magickallight Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Gather round children and I shall tell you a story of how Black Friday was done MANY years ago (11 to be exact)... before blackfriday.gottadeal.com came along. The family would eagerly await the arrival of the newspaper on Thanksgiving day - filled with the wondrous Black Friday Sale Ads... we would divide them up and with notebook in hand we would write down the stores and the items we wanted from them. After all ads had gone through all hands we would compare lists and make out a game plan of which stores we would hit first and who went where. http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.608009610985670007&pid=15.1&P=0 Fast forward to Black Friday and how we do it today... now, we are able to see the ads days, weeks and sometimes a month in advance on blackfriday.gottadeal.com, we use the "My Shopping List" under "Features" on the site and as ads are leaked we add the deals we want to our shopping lists. We then gather about a week before Black Friday, compare lists and make out our game plan. Do you pre-make your game plan? If so - how do you do it? (Notebook paper, computerized list, etc.) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momlori Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 It depends if the sales are on line, but usually I have a written list of what I want to get from the leaked ads and order as much as possible on line before BF. I still eagerly await the newspaper on Thanksgiving and go through it in case I need to add to my list for in store purchases 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISU ME Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 I love looking thru the newspaper ads too! I make my own plan with the leaked ads, but still go thru the newspaper with my family to finalize our plans. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bopeep Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 I keep a list with my Christmas list in Excel, and add to (or otherwise adjust) it as the ads are leaked. Then on Thanksgiving, my sister, mom, daughter in law, and I sit at the kitchen table and go through all the paper ads. Each of us has paper and pen in hand. Then I go back to my excel list and add/delete to tweak the list and finalize the game plan. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julz0420 Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 I generally pick through Walgreens and Walmart as my main 2 stops since they are in my town. After that I go with where the best deals are. Then I hit online afterwards. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kash Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 That's how we use to do it too! Now when my mom gets here we give her the laptop and she goes thru the ads she wants to look at. Then we go out Thanksgiving morning and grab a newspaper with our other goodies. Then my mom goes thru those and makes her list. We (my 2 oldest kids and my mom and I ) compare lists and set priority to the order of stores. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTFN10000 Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 I generally watch for all the Black Fridays ads to post. As I'm cooking thanksgiving dinner I look carefully at the printed inserts in the paper and have the kids circle or clip and paste on paper what they are asking Santa for. Then after everything settles down into the evening I figure out where I'm going and for what. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbeenie Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 In 2012, I did almost 100% of my BF shopping on-line. Last year, it was 100%, and I missed almost nothing I was interested in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCPanther1975 Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Years ago, we also did the sitting around the table, making lists, and then see which stores we HAD to go to. But now, I get a sneak peek, and kinda tell the family what is good deals ahead of time, but we still make our lists of must haves and break into groups (there are 16 of us) and try to get everyone's items!This year, however, I have mainly done my shopping on line and am 75% done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cab0ad Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 I pick the most important deal and head to the store it is at several hours early with a camp chair, an ipad, and a turkey sandwich! I shop online while I sit in line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2000SE Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I check my bank account then I look at the sales papers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okannie Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Scour GottaDeal for all the ads and special buys...then decide what we need or want...what stores have what hours...then plan our attack...who goes where and gets what.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy0504 Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I use a pen & notepad & organize my shopping by sales times, using the ads from this site of course...i go over my list & revise until thanksgiving day...I love the rush i get from being in the thick of it, but this year I may try ordering some things online too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaymacfla Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 In 2012, I did almost 100% of my BF shopping on-line. Last year, it was 100%, and I missed almost nothing I was interested in.I don't know exactly why, but I find this post as kind of sad. Call me a purist, but to qualify as a traditional Black Friday shopper, you need to be out and about on that day, otherwise you are a general consumer who happens to be online during the same day that most others are actively participating. With that being said, I am an avid supporter of your right to do so, and only hope that the online experience can be as fruitful for others. I know that the online experience has been spotty in the past, but is trending towards a more reliable alternative as servers and stock levels of merchandise increase. Good luck this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaFees Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I don't know exactly why, but I find this post as kind of sad. Call me a purist, but to qualify as a traditional Black Friday shopper, you need to be out and about on that day, otherwise you are a general consumer who happens to be online during the same day that most others are actively participating. With that being said, I am an avid supporter of your right to do so, and only hope that the online experience can be as fruitful for others. I know that the online experience has been spotty in the past, but is trending towards a more reliable alternative as servers and stock levels of merchandise increase. Good luck this year. I agree with you. I'm all for the right to shop online but nothing beats camping out for those deals. Besides when I camp out and the BB employee comes down the line to hand me my ticket I know then and there that I'm getting what I want and once I pay for it then I KNOW I have what I want. Online shopping has gotten better for sure but until the item you want arrives at your door you don't actually have it. I mean servers could glitch out and you don't actually get the deals you want or your package could get lost during delivery. Also your delivery could even come damaged. I know these are all unlikely scenarios but still nothing beats, after camping out for hours if not days on end, walking out of the store with everything you want. It is especially satisfying when you walk out of the store with a small mountain of goodies allowing everyone who hasn't even gotten inside the doors yet to see your haul and the deals they missed out on. Anyways, for me I scope out the ads online ahead of time. Then I figure out who, if anyone, wants what and where it is at. Typically, I don't just camp out for myself I camp out for friends and family who would never dare to camp out for more than a couple hours. I help them get what they want and in return make a little spending cash to get what I want. It is a nice win-win for everyone. I like camping out at Best Buy but I will go where ever the best deals are or to ensure that I can most people most of what they want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arci122 Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 We still sit in the living room with the ads.....(some we did not get a sneak peak at), but we already have a large list started. The kids and spouses go through the ads and let us know if they see anything. Then, while the kids are playing or watching a movie in the other room, and the men are napping, we make our game plan of what opens when, where we need to go, and who is getting dropped off where so we can divide and conquer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanyon71 Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I don't know exactly why, but I find this post as kind of sad. Call me a purist, but to qualify as a traditional Black Friday shopper, you need to be out and about on that day, otherwise you are a general consumer who happens to be online during the same day that most others are actively participating. With that being said, I am an avid supporter of your right to do so, and only hope that the online experience can be as fruitful for others. I know that the online experience has been spotty in the past, but is trending towards a more reliable alternative as servers and stock levels of merchandise increase. Good luck this year. I think it's the thrill of the hunt for me, the tradition of it all. To be out there to do the things we have done year after year, yes we get some online but to be honest I LOVE that feeling when you find that BluRay box set of your favorite show that someone hid inside of a microwave to come back for later on and yes this has been something we have done along with a door buster GPS hidden behind cameras and a few other things. HAHA we rule at B.F. hide and seek 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drod58 Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 My game plan is, get in line at Target and as soon I get into the door start running to get the MOST item that I want. Target is the store these days, where I still get the Black Friday thrill feeling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catholicbride11 Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I still make my list on paper, I don't know why but I do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimslade Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 You can read about how I make my game plan in a news story that was done on me a few years back. http://www.wired.com/2010/11/ff_hackingretail/all/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpzazz Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I don't know exactly why, but I find this post as kind of sad. Call me a purist, but to qualify as a traditional Black Friday shopper, you need to be out and about on that day, otherwise you are a general consumer who happens to be online during the same day that most others are actively participating. With that being said, I am an avid supporter of your right to do so, and only hope that the online experience can be as fruitful for others. I know that the online experience has been spotty in the past, but is trending towards a more reliable alternative as servers and stock levels of merchandise increase. Good luck this year. I can understand that point, but I also think there is some planning going on by doing it online. While servers have gotten better, there is still a chance that items will be out of stock, so you have to find other places to get the items. I haven't been able to get out on BF as much in the last couple years, but I still enjoy the hunt of it. Nothing will beat trying to get a deal in store, but for some that may not be possible. I've never been the type to camp out, but I loved the thrill of getting into the store and out before most people know how to find half the items. As for my plan, I decide what I truly want, or need, or can afford, then I figure out if it would be easier to get it in store or online. I never chase high end items, but if I go to stores, I make sure I know the best route of getting in and out as fast as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmck Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I plan to do both online and in store shopping this year. I enjoyed getting many items last year online and free shipping them to my family in other parts of the country. That way money was spent on them and not mailing. As far as a game plan we get the list of wants, compare those to the ads, choose what we want to get for those on our list while trying to stick to the budget. Items I can get online I will otherwise we make out the order of stores and who goes where. We also include a trip to those stores with scratch offs to get a few little extras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
army_wife_94e Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I refuse to go out to shop on Thanksgiving day. I remember when black Friday was on FRIDAY and used to be fun. If they are starting black Friday on Thanksgiving again this year, I will do some of my shopping online and still go out on Friday. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shopping4my3son Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I usually start with the store that has the biggest bargain for the hardest to find gift on my list. Some years TRU was my first store, other years Target or even Menards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcwalker Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 My plans vary from year to year, in part because I have often been in different places for Thanksgiving/Black Friday and now because of the shift to store openings on Thanksgiving Day (which I hate). This year, I will be staying in the small town of Granbury, Texas, visiting family on a farm between there and Weatherford. As my family (parents) are against shopping on Thanksgiving Day, I will not do any shopping or waiting in lines on Thanksgiving from mid morning to late evening. I will do online shopping in the evenings from my hotel room until Wednesday night. Early Thanksgiving morning I plan to visit a Walgreens and CVS near my hotel before heading to the farm where we will gather for Thanksgiving. In the evening whenever most family heads to our hotel, I will head out. I did Black Friday in Weatherford a few years ago and did OK, there, but Granbury where we will be staying has fewer stores, so I expect that I will drive 30 miles from our hotel to the Hulen Mall area of Fort Worth to do some night shopping. By mid-day Black Friday we will start driving home to New York and will be in Little Rock by that night, so I have to find some time to sleep, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom8w Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I don't have many options in our rural town, so most of my BF activity is online. Start getting my cart for a given store ready in advance of the expected start time for the sale and hope that the items will be online. It's unpredictable at best! However, I love the fact that many of the sales go live before Friday, and actually can handle some of the purchases I want prior to Thanksgiving. This actually worked out in a Brick-and-Mortar a couple of years ago as well...Home Depot was mostly busy with employees setting up for BF on the night before Thanksgiving when we picked up our tree. We scored some lights that were in the BF ad, and they rang up at BF pricing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcwalker Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 (edited) A key part of my game plan is the personalized My Shopping List feature on GottaDeal. (It is "hidden" under the "FEATURES" header on the Black Friday page now.) http://blackfriday.gottadeal.com/ShoppingList I initially add extra items that I am considering, then narrow down the list as I see all the ads and investigate some items. I print it out and take it with me to the stores, along with the ad for each store from the newspaper. Edited October 20, 2014 by mcwalker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOMPRO76 Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 (edited) Thanks for the tip Mcwalker! I did not know about the shopping list feature and will check it out! Edited October 20, 2014 by MOMPRO76 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwashi3324 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I typically go through every single Black Friday, ad with a fine tooth comb. I want to be certain what stores, or websites can be avoided, to conserve my time and energy. I take my daughter to the main store, search in advance for the Specials and post her near with a cart, while I scour the store for other sale items. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starbeck96 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Of course, I use Gottadeal to see all the ads early. Then, I make a list of everything that I see in the ads that interests me. After, all of the ads are out, I take my list and make a spreadsheet. This helps me see who has like items the cheapest. I just look at the list over and over and make my final selections. I also have a back-up plan in case I miss out on a deal.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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