Black Friday is that explosive Friday of the year that comes after Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday of November. This year, Black Friday falls on Nov. 28. The day is also often regarded as the start of the Christmas shopping season.
While the shopping tradition has been going on for several years now, it is still worthwhile to learn some tips on how to make one's shopping a successful activity and one that's totally hassle-free.
1. It is best to shop before sunrise to avoid the crowds. A crowded shopping place can slow down one's shopping, thereby causing the person to miss out on some really nice deals. The most ideal time to go shopping would be anytime between 2am and 6am.
2. Take advantage of the Black Friday sites and apps to create a shopping strategy. "The best Black Friday deals can be found on the apps specific to Black Friday," said Claudia Lombana, PayPal's shopping expert. Some of her suggestions include RetailMeNot.com and TGIBlackFriday.com.
3. Look for doorbuster guarantees. Shoppers must choose certain retailers that guarantee the advertized doorbuster price for shoppers who are arriving at a prescribed time frame. This guarantee should remain in effect even if inventory runs out.
4. Maximize potential savings and choose only the items that are needed. One way to achieve this is by making a shopping list.
5. Bringing a copy of the ads in the newspaper or on your tablet and smartphone while going shopping can also do the trick.
6. Don't bring the children. Most retailers would adorn every aisle with big boxes, neon signs and toys to attract consumers, particularly the kids. This may ruin one's budget.
7. Shop at home. "Last year, our research found that 70 percent of Black Friday doorbusters were available, at least briefly, at the store's web sites," said CEO Dan de Grandpre of DealNews.com. Shoppers are encouraged to choose online shopping over going to a physical store.
8. Focus on electronics. A number of the Black Friday deals will have the best offered prices for electronics.
9. Make use of the retailer map. Shoppers must be able to locate where the doorbusters are.
10. Learn how to match prices.
"Each retailer has been watching competitors' prices in real-time and making extremely rapid, unannounced price matches on their sites," said de Grandpre.
De Grandpre suggested that it's best to search directly at Walmart.com or at Amazon. This information is especially true for gadgets, electronics, Blu-ray movies and video games.
