Black Friday: Bargain Shoppers get a game plan on the Web

Published on November 14, 2004 By JensBargainTips In Consumer Issues

One of the major U.S. holiday shopping days is known as "Black Friday." It's the day many U.S. consumers, such as Jen Sparks begin Christmas shopping...

It's 2a.m., Nov. 26th and Mark is told by his wife he will have to wake up soon. Why would Mark, who normally values his sleep wake up so early? Because it's Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year. His wife Jen, who loves bargain hunting, has a game plan, and Mark is part of it.

Here are some tips from a self-proclaimed bargain hunter to get the best bargains this holiday season:

Get up Early: Some of the best deals are limited. You will need to wake up early if you plan on getting so called "Door Busters."

Know the Policies: Most stores have price match policies. "I don't have to make two trips if one store will match the other store's sale price." says Jen. By calling ahead you can save yourself valuable time and energy. Ask about the stores return policies. Retailers usually extend the normal return period. Check with the retailer and see what their policy is on the items you are purchasing.

Bring a Buddy: Jen and her husband split up so they can get in and out of stores as quickly as possible. Jen said "If I had kids I would leave them behind, people can get pretty roudy on Black Friday"

Online: The intensity of the upcoming holiday season is more than evident online. With a $219.8 billion at stake this holiday season, according to the National Retail federation, Black Friday remains a key indicator to the success of the upcoming holiday season. Growing online discussion boards like bargainshare.com show just how much Black Friday plays a key in the retailers plans for this holiday season.

Ads for the upcoming Black Friday have already appeared on this website, with intense discussion about which items to get a hold of. Discussion remains heated on $20 DVD players and bargain priced laptops. Buzz regarding Best Buy, Staples, Circuit City, and many of the toy stores continues to fill the discussion.

Jen said: "Not only do these online deal hunters strive to get the sale ads early, but they create their own unique strategies on dealing with the Black Friday chaos. Making sure to take advantage of pricematch policies offered by the retailers, planning out lists of the items they are looking for, and even dividing up their families to cover various stores to beat the throng of other customers to the holiday bargains of the season."

Have a game plan: Sort through the ads and decide what you are going to buy. Opening hours for stores vary greatly on Black Friday. Plan your route so that you arrive at as many stores as possible when they open.

Paying for it: Jen said "Personally, I sign up for one of those 0% credit cards offers they always send me, and use that card for my Holiday Shopping. This gives me six months to pay off to balance with 0% interest.

With a little planning, these web savvy customers can have their edge on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

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