Tales From A Black Friday Shopper
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Black Friday (Creative Commons)
This year’s shopping extravaganza was advertised with more stores opening earlier than ever before and doorbusters that would save customers plenty of money. After waking up from a short nap at 11:30 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, it was time for me to shop.
MIDNIGHT: First stop for this year’s “Black Friday” was Wal-Mart. Opening earlier than years past, customers were treated to DVDs as low as $1.96, $8 Bissell vacuums, and $4 Zhu Zhu Pets. When shopping at Wal-Mart on one of these days, one must be prepared for anything. Aisles got messy fast and too many people decide to drive around with carts to make matters much more crowded. On the positive sign, I walked away with my goal of getting cheap DVDs including “The Hangover,” “Devil Wears Prada,” and “Superbad,” all for less than $5 each.
1:30AM: Even though Old Navy was open Thanksgiving Day from 9AM-8PM, doors opened early at midnight for day two of their “Gobble Palooza” sale. The crowds were surprisingly heavier than expected. However, with $5 graphic tees, $15 jeans for adults, and $5 sleep bottoms for the family, it was understandable why people of all ages were waiting in line with shopping bags filled. I passed on a great jacket that was 50 percent off and didn’t end up buying anything. However, I will be back before Christmas.
3AM: The store that never fails to disappoint on “Black Friday” is Kohl’s. For the third straight year in a row, I went right when it opened to purchase some of their 400+ early bird specials. Even with the 40 degree temperatures outside, a line wrapped around the store before doors opened. Once inside, I scooped up USC ornaments 60 percent off, an I-Home set for less than $40, and much more. Between the sale prices, 15 percent off coupon received in the mail, and $10 off discount obtained on the front page of the local paper, I managed to save more than $140 on less than 10 items. I highly recommend Kohl’s not only for their deals but for their excellent organization of workers. Plus Kohl’s shoppers know what they are doing. No annoying large carts and people are always moving to get what they want- no stopping for no reason in the middle of aisles.
4AM: I couldn’t spend too much time at Kohl’s because Target opened up right across the street at 4AM. With no time to waste, I managed to pick up a $4 Candy Land, a $3 toaster and sandwich maker, and finally some clothes that were all on sale even though they weren’t all advertised in the ad. Surprisingly, some of their well-publicized electronics such as their portable DVD players and Electric Drum Sets were going slower than expected. If someone got to the store after 6AM, he or she might actually have had the opportunity to pick up some of the big items. Be warned, that doesn’t usually happen.
5AM: Before the sun began to shine, I was extra ambitious and made a trip to Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters at the local outdoor mall. Unfortunately, not much savings were available for male apparel. Women had better luck with $6 jeggings at Forever 21. In addition, Urban Outfitters lacked any good deals for any gender and the store looked like a war zone with clothes unfolded everywhere and shoppers wrapped around the store waiting for one of the few cashiers working.
As 6:30 a.m. approached and the sun was about to rise, it was time to go home and get some rest until the next round of shopping for the less important items. “Black Friday” is not for the weak. The stereotypes of long lines, crowded parking lots, and fights for the final TV are all true. However, with a strategy and game plan, the morning can be a huge success. Once you pay, look at your receipt, and realize how much you saved… let's just say you won’t be able to wait till next year.
