addled shoppers drive retailers "into the black" right after Thanksgiving, we're a little fond of the alternate etymology floated by The City Desk. According to the site, which specializes in "fictional urbanism," Black Friday was actually named for Laurence H. Black, a black-suited ("That’s how they remember me. Black suit, Mr. Black, see?") department store sales clerk who died on the job on November 27th, 1964. "The following year, on the Friday after Thanksgiving, all of the employees wore black suits and dresses, highlighted by a single red carnation, with a moment of silence at 7:48 pm, a tradition that carried on year after year and was picked up by many other stores in the city." So, this year, remember the apocryphal Mr. Black when you're hitting the malls, and don't worry about whether or not the retailers are raking in enough cash (besides, we all know their biggest day is really December 21st).

CU launches "12 days of safe shopping"

 

Want to spend Black Friday doing more than shopping? If you're in New York, Boston, Chicago or Minneapolis this Friday, you can join Consumers Union's “Twelve Days of Safe Shopping” campaign, and call on manufacturers, retailers, and government agencies to develop effective measures to prevent unsafe products from reaching store shelves. Volunteers in these cities will be handing “Safe Shopper coupons” to cashiers when they buy something, asking that the cashier give the coupon to the store manager. In addition, thousands of individuals across the country will be handing out coupons in their own communities as well.

“With the recent recall of Aqua Dots, one of the top touted toys this holiday season, parents don’t know what is safe to buy their children,” said Jean Halloran, Director of Food Policy Initiatives at Consumers Union. “We want retailers and manufacturers to be far more diligent in making sure the toys and products they sell are safe.”

More information, including a list of locations where you can join the campaign, is available at ConsumersUnion.org. And for a humorous take on a very serious issue, click on the image above to watch a video prepared by CU's Not In My Cart campaign.

And if you are going toy shopping on Friday, be sure to read our tips for a safer holiday.

Toy shopping tips for a safer holiday

Has all the talk about dangerous lead-tainted, poisonous and highly magnetized toys left you paralyzed with fear of even setting foot in a toy store this holiday season? Don't worry. While we can't follow you into the mall and personally check out every toy for you, we do have some tips for safer shopping. Among them:

1. Do not buy metal jewelry — especially cheap metal jewelry — for young children.  About 20 percent of children’s metal jewelry has high levels of lead lurking beneath the surface coating.  A child who mouths or accidentally swallows a piece of lead-laden jewelry can suffer lead poisoning.
2. You can test toys for lead by using a home lead test kit.  Although they are not always accurate, a positive test result indicates a high likelihood that the product you’re testing has lead.  Consumer Reports recommends the Lead Check and the Lead Inspector, which performed best in our tests.
3. Be careful of toys with magnets. Many toys have small magnets that can fall out and, if swallowed, can cause serious health problems that are hard to diagnose.  Don’t buy toys with magnetic parts that are small enough to be swallowed.

You can find our full set of 12 toy shopping tips for a safer holiday at Consumer Reports on Safety.

Take care with credit and debit cards this holiday season

It's not just gift cards you need to watch for this holiday season. The editors of Consumer Reports Money Adviser have some tips on how to manage your debit and credit cards. Their top piece of advice: Don't let finance charges and other fees push you over your budget. To keep from spending more than you have to, use the payment method that makes the most sense for you. If you pay off your credit card balance in full each month, charging your holiday gifts won’t cost you anything in finance costs and may even provide a bonus in the form of a cash-back or other type of reward. If you’d rather spend only what you have on hand but don’t wish to carry large amounts of cash, use a debit card. Get more info and tips here.

Our Top 10 Black Friday shopping tips

With just three days to go until Black Friday, you can be forgiven for getting a little anxious about the start of the holiday shopping season. Don't worry; we're here to talk you down. First of all, it's important to remember that you don't have to get all — or any — of your shopping done this Friday. In fact, only 22 percent of those surveyed in a recent CR poll expected to finish their shopping right after Thanksgiving, and forty-five percent expect to take until the second week of December to finish. Still, if you're determined to brave the crowds on Friday, we're with you, and have a few simple tips to make the day a little less stressful:

1. Do your homework to unearth the best deals. Web sites such as Black Friday Ads, GottaDeal, and DealTalker reveal advance information about Black Friday circulars and other sales at many stores, and feature downloadable coupons. Another useful site, RetailMeNot, features coupons and discount codes, which entitle shoppers to bonus savings. 

2. Check to see if you’re really getting a bargain. If you find a product in a flyer at a seemingly low price, go online first to determine whether you can get it elsewhere for less. Some sites that compare prices among multiple e-tailers and retailers include PriceGrabber, Shopping.com and DealTime. Amazon.com is worth visiting, too, as our reader surveys have cited Amazon as one of the best places to appliances, electronics, and books at excellent prices.

3. Check out the retailer’s Web site. Shoppers can learn if the products they want are stocked and available. Many retailers also offer the opportunity to purchase the item online and pick it up locally. Another plus: Retailers may offer coupons that shoppers can print out and bring with them for extra savings.

4. Weigh the risks and rewards of late-night and pre-dawn sales. It’s true, many retailers offer huge discounts, often selling a few attention-grabbing toys or electronic items at or below cost to lure you into the store, where you’ll hopefully purchase other more profitable merchandise. Such products sold as “loss leaders” are typically offered in extremely limited quantities and it’s first-come, first serve. Don’t bother to show up unless you’re willing to wait, sometimes for hours before the store opens, and even then there’s no guarantee.

5. Don’t assume the best deals are on Black Friday. While it’s too early to tell how deeply retailers will ultimately be forced to cut prices to boost their bottom line and move inventory, it’s clear that many merchants are already reacting to intense competition by slashing prices and dangling bonus discounts. Inducements such as free shipping, delivery, and gift-wrapping are so widespread that they’re rapidly becoming the norm. So it’s not as if you’ll be forced to pay full price if you delay your shopping a bit. If you’re intent on getting the cheapest price, ask if the retailer has a guaranteed low-price policy, entitling you to a refund of the difference between the new price and what you paid if the item is available for less within a particular timeframe.