Black Friday/Cyber Monday/holiday deal season in general is almost among us. But why wait? Some of the best baby gear deals of the year are already here.

Timing Trade Secret
Psst! After the ABC Kids Expo, which is an annual trade show for the baby products industry at the Las Vegas Convention Center that draws over 12,000 attendees from 65 countries every October, retailers and etailers clear out their 2015 inventory. They’re on a mission: To make room for the new 2016 stuff, which starts arriving in stores and in warehouses between November and February.

What does that mean for you? You got it: Sales!
What do retailers do with “last year’s” products? They try to sell them at great prices, of course. You can help them move their perfectly fabulous merch and get yourself great baby products at rock-bottom prices. So…while you’re making your holiday shopping list, leave room in your budget for baby gear, especially if you’re a first timer looking to get enough of the right stuff to feel prepared.

“But…that’s so last year!”
Hey, buying 2015 models isn’t so bad. Consider: Some baby products, such as car seats, don’t change that much from one year to the next except for a refresh on the “fashions,” which is baby-gear speak for the fabrics/colors. The products will seem new to you anyway and the differences are subtle. Last year, teal with in. This year, it’s turquoise. You get the idea.

Be a Shopportunist
To get in on this year’s end of season baby deals, do this:
–Scout for baby gear sales before/after the holidays by checking your local newspaper circulars and signing up at the Websites of your favorite baby stores.
–“Like” favorite brands and retailers on Facebook and follow them on Instagram and Twitter too—to get insider info, such as advance notices of upcoming promotions.
–Check the close-outs on Walmart, Wayfair (for great sales on quality baby furniture) and Amazon,

Amazon offers great prices in general because products are often sold there below the Minimum Advertised Price (MAP). MAP is an agreement between suppliers and retailers stipulating the lowest price a product can be advertised at, on a billboard, a Website or a magazine. Manufacturers and distributors who don’t want to sell their products below MAP don’t offer them on Amazon. Conversely, Amazon is typically the place manufacturers and distributors go when they want to really move a product. And there’s where you come in.

Baby Stuff to Buy Now on Amazon: Car Seats!
Car seat manufacturers love to change things up. In 2016, you’ll see car seats in colors such as “meadow” (green) and “canyon” (burnt orange) and denim. But that doesn’t mean 2015’s cool car seat colors aren’t fabulous. In fact, they’re awesome because they’re on sale.

Here are some great car seat deals happening on Amazon now:

Evenflo Tribute LX Convertible Car Seat, $59.98, 70 percent off the list price. Lots of great deals available on Evenflo car seats in general.

Britax Parkway Belt Positioning booster seat, $84.49, 35 percent off the list price (an all-time low). This product isn’t discontinued yet, but it’s on its way out. If you’re in the market for a booster seat or know you will be soon, snag one now at a great price—or if you’re a risk taker, wait for prices to go even lower.

Graco Argos 65 3-in-1 Harness Booster, $136.30, 32 percent off list.

Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat, $139, 27 percent off list

The BOB Motion Travel System with BOB B-safe infant car seat, $337.99, 35 percent off the list price. It’s at its lowest price of the year now.

Check out Camelcamelcamel.com
If you’re a big Amazon shopper, use the free site to track prices on Amazon products and decide when to buy. You can see the highest and lowest price of a product in relation to where it is right now for the past six months. CamelCamelCamel also lets you set price alerts for when the price falls below a certain threshold. If something sells for $100, for example, you can set a price alert that will let you know when the price that product falls below $75. It’s a helpful site if you’re targeting certain products, especially big ticket baby products like a car seat and a stroller.

More fave baby savings destinations:

Petunia Pickle Bottom
Now’s a great time to grab a great deal on a Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag. On Black Friday, if you spend $75, you’ll get a free gift with purchase. This year, they’re collaborating with Aden and Anais. The free gift will be a single silky swaddle, from Black Friday through Cyber Monday. For surprise deals the rest of the year, be to drop in at Petuniaoutlet.com and leave them your e-mail or like them on Facebook and Instagram so you can be notified of their surprise outlet sales. Petunia Pickle Bottom’s online outlet store is only open for one week two to three times per year. The sale features diaper bags in discontinued prints.

The sale section of Chiccoshop
You’ll find some of the best deals of the year now on Chicco’s high quality car seats, strollers, play yards and other products.

Bottom Line?
Don’t spend all your moola on holiday gifts. Get in on the baby gear sales bonanza by keeping your eyes peeled for great deals like these between now and early January.

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By Sandra Gordon, copyright 2015 Baby Products Mom