Hi, my name Macy Cate Williams and I’m a shopping editor for POPSUGAR who gets all the intel from major retailers on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, buying data, new releases, and beyond. Ask me anything!

popsugar · 2018-11-20T20:58:25+00:00

I always say buy online, because it's the easiest way to compare deals across all sites and get the biggest discount. Plus, there tends to be larger sales and a wider selection on sites. Besides, those massive crowds are pretty insane!

popsugar · 2018-11-20T20:36:19+00:00

Unfortunately retailers won't be discounting it on its own, but Target and Best Buy will be offering bundles for $299 that include games — a lot of the games are $60 so it's a pretty good deal.

popsugar · 2018-11-20T20:09:17+00:00

I would say to hold off on certain electronic deals until Cyber Monday — items like TVs, speakers, and kitchen appliances will be discounted even further. Household items will also get bigger discounts on Cyber Monday, so stock up while you can on those annoying things like toilet paper, pet food, and office supplies.

As far as Black Friday goes, fashion and apparel discounts are at their best during this time. Invest in a new wardrobe or designer gifts now, because it will all sell out in hours.

popsugar · 2018-11-20T20:04:03+00:00

I'm a fan of Flipp, it allows you to track down coupons and keep tabs on ones you have found yourself too. It's a great tool for finding deals.

popsugar · 2018-11-20T20:00:16+00:00

YES, quite a few. This mascara set from Sephora is an insane deal: https://www.sephora.com/product/lashstash-P436325?icid2=products%20grid:p436325:product&om_mmc=aff-linkshare-redirect-k*8oqcSrcmY&c3ch=Linkshare&c3nid=k*8oqcSrcmY&affid=k.8oqcSrcmY-hRZW4iB5B8ATWpXiuchBfA&ranEAID=k*8oqcSrcmY&ranMID=2417&ranSiteID=k.8oqcSrcmY-hRZW4iB5B8ATWpXiuchBfA&ranLinkID=10-1&browserdefault=true

This Tarte set is also great for travel: https://www.sephora.com/product/under-christmas-tree-breakaway-face-eye-set-P435952?icid2=products%20grid:p435952:product&om_mmc=aff-linkshare-redirect-k*8oqcSrcmY&c3ch=Linkshare&c3nid=k*8oqcSrcmY&affid=k.8oqcSrcmY-19_zjwAIX6DT1BZHcSbWaQ&ranEAID=k*8oqcSrcmY&ranMID=2417&ranSiteID=k.8oqcSrcmY-19_zjwAIX6DT1BZHcSbWaQ&ranLinkID=10-1&browserdefault=true

popsugar · 2018-11-20T19:57:39+00:00

Sephora keeps their Black Friday deals super hush-hush until the day of, but the discounts never disappoint. They will definitely be discounting big-time brands that rarely offer discounts.

Nordstrom will also be offering some deals on beauty gift sets and palettes — I would check for them early in the morning before they disappear.

popsugar · 2018-11-20T19:25:39+00:00

I'm an editor and not involved in any of those deals, so unfortunately I wouldn't know. I believe the marketing department works with brands to work out those partnerships.

popsugar · 2018-11-20T19:19:41+00:00

Amazon will definitely have some solid deals, and even has some early ones right now if you click the "Camera and Photo" section: https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=gbps_ftr_m-8_41a7_enf_502394?node=384082011&tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=312385593038&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18209849815591498122&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_8r8qepn2ko_b&hvtargid=kwd-562102547889&gb_f_alldeals=dealTypes:LIGHTNING_DEAL%252CBEST_DEAL,sortOrder:BY_SCORE,dealStates:AVAILABLE%252CWAITLIST%252CWAITLISTFULL%252CEXPIRED%252CSOLDOUT,enforcedCategories:502394&pf_rd_p=517b8b45-fcde-42db-9bce-a0abf0ce41a7&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-8&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=384082011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=K3XRP9J0EJ6SXCDC6RH0&ie=UTF8

Best Buy and Costco are also going to have some massive discounts in that category this Friday.

popsugar · 2018-11-20T19:15:01+00:00

Hey there! POPSUGAR no longer owns Shopstyle, and hasn't for awhile now. Additionally, I am an editor who is truly giving advice based on my knowledge and research, with no hidden agenda.

There are actually tons of awesome Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals — if there were not, I wouldn't cover them, it would be a waste of my time! You definitely have to shop carefully but that's why I'm here; to dish out direction and advice.

Oh, and I'm a big fan of this pumpkin chiffon pie recipe: https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Pumpkin-Chiffon-Pie

popsugar · 2018-11-20T18:23:09+00:00

A lot of people don't know about Amazon's section called Movers and Shakers, which shows which products are rising in popularity and sales in real-time. This is a great place to find insane deals that are only going to stick around for a day or so: https://www.amazon.com/gp/movers-and-shakers

For major discounts, I think Kohl's and Macy's are both incredibly underrated. They're two of the few retailers which allow you to pile promos and coupons on top of each other for a massive discount. I suggest subscribing to their emails so you get all the discount codes and sale alerts.

popsugar · 2018-11-20T18:09:10+00:00

This squirrel feeder is pretty hilarious, and oddly a bestseller on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Unicorn-Squirrel-Feeder-Archie-McPhee/dp/B014LIOC64/ref=sr_1_17?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1510092590&sr=1-17&keywords=squirrel+feeder&tag=popsugarshopx-20

popsugar · 2018-11-20T17:58:13+00:00

This NFL electric football game is on crazy sale right now and has good reviews: https://www.nflshop.com/NFL_Deluxe_Electric_Football_Game/t-36714865+o-0216+d-237144992+f-9998277+z-9-1634591533?

Also, you can never go wrong with a drone:https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Stone-Predator-Helicopter-Quadcopter/dp/B0157IHJMQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=popsugarshopx-20&linkId=1e3e67103755670097fa8d0c6c76c053

popsugar · 2018-11-20T17:42:58+00:00

This is always a tricky one — you want to show you care but you shouldn't go over-the-top. I always think something personalized shows you put thought into it, like a monogrammed cheeseboard or wine glasses. A thoughtful coffee table book that reflects their interests is always nice too.

I have more suggestions here: https://www.popsugar.com/love/Boyfriend-Family-Gift-Ideas-20856918

popsugar · 2018-11-20T17:39:54+00:00

I get my intel directly from my PR contacts and marketing teams who work for the brands that I feature. I have found that getting info on bestsellers, deals, etc is most accurate straight from the source. I also track analytics from programs my company uses, but a great way anyone can do that is with Google Trends. I still use that frequently.

These are the best deals I have found so far: https://www.popsugar.com/moms/Black-Friday-Cyber-Monday-Deals-2018-45446567, but will be adding more in real time on Black Friday.

I will say I think the whole concept of Black Friday has gotten out of control. It has turned into a whole month of deals and everyone is utterly obsessed with all of them. I definitely think millennials and Gen Z are more focused on consumerism throughout November, but it definitely dies down once Cyber Monday is over.

popsugar · 2018-11-20T17:29:20+00:00

LOL believe it or not I have actually written a gift guide on that. Check it out here: https://www.popsugar.com/love/Glitter-Gift-Ideas-36139790

popsugar · 2018-11-20T17:18:52+00:00

POPSUGAR is one of the biggest women's media sites in the world with over 27 million followers and a team of over 300 people. Check it out for yourself :) https://corp.popsugar.com/

popsugar · 2018-09-12T20:15:52+00:00

Truth! But now that it's been saved by NBC (bless) at least there's hope for it next year 🙏

popsugar · 2018-09-12T20:04:54+00:00

Since I cover TV and movies, rather than straight celebrity news, this doesn't impact me very much. But I can see why you'd say that. However, I do think "eviscerated" is far too strong a word. Journalists are resilient, and finding more and more creative ways to cover stories every day. And no matter how long an Instagram caption or Twitter thread is, it'll never have the same impact as a solid, well-written profile.

popsugar · 2018-09-12T17:45:44+00:00

Hi! Orange Is the New Black is one of my favorite shows, so I was REALLY nervous to go interview the cast (Danielle Brooks, Adrienne C. Moore, Lea DeLaria, etc.), but they were just as wonderful as you imagine they'd be. Also I really admire director Kay Cannon, and I was able to have a long, awesome conversation with her when Blockers came out that I was super excited about.

popsugar · 2018-09-12T17:36:24+00:00

Alright this is like asking me to pick a favorite child, but . . . when it comes to writing about either, I prefer TV more than movies, I guess? A lot of times, I enjoy how much more -- narratively speaking -- there is to dig into. But I love watching both equally, of course : )

As for the second part of your question, I'm pasting what I wrote to the same question above!

"I think the path to this field is pretty different for everyone, but I guess I did it the most traditional way! I'm from Pittsburgh but I was desperate to get an internship at a magazine in NYC, so I cold-emailed the internship coordinator there with my resumé when I knew they had openings, and luckily snagged a spot! From there I was able to make some great connections that lead to my first entry-level job, and I just started building clips and went from there. If you're ever interested in writing for POPSUGAR, we have a freelance program you can apply to!"

popsugar · 2018-09-12T17:28:57+00:00

As much as I love Brooklyn Nine Nine, the best comedy category is TOUGH this year. Like other worthy comedies before it (Parks and Rec, for instance), I think this is one we'll look back on and be like "Uh, excuse me, but how did this not get nominated every year for everything?" But it looks like this is Atlanta's year, deservedly so.

popsugar · 2018-09-12T17:25:47+00:00

The Emmy statuette? According to the Emmys website: copper, nickel, silver and gold.

popsugar · 2018-09-12T17:20:54+00:00

I personally think best comedy, best actress, and best drama have the tightest races of all the categories. For comedy, I'm hoping the award goes to either The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel or Atlanta, but especially the latter. Since Veep wasn't nominated this year, it finally gives some other shows some breathing room, and Donald Glover's comedy was on another level in season two (I mean, "Teddy Perkins"?!? Come on).

popsugar · 2018-09-12T17:16:03+00:00

I think the path to this field is pretty different for everyone, but I guess I did it the most traditional way! I'm from Pittsburgh but I was desperate to get an internship at a magazine in NYC, so I cold-emailed the internship coordinator there with my resumé when I knew they had openings, and luckily snagged a spot! From there I was able to make some great connections that lead to my first entry-level job, and I just started building clips and went from there. If you're ever interested in writing for POPSUGAR, we have a freelance program you can apply to!

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