Today is what’s known in the United States as Black Friday. It is not a holiday but rather the mark of the beginning of the holiday shopping season, and is widely believed to be the biggest shopping day of the year.
The term Black Friday as it pertains to retail mania was coined in the mid-1960s; it is a reference to the absolutely choked/gridlock traffic that occurs the day after Thanksgiving when everybody is out shopping.
This is the general opinion from most PCMech readers concerning Black Friday:
Screw that. I’m staying home and shopping online instead. Safer, cheaper and less stressful.
Is this a correct opinion? Yes. Staying at home and shopping online is the better option.
However remember that you could always shop online tomorrow or Sunday. Or any other day for that matter.
If you’ve never experienced a Black Friday "in the trenches" as a consumer, I do recommend that you experience it at least once. Don’t go to buy anything but rather just to observe. If you approach it from this angle it can actually be fun.
Popular retail places for Black Friday will be:
- The mall
- Target
- Wal-Mart
- Radio Shack
- Kmart
- Best Buy
..or any other major retail chain. If going for the experience, the mall is the best bet.
8 tips on how to survive a Black Friday experience
You basically approach this the exact same way you would a major theme park like Disney World or Universal Studios – except there are no rides.
1. Wear comfortable shoes
You’re going to be standing around a lot. And any bench that’s available will be taken when you want to sit down. Wear the most comfortable shoes you have.
2. Bring water in a backpack
If going to the mall, don’t even bother going to the food court. The lines will be insanely long and there will be nowhere to sit. All you really want is a drink. Strap on a backpack and throw in a few bottles of water.
In addition, the backpack can serve as a very convenient bag to carry around your stuff if you decide to buy anything small.
3. Bring a digital camera or small video recorder
You’ll definitely want to record this event. Bring along a small point-and-shoot or a Flip cam if you have one. Watch how people will do ridiculous things all in the name of thinking they’re getting a good deal.
4. Bring your earpiece for your cell phone.
The noise level will be so high that you won’t be able to hear a thing from your cell phone’s speaker. Having your earpiece will cure that ill.
5. Don’t bother hunting for a good parking spot.
Park outside at the end of the lot away from other cars. You’ll (hopefully) save yourself from door dings and in addition it will be easier to remember where you parked. If you’re at the end of the lot, all you have to remember is which end.
6. Examine alternative routes before going.
All the highways near major retail outlets will be jammed. Do yourself a favor and seek out alternative smaller roads so you can get off the highway as quickly as possible. If you have GPS, so much the better.
Example: If the mall is directly off exit 12 while traveling the interstate, that’s where everybody will be going. If you take exit 9 or 10 instead, you’ll avoid the bottleneck on the exit 12 off-ramp altogether. True, you’ll still deal with all the cars as you approach where the exit 12 off-ramp is from another road, but for most places you’ll still get to the mall quicker – and usually safer.
7. Don’t bring along anybody who is not fully able.
If you decide to bring along a family member who is physically challenged in any way (crutches, wheelchair, walks with cane or walker, etc.), bringing them to a major retail outlet on Black Friday is a bad, bad idea because you may be literally putting them in danger. There will be stressed out people whizzing around the parking lots with their cars, people literally running around, lots of shoving, pushing and so on.
8. Be patient
Black Friday shopping is not a quick-in/quick-out thing whatsoever. There will be lots of time waiting to get there, lots of time in lines and lots of time getting out. Even going to one store can eat up two hours alone for just one item.
If you decide to throw caution to the wind and brave the shopping masses today, be wary and be safe.
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