Christmas shopping can be made easier with smartphones

Don’t feel like dealing with the holiday crowds this year? With a smartphone, now you don’t have to.

Smartphone shopping has skyrocketed in recent years. According to National Retail Federation, the number of Americans using mobile devices to shop on Cyber Monday alone has jumped from 3.6 million (3.8 percent) in 2009 to 20.4 million (15.8 percent) this year.

And if shoppers use the technology that’s right at their fingertips, they will be sure to save at checkout.

Vicki Cantrell, the executive director of Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation, said the rise of tablets and smartphones has created a world of convenience for shoppers and a sharp rise in “couch commerce.” More than 25 percent of surveyed retailers said they will be making significant use of smartphone- and tablet-paid search campaigns this holiday season.

“Over 60 percent of the consumer population is aware of the state of our economy, which means that retailers have been paying attention more than ever to the wants of the consumer. But the good news is that eight million more people were active on shopping websites this holiday season so far and retailers have been taking advantage of that,” said Cantrell.

Eighty-five percent of retailers did a “Cyber Monday Only” deal on their websites, 44 percent are promoting free shipping throughout the holiday season to entice buyers, and many stores have created apps that let you buy online and pick up in the store. Cantrell said that one thing is for certain: smartphone technology and apps are here to stay. 

For the serious shopper this holiday season, Coupon Sherpa is a must-have app. Say goodbye to the tedious process of cutting coupons out of flyers —the coupons will scan right off of your phone. Participating retailers include popular brand names like Best Buy, Banana Republic, Coach, Jiffy Lube and Payless Shoes. You’ll also find restaurant coupons offering 20 percent discounts.

Not into coupons but still in the hunt for a good bargain? Then Red Laser could be the app for you. Red Laser compares prices on products sold at different stores. Its map application tells users what stores are selling a certain product, where they are located and the price. By typing the name of the product in, or simply scanning the barcode, it compares prices to not only local stores but also thousands of online retailers.

Ever have doubts that you are not getting the best quality for the price you want to spend? Decide tells the user when to buy and when to hold off — you can find out if the price is going to drop soon, or if there is a new model coming out and you should wait.

Worried about rising food prices and paying for groceries? Many apps exist to help lower your weekly grocery bill, and it’s a lot easier than sorting through an envelope of coupons at the register. 

Saving Star makes grocery coupons easier than ever. Just by signing up on their website, SavingStar.com, users are granted access to coupons and an easy-to-use reward system. Browse the coupons on the website or app and click the ones you like; they are then sent directly to your store loyalty card.

The money you save on the groceries is added to your Saving Star account and disbursed to you by either direct deposit into your bank account, PayPal or in the form of gift certificates. After a while those coupons really add up, and the gift cards make great gifts for the holiday season, or you can enjoy the extra cash that you saved piling up in your account. 

Another useful grocery shopping app is Pushpins. This app lets you create shopping lists, complete with price details and nutritional information about the products you want to buy, and share them with other smartphones. It also sends weekly and daily digital coupons to your smartphone. 

Another cool feature is Aisle Sorting, which organizes your list by categories and aisles, saving you time in the grocery store.

There is, however, more to the holidays than just material items. LivingSocial has set up a program for this holiday season that lets customers “Give, Gift, & Get.” 

The company has once again teamed up with the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. For every donation a customer makes to the cause, LivingSocial, Toys ‘R’ Us and other corporate partners will match that donation. The “Give, Gift, Get” is a way for the customers to receive rewards while shopping, and also give back for a good cause.

“This is the second year we’ve teamed up with Marine Corps Toys for Tots, but the first time we’ve taken an innovative approach like this to encourage holiday shoppers. We are really hoping to raise a lot of money for this great cause,” said LivingSocial communications director Maire Griffin.

The holidays are stressful enough — why make it harder than it needs to be? Don’t spend countless hours at the mall, callous your fingers cutting coupons, or fight over parking spots — make a trip to the app store instead.