Well, we’re just a day away from Black Friday! Stores start to open at 9pm on Thanksgiving night at Toys R Us. Walmart thought they were going to get the first shoppers, but Toys R Us bumped their time again – because heaven forbid any store not get the first people!
Of course the first people are one of a few groups.
So I will outline the groups as I see them and I want to know if you agree.
Which kind of Black Friday shopper are you?
Pickers – They’re the deal hunter extraordinaires. The ones who knows what they’re after and will cherry pick the deals that suit them; and then go to the next store to do the same. They started looking at the ads in October and will have their strategy mostly mapped out (or at least in their mind) long before they eat any Turkey on Thanksgiving.
These are the ones who can’t be distracted – they’re in it to win it and may or may not take you down if you get in the way. Remember the people who got in fights over the Furbys? Those were not these people, these people got them LONG before you knew you even wanted one…which leads me to the next group:
Ebayers – These people are only out for one thing: the one toy you want! They want to get it before you do and they will happily sell it to you for three times the price on ebay. They will wait to list it until mid-December when everyone is desperate and will pay top dollar. You will know these people as they aren’t after the “deals” as much as the hot toys.
The store workers know these people, they come in almost daily to see if the item was on the truck and if they can look through the boxes for “the” golden ticket. Sadly, they are there to profit off of your child’s indecision that they wanted the hot item until the commercials convinced them they wanted it.
Hoarders – They want a good deal. No matter what it is. They know that they’ll know someone who can use it or they will donate it somewhere, but they want to brag about how much they saved. They are just now dusting off their original tickle me elmo’s that they forgot they had because it was deep in their gift pile. They may do well to meet the Ebayers as much of their stockpiles are now considered retro.
I hope that the stuff I want is not in their line of sight because they will pick it up. They are the store’s best friend and likely why they’re opening earlier each year. They go for the deals and grab everything else while they’re there. I’ve seen them checking out, they push and pull a buggy while waiting in line. Seriously.
Complainers – They arrive at the stores 5 minutes before the sale begins. They are shocked and upset that all of the items are already in people’s carts, or they try to cut line to get in first. This group upsets me most of all. I have heard people yelling at managers and other shoppers who say, “I was here 5 minutes before they were supposed to be on sale and nobody could tell me how to find the item!” Gee lady, listen I was here while my turkey was being digested – you snooze you lose. I recall last year there was a fist fight at the Bartlett Wal-Mart and I heard it was a lady who got there late and was trying to take an item out of another person’s cart. Look, we’re all pretty tired and pretty serious about this. Back off. Quit complaining and get there ahead of time. Gah!
I’m sure there’s scores of others shopping tomorrow night, but these are the groups I’ve encountered most of all. This is me, cheech, and my mom last year. Chee stayed home, she’s not ready for the crowds yet.
I’m a picker. I stalk the deals and decide which I want. I know which stores price-match and carry my ads with me. I have also learned do not let someone else “borrow” your ad. Sorry, they’ll forget they have it and you won’t see it again. I’ve heard some people say they three hole punch them and put them in a binder. That’s pretty cool, I just take a recycle type store bag and keep my ads in it. I’ll see you out at the stores probably Thursday night, but you may not see me, I’ll be in my deal ninja mode.
Happy Thanksgiving! I’ll see you on the other side.
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