The best ever Black Friday sales are just a few days away. Here are a few excellent tips on how you can make the most of these black Friday sales!
I can’t believe that it’s almost thanksgiving and the time for one of the most awaited Black Friday sales of the year. I have always waited eagerly for this sale and it’s one of my most favorite things that I look out for the entire year. Although the excitement to shop at the Black Friday sale is huge but the experiences that I have faced while shopping in the stores has been different. Trying to make my way through the huge crowds to get my hands on the best deals and not to forget the long queues outside the store to grab my favorite items. I remember a couple of years back when I was standing outside best buy with Mayank for almost more than an hour in the freezing cold to get the laptop that I had been coveting for long. I could feel my hands and face hurt in the freezing cold, thankfully I had coffee to help me survive this.
But not all my experiences were bad. Being able to feel the rush and excitement as the store opens is an amazing feeling but since I have been doing this for years now, I have also noticed that the fun of all the chaos and messiness that comes with the black Friday sale does begin to wear you down eventually. Besides being happy and thrilled to find exciting stuff in the stores, I have also found myself stressed in stores, overworked and not getting the feeling of being satisfied after shopping for long hours! Can you believe it? Who can be unhappy after shopping!
Yes, in all its glory as thrilling and exciting black Friday sales are, they are also notorious for causing stress, tiredness and anxiousness of not being able to get the best deals.
From my past experiences I have been able to pick a few tips here and there, that has helped me enjoy my black Friday shopping more than ever! These are learnings that I have curated from my years of experience shopping on black Friday, making my way through the crowd to get my favorite handbag or the perfect dress for Christmas and not to forget standing outside giant electronic stores for hours, waiting for them to open the door so that I can get the best sale priced goodies.
Decide what you need
Planning is what you need to do as the very first step when it comes to having a stress-free Black Friday shopping experience. Make a list of things that you want to buy because if you don’t really know what you are looking for then it is next to impossible for you not to get sucked into the craziness of the Black Friday sales in the shops. Stores on Black Friday do a great job setting up their products to look as fancy as possible to allure the maximum customers. If you are there without a plan, then you will find yourself stressing over the thoughts of what to get in a crowded situation that can really tire you out mentally as well as physically.
Be prepared with items added to your cart before the Black Friday sale hits
This second tip goes in line with the first one. I like to do my major shopping online for the best possibility that I can. I look at the stores online that are broadcasting on their website about the black Friday sales going to open up soon. I look through the items that I need, add them to my cart and as soon as the sale opens, I check my cart once more to see that I am picking the best sale items and then buy it. Taking care of your major shopping online in these huge black Friday sale seasons can help you in many ways. You will be one of the very first few to get the best sale items as you were already prepared with all the goodies added to your cart and most importantly you will see that all of them are in stock. Also, one of my main reasons to shop online for Black Friday is that once I am done with my shopping online, mostly most of my major shopping is taken care of. After that heading to the store is more for a fun experience and to get something that looks exciting.
I have noticed that I do end up having the most productive shopping ever by just following the first two tips and then I just get to enjoy the shopping experience physically in store as my major items have been already taken care of.
Related: Holiday gift guide for her
Plan your route
Most of stores like Target and more they display a map outside their doors telling you where you can find the best deal items. Also, if you are heading to a new mall for the very first time, then it is always a good idea to study the maps and the store location beforehand and keep them handy when you are in the mall just in case if you get lost. I have noticed many times that the later you show up at the stores these maps seem to be harder to find as they are all gone away by then. Making a list of items you need, marking your stores where you might find them can save you a lot of time and help you find your items while they are very much in stock.
Have backup stores in mind
You are looking for that handbag for work or a pair of long leather boots this winter season. It’s a good idea not to just overstress on one store and keep a backup store in mind. There are many chances that the item on your shopping list might as well be the top item on many other’s lists. And hence if you head down to the store and find that the item that you are looking for is gone you might find yourself experiencing huge disappointment. There is no need to go through all that in today’s world. There are always million other choices available for the same item that you are looking for in other stores, at the same or maybe even better quality and better priced. You might just get lucky!
Besides being happy and thrilled to find exciting stuff in the stores, I have also found myself stressed in stores, overworked and not getting the feeling of being satisfied after shopping for long hours!
Take a buddy along
Always a good idea. You will find that taking a friend along with you might just double your productivity. If you both are looking for the same item, then you can just split, and your friend can buy you the item from one store and you can as well return the favor by shopping for something that is on her as well as your list. Initially, I used to take Mayank along with me as my buddy, although we did enjoy most of the stores but the idea of shopping and standing at the queue outside Michael kors, guess, ann Taylor and the list is endless was not very appealing to him (haha…)… so now I just prefer to go to shopping with my girlfriends as we all have the same interests. Mayank likes to head out to the electronic stores and home improvement stores with his friends! It’s a win-win for both of us.
Related: Holiday gift guide for him
Don't try to get all the shopping done in one day
I have often noticed that I am still able to find the best deals the next day as well. If there are things that you could not cover, then don’t fret over it you can always come back the next day to check the stores still holding their sales and some even offering the best sales as last night. I remember that during my initial year in the states I felt extremely tired and exhausted from carrying the huge bags and hence decided to come back the next day for the rest. I was still looking for the office button-down shirts and I came in the next evening to find that even better-priced office shirts were available at the j crew. You might just get lucky!
Relax and enjoy the store freebies
Some of the stores do offer a ton of freebies. Like coffee, tea, cookies, and I have even found free seasonal moisturizers, balms from body shops and more. Do take a break and relax to enjoy these free goodies. I know you are there to shop and eager to cross off all the items on your list but stopping to enjoy and laugh with your friends on your way will; help you feel happy and bring more contentment to your overall shopping experience.
Avoid the stores ‘hot hours'
Some of the stores do offer ‘hot hours' when they are offering the best sale ever on a few items. If these items are not on your list, then it is a good idea to skip these stores during their hot hours as you can escape the huge crowds of people moving to get into the stores.
What gone is gone, don't stress over it
Lastly and the most important thing to remember is ‘what gone is gone’. Don’t worry if you were not able to buy your favorite jeans or a camera. There is always more sale sales going to happen in the future. There is cyber Monday, boxer day and the end of the season sales to look out for! You will get what you need eventually, there is no point stressing over it.
Are you gearing up to shop this Black Friday? I hope that you find these tips helpful while making your shopping list!
Remember black Friday is supposed to be fun and exciting, don’t let it ever get more than that!
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