Ask the Readers: Do You Do Black Friday?
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price adjustments (Comment #96) Submitted by Karen on November 18, 2009 - 14:54. I will be doing most of my shopping this weekend, before the crowds are too big and the selection is good. Then on Black Friday and the few days afterward (preferably late in the evening when it's less crowded), I'll go back to the stores with my receipts and get price adjustments. This way I have what I want to buy in hand, and the price adjustments are just added bonuses. I don't feel like I have to go out on Black Friday, but then I'm motivated to do so.
ktoth04I do black friday, just started last year. Nothing that gets me excited in the ads yet this year.
You've seen the hype, read about it in the news, and have even heard our thoughts on the matter: Black Friday is a buzzworthy topic, but is it really a great deal? With new developments happening as a result of last year's Walmart tragedy, it may not even be the same shopping event that you remember. (Reports from Walmart authorities reveal that stores will be open 24 hours prior to the shopping event, limited-stock merchandise will be offered at staffed "hubs" throughout the store, and order will be stressed above anything else.) But is it even worth going out into the madness?
I've done Black Friday in the past with amazing results, and with so much information being leaked online and ahead of schedule, you can plan, budget, and prepare well before that turkey ever hits the table. But will talks of $3 appliances at Target and half-priced robotic kittens be enough to push you out into the wee hours of the morning for deep discounts? Or will you sit it out, shop from home, or (heaven-forbid) regift with what you already have on hand?
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The ladies (me, my mom, aunt, granny, and cousin) get together over Thanksgiving Holiday (Black Friday included) and go to the Dallas-Fort Worth area and spend the weekend. It is more a mini-vacation with shopping included.
We used to get up and stand in line at Toys-R-Us, etc at 5am, but we rarely do that anymore. We check the adds and come up with a game plan while we drive (its about a 2 hour drive) but last year we noticed the deals were just as good after lunch time on Black Friday than they were at 5am.
Erin
I used to be a die-hard Black Friday shopper. It was the thrill of the hunt! At the height of my obsession, I was in line in front of a certain store at 6pm on Thanksgiving!
As I'm getting older, (and seemingly wiser) I find that I'm more content with what he have, and less obsessed about acquisition. I haven't been out on Black Friday before 9am for 4 years now. This year I will head out to a few stores at a decent hour for a few things for the kids, but that's it. :)
i avoid black friday at all costs. i hate to shop and i hate large crowds of pushy people. actually, i christmas shop all year around. that way i don't spend a lot of money that i don't have all at once. i can budget better by shopping all year around.
I used to work in retail, which in translation means I had almost NO days off, and I worked on the corporate side, not even on the floor. As a result, I will not shop, even at grocery stores, during a holiday weekend. I believe that EVERYONE should get time off, so I shop pre-holidays. I advocate stores to close their doors for holiday weekends.
I dont think the few dollars saved is worth fighting crowds and traffic
tmc480(at)yahoo(dot)com
Black Friday used to be the highlight and official kickoff to the holiday season for me. Getting up at 4am, immersing myself in the crowds of shoppers, and the thrill of finding a bargain gave me a high. Maybe I'm just getting older, but I have passed on Black Friday the past couple years. I enjoy my sleep after the holiday commotion on Thursday! But from a practical standpoint, there is no way that retailers will limit their deals to one solitary morning in this economy. I am confident that there will be deals to be had this season beyond the hours of 7am. So I am going to sit this Black Friday out....but Cyber Monday is another story!
This year, I've made agreements with everyone to do homemade gifts, or gifts of things we already own but which may be useful to the recipient. It's cheaper and more ecologically sound.
I don't bother with Black Friday. I don't believe it's really a deal.
No don't do crowds full of crazies who will cut you to save $25 but do web sites like http://www.mycheaptech.net and my shopping is almost done for the holidays.
No time looking for parking, dealing with bad salesman and still got good prices like a laptop for $250 and $300 HDTV.