With the holiday weekend getting closer and closer (11 hours, 10 minutes to be exact) consumers will be inundated with fliers and ads announcing this year’s coveted Black Friday deals. Several new stories this year have investigated the legitimacy of advertised deals and the likelihood of consumers actually getting their hands on the 50″ HDTV at Walmart for $498.
It is my belief that the smart shopper understands the concept of limited numbers of merchandise in each store. I don’t expect every Best Buy to have enough TVs at the lowest advertised price for every consumer. I understand that they are simply trying to get me in the door in the hopes that I will purchase something else. And, I’m ok with it.
For me, shopping on Black Friday is less about getting the cheapest pair of Dockers for my dad, and more about the shared experience with my mom and sister – and the thousands of others at the mall. It is a tradition that I look forward to every year – where success isn’t based on how many gifts we cross off our lists, but by how much fun we had.
I am curious to know if I am crazy – shopping on Black Friday for fun. So, if you are a Black Friday shopper: Why do you do it?
#1 by Kasey Skala on November 24, 2009 - 6:12 pm
I’ll be working and avoiding retail outlets like the plague. However, my girlfriend gets up at 5 am every year and, like you, goes with her family. Sometimes they buy things, other times it’s simply being with her mother and sister and continuing the tradition.
If you see that 50″ TV at Walmart for $500, pick me up one. I’ll even throw in an extra $25 convenience fee to you!
#2 by Chimpanzee on a Segway on November 25, 2009 - 3:35 pm
I can’t stand black Friday, but I understand why it works for some people. If you’re going more for the people and less for the items, you’ll have a blast no matter what. Like any given outing, it’s all about the company you keep.
See if you can snag me a spare helmet and set of overalls while you’re out.
#3 by Liz Strand on November 28, 2009 - 4:26 pm
After spending a few Black Fridays working opening shifts at Best Buy in the 90′s & then while at corporate & running a traveling project team, we often had to be in the store sometime during that day…I will not even leave my house on Black Friday! I watched people shoving each other to the floor for Idea Box beanie toys, and had many people verbally attack me because the top items were gone at 3:00 in the afternoon. So those of you brave enough to partake in the day, more power to you. At least you know I won’t be competing with you for those deals! : )