The day after Thanksgiving, time is money. Doorbuster deals begin as early as 12am, and many stores boast buy-one-get-one-free laptops, televisions, gaming systems, and more. It can be difficult to discern which Black Friday deals are worth the time it takes to park, stand in line, and elbow sweet housewives out of the way who stand between the savvy shopper and the Christmas Deal of the year.
Stay calm - it is possible to not only survive this day, but to dominate it. First, practice a little Latin philosophy and Carpe Diem. Seize the Day! - and remember, the day begins at midnight. Second, do a little research before leaving home to find out which stores are worth visiting. Third, form a Black Friday Sales Strategy, and be realistic about the deals and items that are worth pursuing on the busiest shopping day of the year.
The Black Friday Best
- Target- This store offers a wide range of products including electronics, clothing, and toys. Almost every item from a family member's or friend's Christmas list can most likely be purchased at this store.
- Outlet Malls - These outdoor strip malls offer the designer bargains of the After Thanksgiving Day shopping world. Many feature dozens of stores in one location, allowing the most determined to shop without ever moving the car. Fashion designers, such as Coach and Ann Taylor, mark their items down 60% and more, offering prices and deals that would never be featured in their full-price stores. Some malls, like Tanger Outlets, open at midnight, allowing shoppers to complete their designer purchases without missing the door-busters available in main-stream retail stores at dawn.
- Wal-Mart- This store really does have it all. Deals are available on electronics, toys, furniture, and everything else the heart can want. Inventory is typically very high and the store is large enough to accommodate the thousands who pass through its doors. Be careful, and leave children at home! This is also one of the few stores that actually had a shopper trampled into critical condition when doors opened before dawn.
The Black Friday Worst
- Best Buy - This store is the source of the Black Friday myth that if a shopper arrives early enough and possesses the right amount of determination, he or she can purchase the deal of a lifetime. Computers are often advertised at low prices and occasionally are featured as the door-busting free giveaway. Quantities are never mentioned. This blatant omission allows stores to ship only a few, low priced big electronic items which are usually sold out within five minutes of the doors opening. Lines are also extremely long and can take time away that could be spent at stores with better deals and more inventory.
- Furniture Stores- For every one Black Friday electronics ad in the newspaper, there will be two furniture ads. Do not be fooled - ads may say they are offering the lowest prices of the year, but in the furniture world, if a holiday can be celebrated with red, white, and blue, then it is enough cause for a sale. Hold off on buying furniture until Memorial Day, Labor Day, and the like. These types of purchases often require time to establish financing and sign papers, as well as to load large items into the backs of trucks. Don't forget: time is money, and if there's a sofa in the truck bed, where will the flat screen television go that was purchased for next to nothing?
The Dark Horse Deal to Watch For
- K-Mart - This store offers a small selection of video games, DVDs, and blu-rays, but is not known for its electronics, making it comparatively empty for After Thanksgiving Day shopping. Most stores carry a price matching guarantee. Bring along Black Friday ads that show items listed at specific prices to utilize this policy. On the downside, employees are not very knowledgeable about these items and shelves are typically not as well stocked as other stores.
Even though not every Black Friday deal is all that it promises, shoppers can still save a large amount of money the day after Thanksgiving. Stick to the best stores to shop while avoiding the pitfalls of the worst. Diligent gift buyers may find every item on their Christmas list, for friends, family, and themselves.
Anna Smith - I hold a Bachelor's of Science in English from Liberty University and have been writing professionally for online magazines for over a ...
