It's the time of year when you should be shopping for other people, but with all the shiny department store displays and sale signs, you can't help but think of yourself.
After all, what other time of year can you give your winter wardrobe the oomph it needs to carry you through March without completely breaking the bank? Your cold January self will thank you later.
See also: 6 Sites For Selling the Clothes You Don't Wear
Lucky for you, some of the latest apps on your smartphone and on the web aim to help you snag deep discounts without needing to walk by the store every day to check on the price of those jeans. Instead of doing complex Google searches in hopes of finding a deal, some of these sites bring the deals to you — after you've indicated your favorite brands, stores and size information. Other apps allow you to buy in bulk or organize the promotional emails you're already getting. No matter your discount of choice, you can now find shopping deals from the comfort of your couch; no shopping 'til you drop required.
As the name suggests, Shop It To Me brings the deals to you. When you sign up for an account, you can select your favorite stores (Anthropologie) or ecommerce sites (Zappos), as well as brands and, of course, your clothing or shoe sizes.
Image: Shop It To Me
When something in your fit and style goes on sale, the site will send you an email. There's also a favorites list, which you can add items to by clicking the heart icon, so you can monitor the sale price and perhaps purchase later.
Shop It To Me is also on iOS.
Shopcade initially feels like another Pinterest, but with one special added feature — like Shop It To Me, the site will notify you if something you want goes on sale. Shopcade has a browser bookmarklet, so you can add items from anywhere on the web.
The bookmarklet will pull in the product information and price — so you can expect an email notification if the price drops. It's great for bargain hunters who want to do less of the hunting.
Image: Shopcade
Shopcade also has an iOS app, and the Android app is expected to launch in the coming weeks.
On Scoutfit, you can choose to follow a certain store or ecommerce site. Instead of pinning items to boards, you'll add items to closets (you can make multiple closets such as Wish List, Christmas Presents or Winter Clothes). Scoutfit also has a bookmarklet so you can add products from all over the web — and they don't necessarily need to be apparel; it's possible to shop for home goods or gifts this way, too.
When you add an item, you can set a target price. This way, you won't get notifications every time the price drops marginally — only when an item gets a steep discount — keeping you free from spam.
Image: Scoutfit
Google may have redesigned Gmail so that all your ecommerce newsletters are separated from personal emails, but still, the email window isn't ideal for browsing and shopping. Sift aims to change this by becoming a sort of Flipboard for retail emails.
In the app, which is designed for iPad but also works on iPhone, you sign in with your email account and the app finds any subscriptions you have to brands or stores such as Nordstrom or Fab. Then, you'll be able to browse items displayed in tiles and add them to your "Love It" list. You can actually make multiple lists — if you're signed in with Facebook, you can add siblings, parents or friends and give them their own lists, so you can keep straight what you want to buy for you and what you might buy for them.
Great shopping experiences and savings aren't only reserved for fashion. Boxed brings the Costco experience to your smartphone by offering bulk goods at a discount. If you live in a city and don't use a car, or are just looking for ways to make fewer trips to the store, you might appreciate a super-sized package of body wash or paper towels. The company offers free overnight shipping to more than 16 cities.
Boxed is available on iOS and Android.
Instead of listing individual items on its site, Perkla takes a different approach — a flat discount for various brands or stores. The catch is that these discounts are reserved for students and you must have an .edu email address to sign up.
While the platform focuses on fashion, there are also art, design and home brands featured on the site. Each brand or store has its own page where you can see what discount is available (either in-store or online), as well as the coupon code to redeem the offer. It's an inventive way to give discounts to students, and for high-end brands to attract loyal customers.
Image: Perkla
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