For some of us, Black Friday is an annual tradition. Shopping the night away, navigating the crowds and scoring great deals is like a sport to us. If you’ve never partaken in Black Friday before, here are some tips to help you master your first Black Friday experience.
1. Have a Plan
It is always good to go into Black Friday prepared! If you’re not, you may be wandering around aimlessly while all the good deals are snatched up! Pick up a paper on Thursday with all the Black Friday ads or look at the ads online to see what stores you want to go to and deals you want to go for. Since many stores open at the same time, you will have to decide which place has the doorbusters that interest you the most. If Target has a great deal on a coffeemaker, but Walmart has a great deal on a TV, you will want to go to Walmart first as the TVs tend to go fast!
2. Know the Store’s Layout
If you are going for the 65″ Samsung Smart TV, where are you going to run when the doors open? If you answered the electronics section, you would be wrong! In order to alleviate the crowds all converging on the same department, retailers will scatter the doorbusters throughout the store. The TVs may be over in the women’s apparel, the $4 Blu-rays may be next to the shoes and the video games back by the fitting rooms. The good thing is that most stores post their Black Friday map on their website or app so you can figure out where to go beforehand.
3. Go Early
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but the earlier you get to a store, the better likelihood you’ll come away with that must-have item you’re on the hunt for. We know that stores have been opening earlier and earlier on Black Friday. By no means should you skip a Thanksgiving dinner with your family to go shopping. Just know that the major doorbusters tend to be gone shortly after opening, especially in a highly populated area. Last year I was on the hunt for a new TV. I was through the doors at Target within 15 minutes of them opening and it was gone. However, the smaller Target across town still had the TV I wanted an hour later. If you can’t get to the store when it opens, try checking the less busy stores. And I have never camped outside a store in tent, and I’m still able to get what I’m looking for most years!
4. Dress for Success
As silly as it sounds, what you wear on Black Friday can impact your shopping experience! If you live in a colder area, leave the jackets in the car. Growing up in Minnesota, I know that it can be a chilly walk through the parking lot! However, stores and shopping centers like to blast the heat in the winter. The last thing you want is to lug a heavy jacket around with you when you’re trying to carry four new Lego sets! You can’t rely on getting a cart either, because depending on what time you get to the store, they may all be gone. Also, leave the oversized tote bags and large, heavy purses at home. Stick with a wristlet or cross body bag to make maneuvering around large groups of people easier. Finally, wear comfortable shoes. Lines are long on Black Friday! You don’t need sore feet and blisters to add to your discomfort while you’re waiting to checkout!
5. Have Fun!
Black Friday shopping can be a really fun time! Don’t beat yourself up if you miss out on the doorbuster you wanted (and please, don’t beat anyone else up either)! Every year, there are news stories about nightmarish Black Friday shopping experiences. Unfortunately, these things do happen, but they are an anomaly. I consider myself a seasoned pro and I have never witnessed anyone get punched, shoved or trampled. Have fun with it and stay positive, pleasant and polite.
I hope everyone has a successful Black Friday! Feel free to share your best Black Friday stories here!
A Savvy Momma 