Editor’s note: This article was first published in November 2012, during the Spanish economic crisis. The pop-up shop in Conde de Casal (Madrid), Juguetilandia’s 72% discount on the second unit and its “10 for 1” offer, and Toys “R” Us’s own-brand deals all refer to the 2012 Christmas season.
There’s no doubt that this Christmas, because of the crisis, we’re going to try to haggle with Father Christmas and the Three Wise Men (who bring children their presents in Spain on 6 January). When buying toys, you can find price differences of more than 20 euros on some products. The biggest gaps are probably in tech products, baby items and video games.
The first tip is not to wait until Christmas is upon us, but to buy now. This is when the “super deals” appear from temporary physical toy shops selling at low prices, and the quality is no lower for it, because these are exactly the same items you’ll find at a higher price later on. One example is the shop that opened just yesterday in Conde de Casal, in Madrid, with a two-for-one offer and toys priced between 5 and 20 euros. The result: four-hour queues to get hold of cheap toys.
The places where we can save by buying cheaper toys are:
-
Amazon’s Christmas toy store: The catalogue is huge and very well organised, by price as well as by age, gender and gift section. On top of that there’s the Amazon Outlet section, with all kinds of products at juicy discounts.
-
Juguetilandia: This chain already has shops all over Spain, and if there isn’t one in your town, you can always buy from its online shop. It tends to surprise with big Christmas deals: last year it ran the “one banknote, one toy” campaign, and this year you’ll find a 72% discount on the second unit and a “10 for 1” promotion, where if you buy ten toys at 10 euros each, they give you another one free.
Idea: I know many people think they can’t benefit from certain offers, because perhaps they only have one child and certainly have no plans to buy two of the same product, let alone ten toys. This Christmas, think like a business and look for an alliance with a neighbour, a relative and so on who has a child of the same age, so you can take advantage of those two-for-one or ten-for-one deals. Buy together and you’ll both come out ahead.
-
Toys “R” Us: This well-known brand is launching juicy discounts and offers this year, although where you’ll really find the best discounts is on its own-brand products. For everything else, it’s a matter of comparing with the shops above, because you’ll find significant differences. That said, it’s one of the places where buying early (before December) pays off best.
-
Outletdejuguetes.com: Another place that offers a wide range with good discounts every year.
-
Price comparison sites: Last year we recommended using price comparison sites. You can’t buy through them, but they tell you where the same product is cheapest. Of course, sometimes not every offer is listed, because some shops don’t include their prices in these services.
Remember: By buying before Christmas you get better discounts, and by teaming up with other people you buy much more cheaply and can make the most of promotions. What’s more, if you buy from an online shop, shipping is free above a certain amount.
In case I forget later on: Merry Christmas!
Featured image: I See Modern Britain, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr.
