Here's how to shop the US Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales online and ship worldwide

If you don't know yet, American stores hold a massive sales event the day after the US celebrates their Thanksgiving holiday.

The sales are known as Black Friday sales and are known worldwide for the massive deals and crazy discounts the stores offer. As expected, shoppers go gaga over the deals and go on a full-on shopping spree during this season. And as if that's not enough, Cyber Monday arrives just three days after Black Friday, bringing more deals to bargain hunters, especially those looking for discounts on electronics and gadgets. Sounds pretty amazing, right?

Black Friday and Cyber Monday for 2020 are slated to happen on November 27 and November 30, respectively. Each sale is expected to bring in thousands of good deals one can only get once a year. What's important to know is that even if you're not from the US, you can still participate in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Most, if not all, US stores extend the same offers to online shoppers via their websites or smartphone app equivalents, targeting shoppers who don't want to join the store commotions, as well as international shoppers who are too far away from the deals.

We understand how shopping from international websites and getting your packages shipped overseas to your location may seem intimidating. But the truth is, it's actually quite simple and easy once you've got the hang of it. You just need to follow three (3) simple steps, and you're on your way to receiving your very own Black Friday and Cyber Monday packages from the US!

Here is what you need to do to join this year's sales:

1. Get a US address from an international freight forwarder.

The first thing you have to do is get your own virtual US address. This is the shipping address where you will send your US purchases to before they are forwarded to your international location. You can get one when you create an account with a freight forwarding company. An example of this company is comGateway, which offers customers a US address based in Portland, Oregon. Since it's a tax-free US state, comGateway customers enjoy online shopping without having to pay additional sales tax.

Why do I need to use a freight forwarding service? 

Not all US stores or merchants offer international shipping services. And the ones that do often charge expensive fees that sometimes can exceed the value of your goods. Shipping with a freight forwarder is a surefire way to cut back on international shipping costs.

2. Shop the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and send your packages to your US address.

Now that you have your US address, you can now start shopping on your preferred online stores. Just make sure that at checkout, you will indicate the US address given to you by the freight forwarder.

Tip: Some US stores do not accept credit cards or payments without a US billing address. When that happens, you can use concierge services and other related services that can purchase your desired items on your behalf. In the case of comGateway, they have a service named BuyForMe that offers to do that for you.

3. Ship your packages home.

Once your orders have arrived at your US address, you have the option to ship them internationally directly or avail of any additional services offered by your preferred freight forwarder. Services like repack and consolidate work to help you save even further on shipping costs, and you may avail them if applicable to your packages. When everything is set, and your packages have been shipped out, all there's left to do is wait! Of course, the wait time varies depending on the shipping speed you've selected (standard or express). With comGateway and its courier partners FedEx and DHL, express shipping ranges from 3-5 business days, and standard shipping ranges from 6-8 business days.

There you have it! Just take note of those three simple steps in order to be prepared for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales! But if you need more information, here are a few tips that will prove to be very useful when getting ready for the sales:

Set a budget for your shopping.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer enormous discounts, but that doesn't mean you have to avail of all of them! Be wise with your spending, even during a sale, and that means setting a budget.

Research the deals.

Browsing blind is the easiest way to go over your budget. Luckily, stores announce their deals weeks before the sales, so you will have time to prepare ahead and choose from which of the deals you are pouring your cash into.

Find the best prices.

Some stores offer identical deals, but if you really want to get the best bang for your buck, then you best compare the deals from various stores so you can choose which one lets you save on money the most.