11. Tips and Advice

By Linsey Knerl

Everyone who’s shopped the famous retail holiday is aware of the opportunities (and dangers) that the day after Thanksgiving can reveal. These proven techniques of experienced shoppers and bargain experts can work for anyone, especially those looking to grab a deal on the most coveted of gaming systems, netbooks and talking toys.

Get a game plan. Planning for the Big Day should happen as soon as you plan to go. Scan all the ads of the stores you wish to shop, making special note of the timeframes offered for their “Doorbuster Deals.” Plan on shopping the earliest stores first, and save those with extended hours until the very end. Don’t forget to bring snacks and drinks for your long day!

Form a team. Shopping is serious business for some, and your best bet is to come armed with backup. Get three to four friends to go along for the ride, spreading out into the store right away to snag the best deals before they are all gone. Leave one person in charge of the shopping cart, and keep it centrally located for easy fill-ups. (Caution: An unmanned cart is easy pickings. Guard it with your life!) Plan on entering the checkout line a little before you’re done purchasing – the lines will be very long!

Know if it’s a bargain. “Drastically-reduced” doesn’t mean it’s a good deal. Be familiar with the regular price of your favorite products, and be prepared to buy if it goes anywhere near 50% off. Be wary, however, of price-jacking practices that may send prices higher than they were just a week or two ago. According to Dan de Grandpre of bargain-hunting site DealNews, some stores have already offered items, like Netbooks, at the lowest prices of the season, and he doubts they will get much lower on Black Friday.

Shop online. Those who choose to stay home during the mayhem will find plenty of deals offered online, including on Cyber Monday (where the online retail world pulls out all the major bargains.) Be discerning in how you try to get that stellar deal, however. Gimmicky promotions that require you to be glued to your computers during peak hours or only allow for bids to be placed in hopes of a purchase for that too-cheap-to-be-true Wii are time-wasters. Brad Wilson of BradsDeals.com insists that shoppers ignore Websites that offer a limited quantity of products at unbelievably low prices, and instead, focus their efforts on a sure thing.