Sandi852 Posted November 8, 2014 Posted November 8, 2014 (edited) Hi all! I was wondering how the stores were last year around 4 or 5 am on BF last year. I am not planning to go out on Thanksgiving, but am considering going out around 4am on BF like the old days. I am not looking for doorbusters necessarily, but more of the nice discounts on clothing from Kohls, Target, etc. I thought I read last year that the stores were pretty dead by this time of the morning, but would love to hear from some of you who were out at that time last year. Edited November 8, 2014 by Sandi852
Peppermint Posted November 8, 2014 Posted November 8, 2014 Over the past 10 years, I have found there not to be as many early risers. As the morning goes on, people tend to come out. It seems like since the internet boom, brick and morter aren't what they were.
bribri25 Posted November 8, 2014 Posted November 8, 2014 There are significantly less and less out at 4am from the last few years since there's been Thursday openings. Most sales are either 6pm, 8pm, 10pm, midnight, or 7am. There aren't many that will stay up late on Thursday and then go back out at 4am when they will be standing in line for doorbuster of stores that open back up at 6am or 7am.
leefamily23 Posted November 8, 2014 Posted November 8, 2014 I went last year at 5am. I got most of what I wanted and didn't wait in a single line. Granted, I didn't go seeking any hot doorbusters but I still got some great sale items. I did miss the atmosphere of chatting with other die shards in line sharing stories. However I'm not giving up our Thanksgiving so it is what it is.
mcwalker Posted November 9, 2014 Posted November 9, 2014 I was out and found that things quieted down by around 2 or 3 AM, then probably pick up again around 9 AM. While you would miss some hot items, I think that for those that want to avoid shopping on Thanksgiving, going out either at midnight or at say 5 AM could be a good strategy.
holly2hottie Posted November 9, 2014 Posted November 9, 2014 We went to toys r us last year at 2am and it was almost empty. We also got everything we wanted. We shopped continually after that and we didn't see any real crowds until after 10am or so. Everyone goes on Thursday night, I guess it's easier for some to stay awake than get up early.
bamamomma Posted November 9, 2014 Posted November 9, 2014 We have been going out for BF for as long as I can remember. We don't go out on Thursday because we want Thanksgiving to be about family and not about shopping. We go to sleep around 9 and get up and shower around 12:30 and try to be out the door no later than 1:15. When we got to the mall last year, it was only busy in Belk's shoe department. As soon as 3 am rolled around, we noticed the mall had pretty well cleared out. 4 am it was dead. We left the mall and headed to Target and Best Buy. No lines, lots of carts and for the most part things were not messy. It was really weird to be honest. Hoping this year will be the same!
min0812 Posted November 9, 2014 Posted November 9, 2014 I was at JC Penny's last year at 4 am to get some items and a snow globe. There were very few people, no lines. It was great!. I was at Kohl's at around 5 am and it was the same thing, very few people and small, if any, lines. The door busters weren't there but that was okay. I was there for the sales anyway.
arci122 Posted November 9, 2014 Posted November 9, 2014 Very quiet. Great time to look around before the next big set of doorbusters.
onemill Posted November 12, 2014 Posted November 12, 2014 I think that if I go out this will be me. I have a new mall with a JC Penney's right by my house. I will go for my snow globe (assuming that they give them...) and then see what sales I can see at the Mall. There is a Target there to so much shopping done at once. And if it is dead at 3 , 4, 5 that will be great!
cln06 Posted November 13, 2014 Posted November 13, 2014 I still go out early morning like I have always done. I will not go on Thanksgiving. I have been able to get in and out of each store very quickly. No people pushing and no lines at checkouts. And I mean no lines, walk right up and pay. The door busters are usually gone but I don't really look for those much anymore. Next wave of shoppers start coming back out around 10:00 after they had some sleep. Last year I started at 4am and had cleared 6 stores by 8am and they were not close to each other. Traffic flows well and you can find decent parking spots too!
berry Posted November 13, 2014 Posted November 13, 2014 Last year I watched the sun raise waiting outside at World Market. They opened at 6 or 7 and I had been there since 5. I left there and went to Stein Mart, shoppers but not crazy. I went to Kohl's and it looked like a storm had been through. Left there and went to Costco for my cookbook. I was done by noon. I was tired. The day before, Thanksgiving, I got up at 5 to start cooking. Cooked, ate and cleaned up to be at Walmart at 5 PM. Did Walmart and Target and home by 9, and then up and about at 5 AM the next day. W.ith the stores opening on Thanksgiving it's made my shopping more directed. Get what's on the list and move on to the next place
AndreaInNC Posted November 13, 2014 Posted November 13, 2014 (edited) I think BB has the right idea of closing and then Reopening. Edited November 13, 2014 by AndreaInNC 1
1angelnhvn Posted November 13, 2014 Posted November 13, 2014 We hit Target when they opened last year, waited in a huge line for a few hours to check out as we wound all through the store aisles. We went to another target around 4 or 5 and it was abandoned and we found most of what we needed/wanted.
Jen08 Posted November 13, 2014 Posted November 13, 2014 I don't head out for the mall and target until 2am and by the time I get there its pretty much dead. I still get plenty of great deals. I do go to walmart on Thanksgiving night around 6pm but try to be home by 9pm so I can get to sleep. By 8am I can tell that the mall starts getting alittle busier and by the time I leave (which is close to lunch on Friday) its pretty busy. I consider myself as a second wave shopper. Those that start on Thursday night and go ALLLLL night long are first wave shoppers. Those that start Friday after 8am are third wave shoppers. LOL!! 1
emilyjp Posted November 15, 2014 Posted November 15, 2014 I went out last year at 7 and got most of what I wanted. There were not many lines. It was pretty peaceful and nice. 1
nini Posted November 16, 2014 Posted November 16, 2014 Last year, we went out around 5AM & had most of our shopping done by noon with little to no wait.
ObiRich Posted November 16, 2014 Posted November 16, 2014 I was at Walmart last year for their 3rd event (to get a cell phone) and showed up about 6:30. The store was pretty deserted.
redraccoon Posted November 16, 2014 Posted November 16, 2014 We were out that early last year and the crowds were not too bad. The real crazies had already run through on Turkey day..
Kash Posted November 17, 2014 Posted November 17, 2014 We do Thanksgiving morning for a couple hours. And then go about 3am on BF. We have company and football to watch during the day on Thursday. And no way can I stay up 24+ hours.
diana03 Posted November 17, 2014 Posted November 17, 2014 I don't really need any doorbusters so going to try and get out in the wee hours of the morning...thanks for all the info!
speeddiva Posted November 17, 2014 Posted November 17, 2014 I'm going to try to go out in the early AM. DH got asked to work Thanksgiving & BF mornings (TRIPLE time!!--kaChing!) so I'll have to go it alone.
fallgirl326 Posted November 18, 2014 Posted November 18, 2014 We went out at 4am last year and it was a ghost town compared to how it used to be. No lines, no large crowds and we were able to get the deals we wanted. That's our plan again for this year! I won't sacrifice Thanksgiving with family for a deal, no matter how good it might be. 1
Recommended Posts