Wednesday, 11 November 2009
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Black Friday Approaches...
As the displays in stores these days are quick to remind us, the holidays are rapidly approaching. And they bring with the a huge part of the season for shoppers: Black Friday.
Most bargain shoppers are very familiar with Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving so named because it supposedly brings retailers' books back into the black from the red. What started as retailers having Day After Thanksgiving Sales has turned into an enterprise involving leaked ads, midnight lines and stampedes.
I've always been intrigued, but since I'm not an early riser, I haven't taken advantage of the super deals that usually start at 4 am and end before noon. Those are the sales for the hardcore shoppers who are after the $200 laptops and $15 DVD players. I've heard a lot of horror stories of lines starting at 2 am and wrapping around the store. Not to mention the craziness inside the stores themselves. From what I've heard, grabbing items from people and getting jostled and bumped is part of the game. I can't imagine going through all that, and facing the possibility of my particular item selling out.
But of course, this is all speculation on my part since I haven't actually gone. I'd be interested in hearing more stories from people who have experienced the Early Bird Sales themselves. After all, I've gone shopping on Black Friday during the afternoon and evening, but most of the craziness is over by then. You only have to deal with a high volume of shoppers, but that stopped bothering me once I lived in NYC for a couple years (that's what a Saturday evening in Herald Square looked like!).
I still check out the ads every year to see if there's a great enough deal to get me out of bed when it's still dark out. So I suppose I haven't entirely ruled out the possibility of hitting the sales.
Have you ever gone to a Black Friday sale? What was it like? What was the best deal you've scored?
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- From: Cara
- Name: Cara
- About Me: I'm a 24 yr old getting ready to leave NYC and head back to the Midwest for law school this fall. This is a little bit about my attempts to save up for school during my two years working as a paralegal. But soon enough it'll be about trying to navigate finances and academics during law school.
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Comments (14)
I've been to Black Friday sales and I never end up getting anything. Unless you thoroughly look into all the deals, it's all impulse purchases, so you have to be careful. Too much work for me.
old ladies are scary during this time, like my grandma. full on elbow throwing and everything... it's frightening.
I am a hardcore shopper and I start planning my black friday shopping as soon as the ads start leaking. If you make a list of who you have to buy for first, and what each person's price limit is, then you can look through the ads and find the things you wanna buy. Usually I have one or two back up items for people two. Then you list items in order of priority so you know what order to hit the stores. On the actual day its a blast because at the end of the day you actually feel like you've achomplished something by scoring such awesome deals. I'm from a rural area though and most people go away for the holidays, so the number of people shopping probably isn't as bad as a more urban area. This year I live in an area with a higher population so its going to be interesting, but I'll be shopping none the less.
i've never gone black friday shopping. i want to this year, though.
very long long line and crowded restaurant.
I'm thinking to buy netbook this year.
Horror stories indeed. Like the Wal-Mart employee who was trampled to death last year on Black Friday. Really upsetting... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/29/business/29walmart.html
Meh, it is not worth it to me to go shopping on this day. It's something about the morbidly obese middle aged white women reaching over me to grab the last turkey fryer or whatever it is that makes it very uncomfortable for me. I kind find just as good of deals by looking around online, anytime of the year.
I go shopping for clothes on Black Friday. good deals everywhere for shirts, jeans, and so on.
Oh god. I remember doing this twice in a row. Black Friday shoppers are scary, however there will always be amusing moments. Once flyers are leaked, I always go though them, especially the electronics, however, about 7 years in a row now, most of the electronics are not worth buying and it's not even on sale.
I loathe crowds. I do like Cyber Monday though.
I've done several Black Fridays. IMO, it really isn't worth it UNLESS there is something for sale that YOU really want for yourself and is a doorbuster item. If it's just on sale by a few bucks, like 10-20, i don't think it's worth your time waiting up for.
However, if the item is $100 or more off regular price (relative pricing), I would definitely consider staying up.
I created a quick Black Friday Survival Guide based on my experiences. Definitely check it out:
http://thezencapitalist.com/2009/11/2009-black-friday-survival-guide/
I've never gone Black Friday shopping because I always end up working. I have worked in a mall during this time and seen how slammed the department stores get. I wouldn't dare go anywhere a Wal-Mart on Black Friday, though.
I go, but I am not getting up that early on my vacation...I have to get up early every day of the week. I usually head to the stores around 7 or 8, whenever I get up and out the door. I try to make a list from the ads of things that I want to look for.
I haven't got any spectacular deals, I just get things discounted more than they usually are. I am generally not in the market for any high ticket items like a computer! Course, if there is a cheap netbook this year, maybe I will be buying one.
I do enjoy it. I find ways around the lines...like not using the main registers, but rather the registers in other departments in places like Walmart?
As I go later, I miss all the insanity. I am all set with dealing with massive crowds and people pushing. There is usually still stuff left, and you can actually move around!
Meh, I've gone shopping on Black Friday once, and really didn't like it. Crazy drivers, tons of traffic, and then when you do get to the store, you have to literally push and shove just to stay alive and in one piece. The deals aren't worth risking life and limb over. I would much rather do my shopping before Thanksgiving, or online.
I woke at 5 am once to go to Best Buy hoping to score one of the 10 laptops on sale for $299. Except when I got there 5:15am, the line had wrap around the store, then around the parking lot and was about to double up again.
Needless to say I didn't get my laptop. Amazingly I saw the Wii for only $99 and even managed to grab one. But honestly this was when it first came out so I had no idea what it was or how much it would be normally. I called up my tech-savvy bro and he wasn't interested (idiot that he is) so I put it back and left the store.
Le Sigh.