This year is marked as a year for consumers, as retailers feeling the pinch from the economic downturn, are set to offer deals too good to pass up.
Retailers pulled out all the stops this Black Friday with free promotions, discounted products and cash incentives. With a November consumer spending down by one percent, retailers were not optimistic about Christmas shopping. In response, stores slashed prices on everything.
For the first time ever, I was able to participate in Black Friday. As we debated waiting versus early morning shopping, the deals were just too good to pass up. I now realize nothing could have prepared me for this experience.
My husband and I checked the sites last night and made a list of the deals we wanted to make sure we were able to take advantage of. With the alarm set for 4:45 a.m., I nervously slept through the night.
We decided that our best bet for getting great gifts for the kids was to hit Wal-Mart. I pulled into the parking lot at 5:02 a.m. only to search for a spot to park. I knew the doorbuster deals went to 11 a.m. so I was not worried. After all, we weren't going for the great television deals so I thought I was still fine.
As I walked through the parking lot, people were already exiting the store. One woman was telling about people pushing to get Wii games and it being chaotic. I take a deep breath and decided to stay away from electronics as long as possible.
I go in on the toy side to find that there are no baskets left. I look at my list and try to imagine if I could carry all the toys on the list. I decide to go to the other side to look for a basket. There are none. I then follow a couple with two baskets toward their car. They only have televisions in their basket so I figure it should not take long to get one.
Finally making it inside, I realize the lines at the cashier go as far back as I can see, each person standing with televisions balancing on top of baskets. I head back down to the toy section only to find that the baskets are multiplying. People have televisions balancing in one and toys stacked to the brim in the other.
I see chaos as people are trying to push baskets through crowds and the noise level is beginning to get unbearable.
Let me say, I never shop at Wal-Mart because on normal days it is chaotic. The store for the most part is not laid out well. Also, there is just a different clientele in Wal-Mart. Let me explain. I grew up in Arkansas and Wal-Mart was the place to socialize. People would stand in the aisles for hours just talking.
Moving to the big city doesn't change that mentality. Unfortunately, there is no time to sit and talk, so I avoid the store as much as possible. Add to that, the one in our suburb is older than dirt and you can tell. Not the most pleasant shopping experience.
I look down and it is 5:15 a.m., I am assuming I am doing ok but feel panicked from the atmosphere. I head to the toy area. Wal-Mart puts all of the doorbusters in the middle of the aisles. You can imagine the chaos as people try to fit around the displays and get to the ones they want before it sells out.
Wal-Mart had $10 Cabbage Patch dolls, $15 Glow Stations, $20 Hannah Montanna Guitar and good prices on games and remote control cars. There were one item that I really wanted for my daughter. It was a same size ballerina or Barbie doll for $35. My daughter has fallen in love with ballet so I thought the ballerina that was the same size as her would melt her heart.
The problem: I couldn't find them anywhere. Remember that issue about standing in the aisles talking? Well, luckily a woman from my son's PTO was standing in front of me holding the Barbie one. I was able to ask her as she loaded her cart with Cabbage Patch Kids where she got it. She said she got the last one, but told me where they were in case they put out more.
The kicker was that as I asked another woman asked her if her kids loved cabbage patch dolls since she was loading her basket. Her response, "No, but they are only $10 so I thought I would get a few."
Seriously, this is the issue, people buying just because the price is good with no plans as to why they are buying. I was a little frustrated at that point. I went to look for the Prince Caspian game for my son and found out that electronics sold out in the first minute with several instances of pushing and shoving including almost "killing" a Wal-Mart employee.
Needless to say, I left Wal-Mart with only a couple of items on my list after waiting in line 20 minutes to check out. The lesson is get there way before the 5 a.m. sell and wait for them to put the products out. Go as a group so you can all spit up and get items.
I decided to head to Target. Target was just as busy, but no one would have known. The atmosphere was calm. It was very quiet and the lines at the cashier were non-existent.
Target was calm, but also had already sold out of most of their advertised deals. I was able to get a Leapster game for $15 and the Glow station for more than Wal-Mart had it. The dollar bin had some great stocking stuffers and their movie prices can't be beat. There was no shoving in the movie section either.
However, I was frustrated with everything being sold out. I decided to stop at Academy and head home. It was 7 a.m. My son has asked for this one present for two years and we have never had the money to buy them. Academy had the item on sale the Wednesday before so I assumed it would still be on sale. It wasn't. I asked the high school girl working about it to be informed that the item was a Pre-Black Friday sale item. I paid the $10 more and headed home.
Black Friday can be beneficial to those who know how to work the day. However, this newcomer learned some valuable lessons. It should be left to the professionals. Black Friday shopping should not be done alone. Buy coffee to drink while waiting. Think calming thoughts. Sometimes elbow pads can be helpful and maybe next year go for the online specials instead.
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