Do You have a strategy for "Black Friday"
By fasttalker
@fasttalker (2796)
United States
October 27, 2008 9:07am CST
Do you shop on Black Friday? The Friday after Thanksgiving is labeled "Black Friday" around here. All of the stores have some exceptional buys on that day beginning as early as 5:00 am. The crowds are unbeleivable.
Me and my friends have a strategy that we have designed over the years.
Thanksgiving day we go and get all of the flyers and ads for the big day. After dinner we enjoy desserts while we sift through the store flyers and ads and make up our list. We seperate into teams and two of us go in one direction and two go in the other direction with our lists in hand.
We get up at 3:00 am and get ready for the big adventure.By 4:00 am we're ready to hit the road and stand in line at the first store on our list. When the doors open we fill our order as quickly as possible and hurriedly move to the next store.
Usually around 10:00 am we meet at a local Bob Evans for breakfast and fill each other in on what we were able to get and what we missed. All of the Early Bird sales are over by then.
Then we move on to the regualr sales and meet back up that evening at one of our houses and sort all of the mess out.
We have a blast sharing funny stories that we see along the way and seeing how successful we were.
Do you shop on Black Friday or do you avoid it at all costs? LOL
2 people like this
8 responses
@onlydia (2808)
• United States
30 Oct 08
Well to my surpise I went last year. Wasn't so bad at all. But my Mom and I didn't get out until 7:30 am and then we went for breakfast. Then to store was not to bad. I didn't even know until she told me. You know it's black friday I said OK. See I never paid any att. to that stuff until last year. That is when she explained it to me. She said where have you been all these year's. I laughed and said sleeping in and watching football with Dad. Have a great day.
2 people like this
@fasttalker (2796)
• United States
30 Oct 08
LOL That's funny. I would probably have been better off if I had never heard of it! LOL
1 person likes this
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
30 Oct 08
I avoid shopping on Black Friday! I don't like the crowds and I hate the people fighting all the time over stuff. I went one time and decided that I would NEVER go again! It was crazy and the people thought that if they didn't get what they came for it was the end of the world.
Good luck to you and I hope that you find the deals that you are looking for.
1 person likes this
@fasttalker (2796)
• United States
30 Oct 08
If you don't like crowds and pushy crowds at that itis definately no the place to be!
Thanks for responding!
@Ravenladyj (22904)
• United States
28 Oct 08
I still have yet to shop during the Black Friday thing....I've wanted to but for the longest time some friends and my husband felt it woudlnt be a good idea due to my tendancy to get overwhelmed in situations like that and my violent temper LOL...Then last yr I was goin to but kept hearing that its really not worth it..
1 person likes this
@fasttalker (2796)
• United States
28 Oct 08
There wasn't that many good buys here last year but we had fun anyway. I hope they have better bargains this year. Getting overwhelmed....yep you certainly would now with the violent temper you would fit right in LOL
@bowtieguy (5915)
• United States
28 Oct 08
Yes, my startegy is to sleep in. Since my kids are home from school and I asked off from work I will not get up till 9:00 or 10:00 have breakfast and enjoy a nice relaxing day at home with my sons. That last place i'd ever want to be is outside trying to fight past the epic hoards of people just to buying something that will still be there the next day.
1 person likes this
@fasttalker (2796)
• United States
28 Oct 08
LOL You sound like my husband. That is the stand he takes. He thinks we're nuts! My two sons are older but he enjoys the day to himself if one of them doesn't stop by.
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
30 Oct 08
Yes, we usually get up at 4:00am and then get over to the store that has the best deals first. My husband usually goes and gets in line while I go and pick up the sale items. It really does save on time. Then, we hit the other stores until we run out of time.
Have a great day and happy myLotting!!!
Have a great day and happy myLotting!!!
@fasttalker (2796)
• United States
30 Oct 08
Yes it does save on time. The only drawback is the anger you stir up among those in line behind your husband while you're running back and forth to the cart! LOL I know I've seen some of those looks I get, well I don't get them but the poor soul standing at the cart does! LOL
@walijo2008 (4644)
• United States
30 Oct 08
I think I've only gone twice in the last 6 yrs. I can't get myself to get up that early in the morning, I would rather sleep. I know my sister does it every year, she will drag our mom or one of our other sisters along with her. I went with her once, I remember her coming and waking me up, it was still dark..lol. Sometimes it can get crazy, I seen on the news last year, people were getting into fights waiting in line at the stores, and fighting over things, I've seen some people go and take stuff out of other peoples carts, its insane. I agree you do get some good bargains, but they never have anything I want bad enough to miss some sleep over...haha. So most of the time I try to avoid it, I'll go later in the day and see whats left.
1 person likes this
@fasttalker (2796)
• United States
30 Oct 08
I like to watch the fights from a distance. Nothing out there is worth that to me. But it provides me with entertainment! LOL We have one friend that meets us for breakfast and then finishes out the day but she says no way to the early bird specials! LOL
@marty3888 (2355)
• Acme, Michigan
27 Oct 08
That sounds like a lot of fun! A few years ago I decided to try it just to see what it was like and what all the excitement was about. Most of the people I know said they coudn't believe people get up that early. I agreed but one year I decided to try it. I bought a combination DVD/VCR player, which was what I was looking for but I also noticed That special sale had been there all week. So I could have gone the day before and got it for the same price. No extra discount for getting up that early. I don't plan on buying anything expensive this year so I won't be doing it this year. But I'm not sure I would say I would avoid it at all costs.
1 person likes this
@fasttalker (2796)
• United States
27 Oct 08
Yeah you have to pay attention because sometimes they will have it for the same price it has been. I used to do a lot better at it when my kids were samller because they always had the popular toy of the year but they are both grown now so I look for different things.
@shymurl (2765)
• United States
27 Oct 08
I use to shop "black Friday", an my husband and I or me and my mother in law would do the same as you and your friends. Sit down make a list, and split up, then meet up. We did not shop "black Friday" last year; however, there wasn't many good specials. I'm hoping this year will be much better. Have a good day and be careful!!
1 person likes this
@fasttalker (2796)
• United States
27 Oct 08
It seemed the same here last, that there wasn't as many good buys that day but we had fun anyway. I'm hoping to see some really good buys this year.
Happy Shopping!
