The Black Friday Survival Guide - 12 'Must Know' Tips For the Black Friday Shopper

You’ve seen the ads, heard the hype, and have found some Black Friday deals too good to pass up. If you’ve decided to take the early Friday morning plunge after your scrumptious Thanksgiving meal, you’ll need to do a little prep work. After all, Black Friday shopping isn’t like your average trip to the mall. It’s more like a competition… you versus every other deal seeker in the area.

The experienced Black Friday shopper knows the routine: forget about sleep the night before, find a warm coat, grab some coffee, pick up the baseball bat, realize you’re going shopping and put down the baseball bat, get in the car, and get in line. It seems simple enough, but the Black Friday experience can be overwhelming to the long line newcomer.

Whether new or experienced, I’ve come up with 10 Black Friday tips to help everyone prepare for their shopping adventure, and hopefully have a more successful and enjoyable time.

Preparing for the Journey

1. Don't go it alone

Black Friday shopping by yourself can be difficult. I've done it both ways, alone and with friends, and it's way easier when you have others with you. 

Having a friend with you means you can take bathroom breaks without worrying your place in line will be lost forever, getting food and beverages is easier, and you can take turns hopping in the car to warm up. Plus, it doesn't hurt to have someone you know there to talk to.

It also doesn't hurt to have a shopping buddy for the mad dash into the store since you can often divide the workload. Most stores hand out doorbusters on a one-per-person basis, so you'll both need to be present if you're each getting one. However, if your friend is walking by something you want on the way to something they want, they could grab it for you and vice versa. You may be able to get more of the items on your list this way.

Not everyone has a friend crazy enough to stand in line all night, and if you don't, you'll have to go it alone. It's harder, but by following the rest of the tips below, you should be fine.

2. Eat a large breakfast and bring a bottle of water or coffee and snacks.

If you get in line at 4 AM (for a 6 AM opening), there’s a good chance you won’t get out of your first store until 8 AM or 9 AM thanks to long checkout lines. The worst scenario is a grumbly tummy when you’ve still got 2 hours to go. In general, people are more irritable, nervous, and impatient when they’re hungry or thirsty. With a full belly, you’re more apt to keep your cool in the hectic Black Friday atmosphere.

You’re going to get thirsty, and even though lone shoppers may find it hard to go to the bathroom, make sure you bring a bottle of water with you in case you start to feel dehydrated. Personally, I've found it convenient to bring a large Thermos filled with coffee. A cup every now and then keeps me going.

For those getting in line extremely early (like the night before), prepare a bag with snack foods to help keep your motor running. Be careful about what you bring, though. For those in cold areas (sub-freezing), make sure you bring snack foods that will be acceptable for the weather conditions. For example, those tasty granola bars may be filled with fuel for the long-line shopper, but they become rock solid after a few hours in the cold. 

If you can, go shopping with a spouse, friend, or family member who can keep your spot in line for when nature calls.

3. Dress for the occasion

Depending on where you live, you may need to dress warmer or cooler for the long wait in line. This is especially true for those in colder areas. Trust me, 34 degrees may feel okay for 10 minutes, but it starts to feel like -23 degrees after two hours. Wear a warm coat and bring gloves, a scarf, a wool hat, earmuffs, and anything else you can think of to keep you warm. If possible, dress in layers in case you get overheated. And for goodness sakes, wear two pairs of socks to keep your toes warm (something I learned last year).

For those in warmer areas, plan on starting your morning a tad overdressed. Wear a pair of shorts under some sweat pants and a shirt under a windbreaker or light jacket for when the cool morning passes and the heat wave comes.

4. Bring the right gear

If you're only going to be in line for an hour, it's probably not essential to bring a lot of gear with you. However, if you'll be on your feet for more than a few hours, I'd recommend bringing some additional gear. 

For starters, bring one of those portable bag chairs, particularly if you're standing in line by yourself. You've got a long day of standing ahead of you, no reason to tire out your feet for no reason. Also, most early-bird shoppers acknowledge the fact that people do need to use the bathroom. The chair should serve as your line placeholder while you take care of business. Not everyone respects the chair if you just get up and walk away, so be sure to communicate with those people directly ahead and behind you in line. Ask them to watch your stuff while you take nature's call, and offer to return the favor for when they need to go.

Even though you have a placeholder, don't abuse it. There's always those two or three people that plop a chair a the start of the line the night before, and then disappear until 30 minutes before the store opens. It's okay to get up for bathroom breaks, and in really cold areas it's fine to head to the car for 10 minutes or so to warm up. However, it's not okay to be gone the whole night.

Speaking of cold, nothing's harder than standing in line when the temperature is hitting the zero mark. If you're in a colder area, bring several blankets and a cold weather sleeping bag. Sleeping bags are great because they cover your front and backsides, and many of them stay quite toasty in colder weather. 

5. Plan your route

From a doorbuster perspective, you’re probably only going to get the chance to do one line. Start at the earliest opening, and if you get through it quickly, go to another store that hasn’t opened yet. You’re more likely to get the things you want if you get there before it opens. If you miss a store opening there’s a good chance the mega-deals you wanted are already gone, so head to the next place you’re likely to get what you want.

6. Plan proper transportation for your purchases

If you’re on the hunt for larger items like TVs and appliances, make sure you have the right vehicle to put it in. The loading bays on Black Friday are crazy, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen arguments, backups, and even a fist fight because someone was trying to stuff a 50” Plasma TV into a Honda Civic. If you don’t have the right wheels, then opt for store delivery at a later date.

Even if you're not gunning for big items, a small car can still fill up quick quickly from smaller purchases. Keep how much you want to buy in mind when planning what car to take.

Black Friday Shopping Tips

7. Making the commitment… (a.k.a. Getting there early)

You know that 32” LCD TV or 10-megapixel digital camera on sale is a great deal, and so do a bunch of other people. Black Friday door busters are all about getting in line early. If the deal is too good to be true, there’s a good chance it will sell out quickly. The earlier you get in line, the better the chance you have getting it.

At the major electronics stores, your chance to get big ticket items is in line, not in the store after they open. Typically stores will print out tickets for the units they have in stock, and offer those to people in line starting at the front. The closer you are, the better the chance you’ll get a ticket.

Exactly how early really depends on where you live and what the store is. For the major electronics stores in a high-population area, you may need to be there as early as the night before. On average, plan on two to three hours before the store opens. For the lesser stores or in non-city/urban areas, an hour or two is usually enough.

8. Bring Your Ads

It may sound silly, but bringing the ads with you while waiting in line is one of the most important things you can do. Everything you want starts to blend together after a lot of ad hunting, and you may not remember which deal was at which store. When time is of the essence, being able to review the ad before you enter the store ensures you’re not looking for an item that’s actually on sale somewhere else.

9. Prioritize Your In-Store Experience

If you’ve gotten a ticket for an item you wanted, then you don’t need to worry about picking it up until the very end (assuming they printed the correct number of tickets). That ticket means it’s already in your cart. What you do need to start thinking about is the smaller items you don’t have a ticket for. Some of these items won't be in their normal places, but instead a stations set out around the store. Other items will be in their normal spots, but you won’t really know until you're in.

On a separate piece of paper (not the ad), prioritize which items you’re going for. Maintain focus in the store and look for it. If it’s gone, move to the next.

10. Realize you won’t get everything... ahead of time

Be honest with yourself… doorbusters go quick. Before you enter the store, find a Zen place within you (you know, your happy place) and make peace with the possibility you may not get all or any of the items you came for. I’ve seen people throw complete fits, yell at others who got the item they wanted, and other things that make the Black Friday experience completely miserable for everyone.

11. Be calm, but efficient

It’s pretty easy to get swept up in the Black Friday impatience. It’s totally nerve-wracking, and you’ll feel on edge about 15 minutes before the store opens. The worst moment is when the doors swing wide and people start trampling in; you’ll feel like you need to run, push, and kick people in the head to get to your first item.

Before you enter, remind yourself that everyone is there for different things. You know that three dollar pack of blank DVDs is a great deal, but that doesn’t mean the person in front of you is out for one. In fact, they think the $40 microwave oven is the cat’s meow, and couldn’t care less about blank discs. Of course, the doorbusters you want will overlap with others in line, and that’s just when you need to refer to number 10.

12. Don’t Be a Selfish Deal Hog

Nobody likes a deal hog. Things may be a great deal, but if you don’t need it, you shouldn’t buy it.

For example, last year I remember the store I was at advertised a 2GB SD Memory card for a ridiculously low price after rebate. They had a pretty good number of them, and though I was able to nab one for my digital camera, I’ll never forget the people that were scooping them into their shopping baskets 10 or 12 at a time. While standing in line at checkout, I overheard several of those same people proclaim to others that they really had no idea what they were going to do with them, but they were too cheap to pass up. Others realized that the rebate was limited to 6 per household, so they started tossing the excess in DVD bins or other shelves (not where they originally were) because they didn’t want to pay full price. It’s a bummer to think of how many people would have loved that deal but didn’t get it because others were selfish.

I could tell you story after story like that. It’s unfortunate to see that side of people (and no doubt you’ll see it, too), but you can avoid making the same mistake. Take advantage of the great prices being offered to you, but not at the expense of others around you. To help you out, here’s three signs that you’re being a selfish deal hog:

  1. You have no idea what the item is or does, but feel like you should buy it because it’s half price.
  2. You have no need or use for the item(s), nor can you think of anyone to give it to as a gift.
  3. You tell yourself to buy it now, but think you’ll probably return it later.

If you exhibit any of these signs, leave it on the shelf for someone else who was planning on getting one for themselves or for someone else.

Conclusion

It may not be a requirement, but while you’re in line, don’t be afraid to talk to those around you. Part of the fun for me is meeting new people, sharing a joke, and admitting how crazy we all are going to these lengths to get a good deal. It’s the people that set apart Black Friday from any other average store sale. In the end, you may end up with the best two-for-one special of them all… a great deal and a new friend.

Make it the best you can, relax, and try to have fun. Follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to a rewarding and safe Black Friday experience.

Enjoy, and happy hunting!

 

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