Secret Strategies of a Black Friday-aholic
By: Jessica Dickler, Staff Writer
Friday, November 26, 2010
shoppers have it down to a science.
'I'll never forget my first time'
 Courtesy of Tara O'Brien |
| Tara O'Brien (right), with her mother and a friend, after another successful Black Friday in Rochester, N.Y. |
Tara O'Brien
I'll never forget my first Black Friday sale, buying those pillows at 75% off, the thrill of it all. I bought four! Within an hour of that trip I had spent all my cash and moved onto credit cards.
These days, I've learned to pace myself with careful research ahead of time. From the end of October forward, 'spreadsheets' are developed outlining stores, opening times, items, sale prices and if/when coupons apply. This helps with critical decisions in the moment, such as deciding between two stores that open at the same time.
Secret Strategy: Leave your coat in the car. While you may be cold for that time leading to the store opening up, it gives you much needed freedom to run faster than others. You will thank me when you make it to the jewelry counter first.
Ultimate Score: A regularly priced $250 Coach purse for $75! And I even talked them into throwing in a dust bag.
A Family Affair
 Courtesy of Eric Cawley |
| Eric Cawley and his wife, Holly, in Meridian, Idaho. |
Eric Cawley
I can't remember a Black Friday we haven't participated in. For the last week or two, we have been monitoring the Black Friday ad websites. Now that enough ads have been posted, we have a good feeling for what we're going to be purchasing.
We're currently in the process of prioritizing which stores we'll go to. Afterward, we'll pick up all our kids and go out for our traditional "Black Friday Family Feast." Then we'll return home for a well-deserved nap under warm blankets!
Secret Strategy: We may recruit our 16 year-old son, Evan, to ensure we have a presence at three stores simultaneously.
Ultimate Score: Last year, we were one of few who scored a $500 Dyson vacuum for about $300.
Chasing a Thrill
 Courtesy of Lori Cunningham |
| Lori Cunningham, with her roaster, in Los Angeles. |
Lori Cunningham
Yes, I will wait in the cold for hours. I love the thrill of the deal and I'm waiting to chase it, but I draw the line at spending the night. I have young children and it's not worth it for me. Nonetheless, I'll be there, out in the cold, with everyone else. There's such an excitement to it -- I feel like a maverick rushing from store to store to score the big deal.
Secret Strategy: This year I'm packing something new to take with me on my one day Black Friday adventure -- a collapsible cart to help me carry my treasures.
Ultimate Score: A couple of years ago I got a big roaster with three pan inserts at Kohl's. I was so excited that I got one of the last ones. I don't remember the price, but it was something like $39 for a $85 roaster.
The Divide and Conquer Approach
 Courtesy of Justin Wutzke |
| Julie Green shopping at one of her favorite boutiques in Billings, Mont. |
Julie Green
Using the store opening times as a guide, we plot which stores we need to hit first. We will often use a divide- and-conquer approach, planning to send one team to Kohl's, for instance, and another to Target We also make sure our cell phones are well-charged, because changes often need to be made in an instant once we're in a store.
With retailers opening earlier and earlier we certainly are getting less and less sleep. Usually we're out the door between 3 and 3:30 a.m., and shop for 12-14 hours straight. Luckily, I live closest to our shopping district here in Billings, and so we generally are able to off-load our purchases 3-4 times during the day.
Ultimate Score: I'd have to give that one to my niece. She got a 52" flat screen last year for $700 -- saving almost $400.
A Spiked Macchiato and Hand Warmers
 Courtesy of Erica Sansbury |
| Erica Sansbury of Laurel, Md. |
Erica Sansbury
I will start in line at the Toys R Us in Annapolis, Md., or Columbia at 10 p.m. I've got a supply of hand and feet warmers, and I will surely stop by Starbucks so that I have my Caramel Macchiato spiked a little bit with the good stuff to keep me warm!
After that, I will go to the 24-hour CVS in Laurel for all those free Black Friday deals they have posted, then off to the line at Wal-Mart and last, but not least, Target
Secret Strategy: If you are a mom of a 6-year-old, Toys R Us must be the first stop on Thanksgiving night because they have several products that Wal-Mart and Target never get, like the Princess Tiana Apron & Chef Hat I got last year and the Princess Tiana Snuggie.
A Mother-Daughter Tradition
 Courtesy of Courtney Tompkins |
| Courtney Tompkins with her mom, Jeanne, in Urbandale, Iowa. |
Courtney Tompkins
I'm 28, and Black Friday shopping with my mom has been a Thanksgiving tradition for 15-plus years. We sit down with all the ads after Thanksgiving lunch and map out our attack.
We scope out which deals we can get online and then organize brick-and-mortar deals by stores' opening time, which deals we want at each store, and map out our route around town. We usually stay up all night, start shopping at midnight and go until Friday afternoon.
Secret Strategy: We put one of my younger sisters in the checkout line as soon as we arrive at the store and then split up, grab items from our list and meet up with my sister ready to check out
No comments:
Post a Comment