As Black Friday approaches, should you plan ahead or procrastinate this holiday season? While Black Friday warriors may get their list done sooner, procrastinators who wait until the last minute to make their purchases hope to take advantage of deeper discounts from retailers as the holiday nears.. If you’re a last minute December shopper, you’ve got lots of company.

Called the December Dash, Researchers at Microsoft (1) found that in 2009 there were 10-13% week-over-week increases in clicks on retail paid search ads in the first two weeks of December, on top of the already-elevated click activity of Black Friday week. So, what’s a savvy shopper to do – buy the season’s “it” gift on Black Friday or wait until the holiday approaches? According to a study from comScore (2), 28 percent of consumers this year will wait to shop until just before the holidays in hopes of getting better deals. But they could run the risk of waiting too long and getting the dreaded “Out of Stock” notice.

If you’re worried about one of your gift ideas flying off the shelves this Black Friday, check out the below list to see if one of your gifts is a currently trending on Bing.com, the decision engine from Microsoft. If so, you may want to get that “it” gift on Black Friday to avoid holiday disappointment.  

• Designer watches are seeing a surge in popularity, with Rolex, Seiko, Movado and Tag Heuer all rising to the top.
• Fashion savvy shoppers are prioritizing comfort with jersey dresses, robes, and UGG boots trending to the top.  
• Traditionalists are harkening classic gifts, with many researching for “bike”, “BMX bike” and “dirt bike.”
• Technology shoppers are leading the pack with computer/laptops, cell phones, Xbox 360s, iPods, and digital cameras all in the top 10 product categories. 
• Wal-Mart, Target, Ebay, Sam’s Club and Overstock.com are the top 5 retailers searched for on Bing. 

Visit www.bing.com/shopping to check out some of these items, tackle your shopping list and compare prices to make sure you’re getting the best deal out there.

Happy Holidays!

– The Bing Team

Source 1: Microsoft Advertising internal paid search reporting, November-December 2009.

Source 2: comScore, “State of the US Online Retail Economy, Q3 2010.” November, 2010