Black Friday and Cyber Monday are my two favorite shopping days of the holiday season, and it’s partially due to the adrenaline rush I get from getting a good deal. Having spent time working retail on Black Friday, as well as avidly shopping the sales on Black Friday, I’ve compiled a list to help you make the most of your shopping experience.
What to know before you go
There are two types of goods you will find discounted on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There are soft goods (apparel, home, etc.), and there are hard goods (electronics, large appliances, etc.). Black Friday is when I have typically found the best soft goods deals. Cyber Monday, you can buy many of the same hard goods available on Black Friday for similar cost, and you can research the model numbers more easily.
That said, most of the “big deals” are not worth the time you spend waiting in line. Many electronic products offered are inferior models or “off” brands, and you truly do get what you pay for. Many similar products can be purchased for the same pricing online and picked up in-store. The best advice I can give is to research reviews of models advertised prior to making a purchase. The only hard good electronics products I would recommend purchasing on Black Friday/Cyber Monday are items where there is a consistent model number. Examples are cell phones, game consoles and name-brand tablets (such as the Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Note).
Tips for waiting in long lines
If you must buy your hard good electronics in-store and on Black Friday, get to the stores when they open; bring a cushion or folding chair to sit on, and either reading material or a headset and MP3 player; and prepare to camp out in the aisle near where the item is being released. Prepare also to miss out on all the soft goods sales while you stand in line.
I did just this when I was pregnant with my daughter to buy a laptop that was being released at midnight and I was due in to work that morning at 5 a.m. (not my most brilliant idea). Do you want to know what I learned?
- Use the bathroom before you get in line. If you’re pregnant or have the bladder the size of a pea (I was guilty of both that year), have a family member who is shopping for soft goods nearby to tag off and switch with you to wait in line if you have to take a potty break.
- Cheap laptops are cheap, and they may work okay, but be sure to buy the extended warranty, because their parts are also cheap. If you buy one that doesn’t break, you have won some sort of cheap-electronics lottery. Walmart’s extended warranty plan is pretty decent, but prepare to send your product out and be without it for at least two weeks while it is being fixed.
- Be sure to grab a cart to toss your big-ticket item in, and a few other items to toss over your big ticket item once you get it in the cart. Other shoppers were trying to grab the laptop out of my cart as I ran to the register, because until I paid for it, it wasn’t mine. I ended up throwing an electric blanket over the box, and a month later I ended up being glad I bought that electric blanket, as my pregnancy killed my back.
- People have a mob mentality when shopping, and it’s a shame, because we just spent an entire day thanking God for everything good in our lives. Please don’t be that person cutting in front of others on Black Friday or taking things out of others’ carts. It’s so not worth it. Say “Bless your heart!” to those who do and forgive them.
Plan ahead for shopping success
If you’ll be heading out on Thanksgiving Day or on Black Friday, here’s some information to help you organize your shopping.
Which stores open when?
- Michaels, Thanksgiving Day 4 p.m.
- Old Navy, Thanksgiving Day 4 p.m.
- Babies R Us, Thanksgiving Day 5 p.m.
- J.C. Penney, Thanksgiving Day 5 p.m.
- Toys R Us, Thanksgiving Day 5 p.m.
- Belk, Thanksgiving Day 6 p.m.
- Best Buy, Thanksgiving Day 6 p.m.
- Kohl’s, Thanksgiving Day 6 p.m.
- Macy’s, Thanksgiving Day 6 p.m.
- Sears, Thanksgiving Day 6 p.m.
- Target, Thanksgiving Day 6 p.m.
- Sam’s Club, Black Friday 7 a.m.
- Barnes & Noble, Black Friday 8 a.m.
- Costco, Black Friday 9 a.m.
Where can I find the best sale information?
Apps:
- Black Friday 2014 from Fat Wallet (my favorite!)
- 2014 Black Friday from Slickdeals
- TGI Black Friday
- Walmart‘s app includes maps of each store, as well as a timeline showing when certain deals are available in which parts of the store.
Websites:
Some awesome deals to watch for:
Babies R Us: Specially marked store brand diapers, $10/box.
Bed, Bath & Beyond: Arrive in store Friday 6 a.m.-noon to receive a coupon for 20 percent off entire purchase. Coupon is valid all day, in-store only.
Kohl’s: Get $15 Kohl’s Cash for every $50 spent November 24-30. Redeemable December 1-8.
Old Navy: Be one of the first 100 in line at your store (they open at 4 p.m. Thanksgiving Day and will be open for 24 hours on Black Friday according to an employee at the Harbison location) for a chance to win Old Navy’s Overnight Millionaire prize. In Store sale: 50 percent off the entire store Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. 40 percent off entire store Saturday, November 29; 30 percent off entire store Sunday, November 30.
Target: 10 percent off gift cards, 6 a.m.-noon Black Friday only. Gift cards can be used beginning Saturday, November 29. Offer valid for up to $300 in gift card purchases per household. Limited quantities, no rain checks.
Walmart: Walmart will match a number of its competitors’ Black Friday ad prices ONE WEEK EARLY! Visit walmart.com for more details and a list of included items. You can also order laptop bundles from walmart.com before Black Friday, while supplies last. These include a laptop, printer, travel bag and USB thumb drive starting at just $288 shipped (not including extended warranty).
Will you be shopping on Thanksgiving or Black Friday? Where will you be shopping?
I strongly disagree with this statement, ” I don’t feel guilty going to a store that is open on Thanksgiving. The employees of that store chose to work there, and they are being paid for their time.” As a current retail manager, I choose to work at my job for a number of reasons, but working on Thanksgiving is certainly not one of them. “The main focus now in opening earlier than in years past is to avoid a rush of people running and avoid injury to customers and employees by creating an environment where shoppers walk in rather than run in like the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain.” Completely untrue. The reason we open early is purely financial. Do you think the Walton family care if their employees are trampled or harassed on Thanksgiving. No, they are too busy enjoying their family meal while raking in millions. When I was hired ten years ago my department store was closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Now, I must report to work at 4pm Thanksgiving Day, sacrificing eating with my family who live in Myrtle Beach, because people like you choose consumerism over family values. Shame on you for thinking retail employees like myself have a million options for other jobs. Not all of us have the luxury of being stay at home mothers. I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving and please, if you venture out to a shopping center on Thanksgiving Day, be courteous to the retail employees.
Mary,
Thanks for keeping us in check. Our goal is to provide articles that are accurate and supportive of one another. We have since edited the original version to create a piece that offers helpful tips for navigating the Black Friday shopping experience.
Sincerely,
Tiffany Nettles
Columbia SC Moms Blog Owner
Mary brings up great points that the author completely misses. I am disappointed in her tone and response. Her holier-than-thou attitude is in direct contrast to the purpose of mom blogs such as these.
Mary, I am truly sorry that you have to work on Thanksgiving. I know that wasn’t the case when you signed up for the job. I hate the fact that people like this author have ruined the holidays for so many people like you.
I am lucky enough to have the day off work. And I will spend it with my family, far away from any retail setting. I hope others do the same.
JoAnn,
We appreciate your response. Our goal is to provide information that is accurate and supportive of one another, and we have since edited the original piece to reflect this approach.
I apologize if the author’s response came across as holier-than-thou, which was not her intent.
Thanks again for your feedback, and helping us maintain a supportive environment.
Warm Regards,
Tiffany Nettles
Columbia SC Moms Blog Owner
I am glad to see the author removed her comment. Perhaps she is rethinking her views on the matter.
Way to go deleting all of the comments. Stay classy, Columbia Moms Blog!
JoAnn,
Our goal is provide articles and information that our readers find valuable and is supportive of different view points. Upon receiving comments on our original version, we found that some of the information in the blog post was viewed as insensitive to those who had to work on Black Friday, and we wanted to correct that. We were also striving to find the best way to handle to previous comments, and have since restored them and responded accordingly.
We welcome feedback and opposing views, and appreciate readers like yourself who let us know when our pieces are a little off.
Best Regards,
Tiffany Nettles
Columbia SC Moms Blog Owner
Tiffany,
Thank you for restoring the comments, even if you did so selectively and omitted the one(s) by the author.
I am glad you recognized how insensitive the article was originally written. Quite honestly, I was shocked to see such offensive writing on what is otherwise a legitimate blog site.
Thanks,
Jo
Jo,
Again, we apologize, as it was never our intent to offend anyone. But we are very glad to have readers who are quick to let us know when something is not right!
As far as omitting the author’s original comments, we really wanted to respond on behalf of the blog as a whole, since the piece is a representation of our site.
Much thanks,
Tiffany