• Retailers are unlikely to publicise their Black Friday sales. Go to the websites and sign up for mailers so that you will be notified when sales will start and what items are on discounts. - Ms Lynnette Chan, 36, health-care industry worker
• Start shopping early. Some websites allow you to save items in your shopping cart, a wishlist or watchlist. You could place your purchases inside your cart in advance and checkout only after the sales start. Refresh your shopping cart from time to time to make sure that your items have not been removed. - Ms Chan Limei, 27, teacher
• Pay for your items, especially those that come in sizes, within 12 hours after the start of the sale to avoid disappointment. - Ms Chan Limei
• Get an account and a United States address with an online concierge like HopShopGo in order to shop with US retailers who will not accept payment or deliver outside of the country. - Ms Chan Limei
• The cost of shipping can be affected by the size of the box and the number of boxes. Drop a note to the merchant to combine all your items in one parcel instead of shipping them out one by one. - Ms Bridget Kow, 24, press relations account executive
• Shop with an online concierge which will repack your parcels when the merchant has put your package in too large a box. - Ms Kow
• Do not be too disappointed if you miss out on a good deal on Black Friday. Check back on Cyber Monday. - Ms Chan Limei
• Get a PayPal account in case your credit card is rejected by a US customers-only website. - Ms Chan Limei
• If an item is not at least 30 per cent less than what it retails for here, it is not worth getting because you need to factor in shipping cost. - Ms Kow
• When shopping in virtual handicraft emporium Etsy.com, go for less popular sellers as their prices will be lower and they might even throw in free shipping to Singapore as part of the Black Friday deal. - Ms Li Jiayi, 27, senior communications executive

ONLINE CONCIERGES

HopShopGo, an exclusive service for PayPal customers, charges US$11 (S$13.45) for standard mail (takes six to eight days), for the first 0.5kg and US$2.85 for every additional 0.5kg. Charges US$5 to $7 for repacking boxes and consolidates up to three packages at no charge. PayPal customers get 10 per cent discount at checkout.

Borderlinx, an exclusive service for Citibank credit card members, charges US$13 for the first 0.5kg and US$3.30 for every additional 0.5kg, plus a fuel surcharge, via standard mail. Offers repacking at no charge. Go to its Total Cost Calculator at www.borderlinx.com/tcc for estimated shipping costs.

ComGateWay (above) charges US$11 for standard mail for the first 0.5kg; US$2.85 for each additional 0.5kg. Charges US$5 to $7 for repacking boxes and consolidates up to three packages at no charge. There is also an app available for iPhone users.

VPost, a service by SingPost, charges a base fee of $13.40, $7.20 a kg and $1.90 a kg for fuel surcharge for postage from US. Repacking costs $12 a box. Able to consolidate more than one parcel under one bill so you only pay one base charge.

WHERE TO SHOP

Fashion: gap.com, nordstrom.com, bananarepublic.com, ralphlauren.com, landsend.com, oldnavy.com

Beauty: sephora.com, beauty.com, nordstrom.com

Health supplements: drugstore.com, iherb.com

Children's clothing: gymboree.com, hannaandersson.com

Books: bookdepository.com

Gadgets: thinkgeek.com, amazon.com, ebay.com

Tableware: macys.com

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