Black Friday is just around the corner and of course, this means many people will be looking to start (or even finish) their holiday shopping list. While Black Friday can be a time of great saving, it can also be quite disappointing if you were waiting for a certain item to go on sale only to have that item sell out before you get your hands on it. We're hoping these tips and tricks will help you maximize your savings while minimizing your disappointment this holiday season.
1) Avoid the craziness, shop online
For us, this is, of course, a no brainer. While we know that going to an actual mall is much more festive, on Black Friday, online shopping will likely save you a lot of hassle. First of all, with online shopping, you will avoid the chaos of actually going to a store and waiting in long lineups only to get in to find the store a mess. Not to mention, you will avoid the hassle of looking for parking, which is a challenge in itself on Black Friday. Another key advantage to shopping online is that you will know if what you are looking to buy is in stock or sold out. A lot of the times retail workers will tell you something is sold out, as they do not wish to go in the back to look for it, especially on a busy day like Black Friday. Online, you are more likely to have a larger stock to choose from and you will know yourself whether something is sold out or not.
2) Start early
While Black Friday is technically only supposed to be a one-day event, many retailers will start their sales early, or have pre-Black Friday sales. Whether you choose to shop online or in person, make sure to keep an eye out the week of Black Friday to catch any early deals. Another way to find out about these sales is to subscribe to the retailer’s mailing list to receive exclusive offers and heads up about upcoming sales. In the same vein, many retailers will also extend their sales throughout the weekend, and if you are an online shopper, you always have Cyber Monday sales to look forward to.
3) Make a list and PRIORITIZE
I cannot stress this point enough! Do not, I repeat, do not go into Black Friday without a game plan. Having said that, even if you do have a game plan, do not expect that you will find everything you are looking for. Therefore, I would suggest you make a list, but within that list, prioritize the items that you absolutely need or want and go after them first. That way if you are not able to get everything on your list, at least you got what you really wanted.
4) Have a Back-up Plan
This point is especially important to keep in mind when you are shopping for gifts. You could do everything right but you still may not be able to get your hands on that perfect gift you had your eye on. Instead of leaving empty-handed, have a backup plan. By this, I mean, don’t have your heart set on only one thing and prepare alternatives so that you can fully take advantage of the sales and so you are not left scrambling for a gift at the last second.
5) Act Fast!
I think we’ve established that Black Friday isn’t your typical shopping day. Therefore, we may have to go against our instincts and kick some of our normal shopping habits to the curb for a day. If you really like something, buy it because if you go in search of something better it may be gone by the time you come back. It may also be a good idea to look up the store’s return/exchange policy beforehand in case what you buy does not work out.
We hope these tips have helped and that they will make your Black Friday shopping a little easier. Let us know any tips you may have to make the best of Black Friday. Happy Shopping!!