Father’s Day shopping? How to score last minute gadget gift deals

By Phil Hornshaw

It’s summer at last, and that means it’s nearly Father’s Day. Grabbing the right Father’s Day gifts can be a tough racket, but you definitely don’t want to get stuck handing Dad an assortment of ties because you waited too long to do some real shopping.

Fortunately, even if you wait until the last minute, there’s no excuse for showing up with a lame gift. A number of stores are holding Father’s Day sales, meaning you’ll also save money, which is something Dad will probably appreciate, as well.

Tracking down your perfect gift

The opportunities are pretty endless when it comes to Father’s Day gifts this year — your only limits are your dad’s personal likes or needs. You might start with Amazon, which hasn’t announced its Father’s Day sale just yet, but has marked down a number of items, such as Black & Decker tools, in the last few days.

Don’t stop there, though. For the geeky, pop culture-loving dad, your next stop should be ThinkGeek. The site, which carries everything from T-shirts that detect nearby Wi-Fi signals to pizza cutters that double as models of the Starship Enterprise, is running a number of Father’s Day deals. Find sales on individual items and gadgets and themed gift packs centering on franchises such as Star Wars and Star Trek. Plus, you can nab up to 3.5 percent Cash Back from ThinkGeek, as well.

For something a little more practical, hit Brookstone next. The chain’s Father’s Day gifts are arranged into various categories, as well as by price, making the shopping part easier. Items we like include keyboards for mobile tablets, gadgets to make beer colder and summer a little easier and even back massagers and headphones – plus 5 percent Cash Back. You can expand your search at The Sharper Image, which also has all its gifts arranged into categories, and offers 8 percent Cash Back.