mcwalker

I vow... ...not to make any vows that I can't keep! (Kind of dodges the bullet, huh.)

Oh. Thanks for the tip, got it!

Thanks for pointing this out. I am looking at HDTVs of about this size to replace a smaller unit with separate box, and want both ATSC and QAM tuners built in.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I was really wondering if anyone else had done this, in NYC or other cities (Boston, Philly, San Francisco, Chicago?) and what your experiences were. Getting to the first store, whatever that is, is no problem. I might drop some things at home after the first couple of stores, but that would loose time during the critical morning hours. I will be working on getting my wife and a friend or two to join me, but of course they will have some of their own purchases to carry. I will definitely have a cart to carry things. I already see some items on the Sears ad that might start loading me down, and we haven't even seen many other adds yet.

This is kind of a "New York question", but here goes: Has anyone done their Black Friday shopping by public transit? I live in New York City (Queens) and don't own a car. The past three years when I shopped on Black Friday I was traveling and had a rental car or had a rental car for the holiday and shopped on Long Island. This year, I will be home in Queens for the holiday and rental car rates are so high in the metro area now that it would negate any savings I might see, so I am contemplating Black Friday shopping by public transit (subway). The real issue isn't so much getting to the stores, as many of the best ones are easily accessible by subway not far from home. The bigger issue may be not having a trunk to stash stuff in between stores. then again, I was thinking about buying less this year anyway, and maybe some appliances that would be delivered anyway. Anyone else have experience with a BF shopping blitz by public transit? And hey, it's the GREEN thing to do.

On BF I am shopping mostly for Christmas, but that includes things for myself or home. I do hold off on some needs and get them that day. To look at it another way, I sometimes hold things that we "need" for Christmas, instead of using them earlier, because that makes for more "surprises" for someone to unwrap. Even a toaster is more "fun" on Christmas than on, say, October 26!

This will be just my fourth year. My family traditionally made a point of NOT shopping over the Thanksgiving weekend, to make it a non-commercial holiday, in part because some of us often traveled far to gather on a family farm in Texas and have a "traditional" holiday. That ended for me three years ago when we gathered in a subrban area outside Chicago instead and I hit the stores early. I am hooked now.

Thought it might be Weatherford / Fort Worth Texas (where my parents are, where I was last year), but looks like it will be Long Island New York, closer to my Queens home.

I've just been shopping BF the past three years and each time got out early (3-5 AM) but did not camp out. While the very best electronics deals (laptops especially) were gone early, I did get "doorbuster" deals on some other electronics, such as three smaller TVs, a printer, bluetooth earpieces, etc, and doorbuster and other very good deals on many other items (toys, clothes). Each time, my wife joined me only later in the morning/afternoon and got some good deals mostly on clothing and jewelry gifts. I have also been moving to some online deals now. :)

Always depends on the ads, but in the past: Best Buy, Target, Kohls, a pharmacy, Radio Shack, and others. This year may also be looking for major appliances, but probably don't have to be in early line for those.

In the past, I have shopped for mostly smaller "discretionary" items on BF, but this year I find myself in the market for major kitchen appliances (refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, and over-the-range-microwave) due to a remodeling project underway. My question is: are prices on BF (or BF weekend) for these large items really much better than weekly or seasonal sales?

Well, me and nephew, twice. Brother joined one year in New York directly off flight from Texas, but probably never again. Wife only joins me later in the morning/afternoon. Or alone. Not sure what this year holds.

Not sure this year. I am still engaged in a late-running major kitchen and bath remodeling, so I may be in the market for a kitchen appliance or two that I originally expected to get during the summer. Not sure the BF deals on those are really that different from other good sales though. 1 New refrigerator? 2 Over range Microwave? Probably before BF 3 Dishwasher? " " "" 4 New stove or 5 small and medium HDTVs for kitchen and bedroom to upgrade from models purchased a couple of years ago on BF. 6 a netbook

I can wait. More urgent things to do this month (like finish that kitchen/bath remodeling project).

Picked up some tags and wrapping paper at Rite Aid in Washington DC yesterday at 90% off. Not much left in my NYC Rite Aid stores though.

I forgot to put Office Max and a few other nationalchains in the survey. I got the last Sony BluRay player at the small Sears outlet in the small town I am visiting the day before Thanksgiving and will get a price adjustment to the doorbuster price later this morning. Just ordered my second priority item, a Garmin GPS from Radio Shack, online at BF price with free shipping to home, so one less thing to carry on airplane home. No critical "wait in line" items at this point, so I will just head out early and pick up some easier items and cruise the aisles with the crowds.

People who do not physoically remain in a line, or have family members holding their place (notwithstanding bathroom breaks and the like) do not have a right to move ahead od anybody who follows store/property rules. While store managers don't have a legal responsibility, I think that they have an obligation to assist in maintaining an orderly line and fair practice, including calling the police if people skip. I was at a BB on Long Island last year. They had arranged for city police to sit in the lot in front of the store for the night. (What else are on-duty cops doing that night anyway?) There were still at least a couple of people who slipped in the line as it moved further back where I was, but the police kept things orderly and fair at the front mainly just by being there. Suggestion: If people are trying to skip, call the police. No one is likely to get arrested, but police will likely mediate, and people will think twice about skipping.

Note: You can only 'vote' in a poll once, so make sure to read the ads and WAIT until your plan is "set" before responding to the poll (but you can post comments as many times as you like). What stores do you plan to visit any time on Black Friday? Select all the stores you expect to visit during the day (or night). This is one of two related polls. The other asks you to indicate the FIRST store that you plan to visit on Black Friday. This is for all the stores you will visit (time permitting).

Surpisingly disappointed with JCP's Doorbusters, as JCP is my preferred all-around department store these days. Not a single thing I want at the prices offered. Waiting for the rest, but doorbusters are usually the best deals.

In addition to being safer than cash, some credit cards (especially AmEx) have buyer protection features that are a good benefit (even if you rarely or never use them). I NEVER buy an extended warranty on anything (even if I didn't have such a card).

In addition to being safer than cash, some credit cards (especially AmEx) have buyer protection features that are a good feature. I NEVER buy an extended warranty on anything (even if I didn't have such a card).

As I don't own a car (live in NYC), I have taken compact rental cars the past two years, one in Chicago, and will do the same in Fort Worth this year. Compact car trunk has plenty of room for what I buy, and it saves on gas while I'm saving on purchases. (Good for the environment, too.) :)

My wife has not gone out early with me the past two years, and probably won't this year, but she very much enjoys when I pick her up a bit later in the morning and we continue shopping. Hint to Nate Dog: get the kids to tell her how much they enjoy the novelty and excitement of BF. Didn't catch how early you start your camp-out, but consider going later, shortening time out, as it sounds like you may not be looking for any of the scarce items anyway.

Sorry I forgot that option. I will add it right away!