mcwalker

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!

The last two years I started my shopping at BestBuy stores in different cities and in both cases I was very pleasantly surprised how helpful their staff were considering the crowds. In both cases when i asked an employee where something was (expecting only to be sent in the right direction), they personally took me to the place and assisted in getting the item--and then went for a second item I wanted. If they have a deal you are interested in and you are willing to brave their early crowds, BB will probably help you.

I ordered a Samsung computer monitor from Newegg last CyberMonday on a deal I found through GD, and returned the similar one I had purchased at BB three days earlier on BF. CyberMonday definitely worth checking out, but probably fine if it is just on the main site here. Keep those deals coming.

And of course, if any of you win one of these, tell us all about the experience on GottaDeal.com. :) I'm going to submit, but I have a problem. I am in the New York City market, but I will be in Fort Worth for BF. Note that they are doing this at locations likely to attract regional news coverage.

Thanksgiving week is one of the peak travel periods of the year, so many of you will be travelling for the holidays. (The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year in the US.) If you are traveling, what transportation mode will you take and how does this affect your BF shopping? For example, two years ago I drove from NY to Chicago with four family members in a rented compact car. With our luggage, I barely got the things I bought on BF into the trunk, and I had to be carefull not to let other family members see some of the gifts I hid there. This year I will be flying to Texas for a week, so I have to consider carry-on and checked baggage allowances. Plus, American Airlines, like some others, is now charging for baggage, $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second (per person), so I have to take luggage size and fees into consideration. (I will be carrying at least one piece of empty luggage for the trip home and taking my personal bag as a carry-on at no charge in both directions. If you will be traveling, how do travel plans affect your shopping?

Strictly speaking, there are legal issues, both with property owners and permits. But as a practical matter, I think you could probably do it and no one would probably mind, even the property owners. I would stay away from prepared foods, including sandwiches, though and focus on simple packaged drinks and commercial snacks. The most desirable item early on BF in most parts of the country would probably be hot drinks, which have to be "prepared", not entirely packaged, but other drinks and snacks might do well too. Probably the worst case with property owners is that they would ask you to leave. I think it unlikely they would go further if you complied (and tried someone else's parking lot).

The Sears ad, just out, has a Kenmore (model 16301) on page 2 for $249.99 and says that ALL KENMORE gas grills will be %20 off on BF! This is a doorbuster, but it is not clear whether the %20 off is only till nooon or all day.

Here's another idea how you could get some pre-work shopping in: Instead of doing your usual commute, drive to a location with good stores closer to downtown Boston, shop, park your car in a suitable location there (with any purchases well hidden) and take a shorter train or subway trip in from there. You can find stores in any area by going to Google, view a map of the area, and search by the name of a store. I did this real quick for the north side of Boston and came up with Cambridgeside Galleria in Cambridge. It is very close to downtown, the Green Line is just a block away (two stops to North Station), and it has Macys, Sears, Best Buy, KB Toys, and others. They also have underground parking where you could leave the car for the day and you could return for more when you pick up your car after work. Check it out at http://www.cambridgesidegalleria.com/ (Can you tell I am a transportation planner by profession?)

Hey BigJim, Nice video as usual. I not only sent an invitation to be a YouTube Friend (my username there is HudsonRiver99), and gave it a 5 star rating, but I also "Favorited" the video. :) The answer to the question, as everyone by now knows, is the Craftsman 35 LED recheargable work light.

I know it just isn't the same, but ONLINE is the way to go, with all the great links and leads here on GottaDeal! :) (This is not a paid endorsement. )

For me it has changed each of the past two years and again this year. In 2006 my family got together on the west side of Chicago and we were in a hotel just 5 minutes away from a cluster of stores. Last year I drove about 15 miles out to a retail cluster in the Nassau Hub area of Long Island. This year, I will be at my traditional Thanksgiving destination south of Weatherford, Texas, and will drive about 25 miles to the Hulen Mall area of western Fort Worth, where most chain stores can be found.

It is wrong because someone just a few steps behind you in line has waited almost as long as you and actually wants that item, and is therefore entitled to get it from the store without paying you a markup, or losing it to someone else who is willing to pay you. The fact that someone is "willing to give up there time, Thanksgiving, endure the weather, etc does not justify any action. Is someone willing to give up their Thanksgiving to break into a store and steal something entitled to do so because they were willing? Of course not--willingness has nothing to do with right and wrong, or legality. I may not wait 36 hours, and those who do wait that long deserve first option to buy something, but those of us who do wait a few hours do deserve our chance to get things without paying a markup to a scalper, if not bought by one of those in front of us (for their own use). Have a nice holiday! :)

This very useful thread has been sleeping for a while (previous post 9/4/08). It would be great if people who have access to 2008 BF price matching or adjustment policies could post them as the season progresses. As stated before, policies and especially their application will vary by store within a chain (whether or not that is the chain policy), but it would be good to post national policies here where possible. And if anybody can copy the exact text of the policy for a certain store chain, that would be even better. I might like to try some price matching this year for the first time.

Welcome newcomers and old hats. I'm Mark, from Queens, New York City. I have been married for just over ten years and we have a 7-year-old daughter. I got into BF (and GottaDeal) for the first time in 2006. I am a city planner, specializing in transporation planning, with a leading international planning/engineering consuting firm headquartered across the street from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station in Manhattan. I grew up in Dallas and until a few years ago my family has had a tradition of getting together for Thanksgiving in a farm house in rural Parker County, Texas (west of Ft. Worth) or my parent's house in Ft. Worth, and we did NOT shop over Thanksgiving weekend. In 2006, the first year that I got into BF we had a family get together in suburban Chicago and last year I went to stores in Long Island, relatively near home. This year will be the first time that I combine a return trip to Texas with BF (in western Ft. Worth and Weatherford).

People cutting in line. People being rude, to other customers or staff. Anyone who collects item tickets just to sell them.

It is wrong, and probably illegal in most cases, but I understand the temptation. The stores should ask that people write their name on the form in ink when handed the form and show an ID when completing the purchase to prevent this.

2006: early only with nephew, later with wife and nephew. In Chicago. 2007: early with nephew and brother who had just flown in from Texas. Later with wife and nephew. In Long Island near NYC home. 2008: Probably alone, later with wife? In Fort Worth/Weatherford, Texas near my parents home.

I am starting to plan now, even with just a couple of adds out, but will continue until all the major ones are out, and then until Thanksgiving, as I will be doing some research on the reviews for items sold to decide what is worth the price (cheap junk is still junk) and related to my chances of getting something without getting in line before, say midnight or 3:00 AM, or later if there is no "prize item." As I will have been in a different city each of the past two years and this year, I map out the various stores within a target area on Google Earth and save placemarks so I know where the stores are located (and sometimes more than one of the same store within a general area). I have western Fort Worth and Weatherford, Texas mapped out already for this year. (See attached picture. Not all lables appear at this zoom level, letters on placemark represent first initial of store name.)

It may also be a matter of our growing anticipation. I first got into Black Friday just two years ago and didn't find and join this site until November 14, 2006. Last year I started paying attention somewhat earlier, and although I am not as fanatacal as some, I now start to pay attention earlier and more often. In any case, you should have plenty of time to peruse the ads, do some research, and formulate your BF plans before the Big Day comes. Early ads won't make BF come any sooner. In the mean time, spend some time in the "real" world.

Not quite true. There is no NY State sales tax on clothing priced under $110 per item. Many cities and counties charge tax on all clothing, so they aren't tax free on these purchases, but some NY cities and counties have also eliminated tax on clothing, including New York City, Gloversville, Norwich, Olean, Binghamton, and Sherrill, and the counties of Chautauqua, Chenango, Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Hamilton, Madison (outside the City of Oneida), Rensselaer, Tioga, Broome, and Wayne. For more info on all states, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_taxes_in_the_United_States But think of it this way: when you pay sales taxes, you are supporting the maintenance and improvement of your local infrastructure and local public programs. :)

The day after Thanksgiving (e.g. BF) used to be a work day at my engineering firm, but most people found a way to take the day off. Some years ago they changed it to an extension of the Thanksgiving holiday. (I didn't shop much on BF until about three years ago, but have never worked the day in 22 years, usually because I was traveling to visit family.)

It would be nice to add a POLL to this thread to see how the responses stack up. [i can't do it, only the thread starter or a moderator can add a poll.]

A bit of both (OK a LOT of both). My first focus is on larger ticket items for myself and to be shared by immediate family (like a TV, Blu-Ray player, etc.), but I also get gifts for others.