How do you feel about the sales being available before BF?

[aprncess]

I personally think the fun has been sucked out of Black Friday.  I like how it was before, where ALL the store sales were on Black Friday and I would make a plan and a day of it. 

 

With the stores having various things on sale all month long, it just seems like any other shopping day, so why don't they just have deep discounted prices all year?

 

What do you think, do you like the sales being available before BF?? 

Edited November 24, 2022 by aprncess

[Kanyon71]

Agreed I don’t need a month of sales. I want it how it used to be. Likely my wants will be ignored though lol

[Brad]

Black Friday basically doesn't exist anymore. It's just a marketing term that retailers overuse. "Black Friday deal" = "please consider this deal that we have during October/November a better deal than our normal trash deals the rest of the year".

 

Walmart's running commercials about their "Black Friday" sales that start on... Mondays.

 

There are almost no deals that will become available this Friday for the first time.

 

Most of the big sales went live today/last night and I don't think most people outside of our bubble here realize it.

 

Today is as close to the "old" Black Friday as we're going to get. Stores should be packed but I'm guessing they aren't.

[jesusluvu]

I also liked the way it used to be. Knowing all the sales helped make the most beneficial shopping choices an I could stretch a dollar a lot further. Also I liked the hunt and run from store to store. 

[lucyismycat]

Am I the only one that feels like I have ad attention deficit disorder? Trying to keep up with what week, which specific item I might want to look at might be on sale? I much preferred it when the sales all happened together and I could make a game plan. I feel like I’ve spent so much less in the past few years because I don’t know if whatever catches my eye in a store might be on sale somewhere else, so I just don’t buy as much.  
 

It’s overwhelming and definitely not as much fun as it used to be. 

[Danascraps]

I feel much less interested this year than in the past.  I miss the paper ads a lot... and cannot get into the less than great ads that I am seeing.

[vern28]

No, I hate it! Went into target, nothing marked that's supposed to be on sale and only my friend and I in the store at opening. Headed over to kohls had a handful of people inside but again nothing marked at all no fliers either. So awful. I had a hard time finding anything to get to $50. So disappointed because I had my list but couldn't find anything on it. I guess other retailers will get my money.

[tjredsox4]

I like the way it used to be. I liked going out to wait in line and hopefully get that item that I really needed/wanted. I also miss the paper ads, it was easier to make lists with a paper ad.

[marathonshopper]

Add me to the list of complainers!!  I hate not having a paper ad (or at least what looked like an actual paper ad) on stores websites for sales and I don’t like following a jillion links to find what is on sale.  Walmart’s site drove me nuts trying to figure out if what I wanted was going to be in-store or online only.   Sections of online only, in-store only and in-store or online would be much appreciated by me. I always buy movies and tv series on Black Friday and the selection this year has been sad. I bought one season of a tv series at Walmart and nothing at Best Buy.  I had anticipated Best Buy would actually have something, but if they do I haven’t been able to locate it.  When I followed the link of movies there were only a few little sections with like 8 movies in each. 

 

At this point I’m not even sure what I will do on Black Friday. All the merchandise that is on sale will already be picked over and I don’t have a shopping buddy this year to just go out and have fun with.  I think I’m just seriously bummed about Black Friday this year because the way they are having sales every week just sucks the fun of it.   My family thinks I’m crazy to like going and standing in lines to snag a great deal instead of just shopping online, but it’s the thrill of the hunt!!   I didn’t even buy anything until yesterday when I went to Costco and bought the Arlo security cameras they have on sale, and that isn’t even a present for anyone, just a necessity.  

 

Oh yeah, I got an email with a survey about my experience on the Best Buy website after I had poked around on there for awhile…I didn’t hold back any of my dissatisfaction either!!  LOL!!  Not that they will listen.

Edited November 20, 2022 by marathonshopper

[Rockfordmom]

I feel that the term "Black Friday Sale" doesn't mean anything anymore.  What's called a "black friday sale" isn't really even a sale in some instances.  I don't mind the BF sales all week because most people don't realize the sale has started and I can get everything I want without the lines, but I don't like these sucky ads, some without prices, advertising "up to 50%" off.  I hope this isn't a sign of changing black friday ads.  Stores that I have shopped at every year for years, now have nothing in their ad that's making me even want to shop there this year.

[momlori]

Glad I am not the only one feeling underwhelmed. I am not seeing anything to get excited about and I really want to.

[Rockfordmom]

I like the way it used to be. I liked going out to wait in line and hopefully get that item that I really needed/wanted. I also miss the paper ads, it was easier to make lists with a paper ad.

There should still be paper ads in the Thanksgiving paper.

[cllehto]

This year the Black Friday sales aren't very good.

 

The sales for two months that they call Black Friday sales aren't always big sales ...but sometimes look like their regular sales.

 

You can't look at the printed sale ads and plan to buy stuff at the cheapest price. I see much more I want when I see a printed ad rather than one online.

 

You don't know if the item you want that is on sale in October will be cheaper at the same store or at another store closer to Christmas so you are hesitant to buy it when the first sale comes up.

 

I don't go to most stores every Sunday or Monday or whatever day they are starting their sale so if I happen to go to a store that has a sale and stuff is still in stock it's pure chance...and I don't know what else to look for or if stuff I see is the regular price or a "doorbuster" deal.

 

Black Friday doesn't seem as exciting as when it was just a Black Friday day of sales with all the doorbusters. As others have pointed out, the stuff will be all picked over by Black Friday. Not sure it will be worth going to many stores and I'm sure many people will have spent their budgeted Christmas money by then. On the other hand, there may be less impulse buying and I'll spend less. 

[swamperjmb]

I don't think people realize that a lot of the pre black Friday sales are the same deals that they have on black Friday. I've been working retail for many years and have learned to do a lot of shopping during the presales. I think people hold out because they think the sale will be better. It's not that it's better, They just add more items to what they originally had during the presale. It's not near as fun as the anticipation of black Friday though, I miss the old days.

[berry1014]

Miss the old BF shopping .. getting the ads, planning out your shopping trip, waiting in line and just having fun. This Black November way of doing things sucks. Sales not that great and the advertising (in some stores .. the LACK of advertising) is the worst.

[mommy2twingles]

Generally not a fan but it has helped me this year as we are traveling on Black Friday and I won't be able to shop.

[msyves]

I miss the old way. I still go out on BF but not with the urgency I had before. It's more about tradition.

[setlok73]

Its been weird, I'm not really sure some of them are as good a deal as they seem.  I saw a few things advertised that I KNOW were the same price earlier because I had bought them on previous sales.  So its not like they are great, they are just using the BF banner to seem like they are.

[MuffinGA]

Black friday doesn't exist anymore, at least not to those who sat with ad's, made lists and had a "strike" game plan.

It's just another sales period, some good, some not so much.

[mjbateman]

The fun of running from store to store on Black Friday is gone, but I have done 95% of my shopping and will actually have time to really enjoy the season and my family. I am going to make a game plan for wrapping gifts and spreading a little holiday cheer.

[sas377]

There should still be paper ads in the Thanksgiving paper.

I feel like 80-90% of these ads will have already started. I’m just disappointed. BF used to be something I looked forward to and it’s lost it’s appeal.

[MariahA]

Not a fan. It could have had benefits like spreading out the spending, but the implementation was crazy enough I feel like it was easy to miss things, like if I hadn't been on here totally would have missed the first Walmart sale with kids stuff.

Not a fan. It could have had benefits like spreading out the spending, but the implementation was crazy enough I feel like it was easy to miss things, like if I hadn't been on here totally would have missed the first Walmart sale with kids stuff.

[Kash]

I think Menards is the only place that still has the traditional Black Friday sale.

[tinkrbel]

I miss the planning and rush of scoring something but also don't mind the few great bargains I didn't have to worry about getting. Picked up the socks from Target yesterday during my lunch hour and checked JCPenney out online while waiting and was able to pop over to get the skillet set for my aunt. Leaving only the Lowe's poinsettia's for my mom to figure out tomorrow since I'll be in Orlando. Semi contemplating seeing if there's a lowe's near where I'm going but don't know about all that travel time back even if I manage them

[abentley]

I am so bored!! This used to be a day filled with cooking, family, eating and PLANNING!!!  Ugh! I miss in stores and the legit Black Friday experience! 

[redraccoon]

I'm underwhelmed...  not impressed with the advertising in general and what is on sale when (or how -online or live)

Its good in a way I guess because I won't be making nearly as many impulse purchases.  For that matter, I'm going to be spending much less overall anyway because the deals just are not as good.  

[kfinto65]

I missed out on the $228 65' TCL TV on Walmart.com on Monday. Tried again a few hours later and it was available at my local Walmart. Ordered it and got a message stating I can pick it up on Friday. Got an email later stating it is available to pickup at curbside. Got it Wednesday and now enjoying it.

 

Nothing else has interested me. I have checked the ads but nothing screams buy me!

[bluebear]

So I'm no fun. A few years back I got tired of getting up early and staying up late. And going out. I don't like being out at dark (I can't see well to drive and riding also makes me nervous). I've been doing the majority of my shopping online for quite a while.

So for me it's been nice not having all that pressure and stress. It also helps that there isn't really a lot of popular items on my list, and not a lot of must-haves.

[vegbeauti]

2022 is the year Black Friday is officially dead. 

[Rockfordmom]

Did anyone else experience short lines and not a lot of people in the stores BF morning?  Mendards had half the people it usually does, I was in and out in 20 minutes, and had no checkout line.  Then I went to Meijer and drove past a not even half filled Best Buy parking lot, and there was barely anyone at Meijer.  I went to Joanne Fabrics and normally wait an hour in the fabric cuttling line, and there was 1 person in line in front of me.  I actually went there twice and there were no lines either time.  I went to 5 Below and there was barely anyone in there, and I have waited in a line before to get in there BF morning.  Every store I drove past had half-full parking lots.  Kohls you normally have to park in the overflow lot, and I parked near the doors.