Venusaur Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Can you still get awesome deals on Black Friday without camping out? I really don't want to sit in a tent for 3 days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josetann Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Can you still get awesome deals on Black Friday without camping out? I really don't want to sit in a tent for 3 days.Define "awesome". If you want that unadvertised desktop from Best Buy for ~$150, you might want to start camping out now. If you're just looking to pickup some cheap dvd box sets, then you can probably wait until sometime late October. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doublehsmom Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I don't ever camp out I do get out really early! But I also never go for electronics I usually just get things for my kids like toys or movies clothes. I am looking to buy a ds for my son this year so that im sure won't be easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elite2058 Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I dont camp out, but I do get up at 2am and head to meijers. That way I can stay in the store for something I want until its time for the sale. Its a lot of fun and cant wait until this year with the family running to the sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berry1014 Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Same here. We do not camp put but generally get to the store about an hour or 2 before they open. We do not shop for computers/TVs but still manage to get great deals. It just depends on what you want to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momlori Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I usually am up an out about 2-3 hours before the store I want to hit is opening. I just take a blanker, chair and book and I am set till they open. This works well at Target, Kohls, and sometimes Walmart but not for the electronic stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samisma Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 depends on the store and how hot of a deal it is. normally though i get in line sometime between midnight and 2am. this way i'm home by 7am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacy0479 Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I never camp either. Last year, DF and I got to Target at 5 and they opened at 6, the line was already to the back of the store, but we still got what we wanted. I had DF stand in an aisle like the camping aisle that wasn't busy with the cart while I ran and got what we wanted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimslade Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I have been doing BF for about 6 years now and I have found if you want anything electronic then you will need to camp out. If you want clothes and household goods then you should get there around 1am local time. If you do camp out then you will have to get there days in advance because most of the people in the front of the line are college kids wanting computers for college. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyLaRue Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I have never camped out and always got good deals. No doorbusters but I don't care much for those as I have no need for the doorbusters 95% of the time. I get inline about 2 to 3 hours before the store opens. My advice is find a city (area) that is more high end. Where I go there is not many people in line as those who are rich are not going to sleep in a tent or wait in line for 4 hours to save a couple hundred bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venusaur Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 Thanks for the replies everyone. The deals I had in mind were those doorbuster electronics, so looks like I'll have to camp out to get them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimslade Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Since you will be a first time camper keep a look out for my Black Friday videos. I will do one on how to camp for BF. Thanks for the replies everyone. The deals I had in mind were those doorbuster electronics, so looks like I'll have to camp out to get them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DramaQueenLucy Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I have camped every year but last year....no computers, TV's, etc on the list for last year. I can say it was my calmest BF ever. I did get everything on my list got a lot online and the rest at walmart an hour before the sale started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msl94 Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Like many other BF shoppers, I've stood in lines for over an hour for doorbuster items, but never camped out for anything. For some of those items, I drove over an hour because I thought it was worth it. For example, my wife and I were at a Yankee Candle outlet and bought 6 large candles for $60. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoopawnKode Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Last year was the first time I didn't go out overnight for BF but I got everything (including Electronics) that I wanted online for a better price than what was listed as Doorbusters. remember, newegg, amazon, walmart.com and other sites have deals WAY before the B&M stores even open! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugsette Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I usaully get up about 4am..... the stores that I hit first are about 5 min away from me and then the others are about 15 min away. I have missed out on a few, but usually get the majority Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Star Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I've never camped out, but I never go for big items that call for a camping out situation lol Me and my mom usually get to the store about an hour before the store opens and usually always get what we want. For some reason at our K Mart an hour before the door opens a new line will start across from the one where people have been for days or hours, the people in the 1st line always yell and then the other side yells back and even though I am in the new line because depending on what time you get there sometimes you don't know which line is which, I always let as many people as I can that were in the original line get in before I go but sometimes you're just pushed in lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkrbel Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 not trying to be a bummer. but do be aware some of the stores with ppl waiting overnight will pick a random time to tell ppl they can't wait or decide to rearrange the line and all those happy souls who were 1st in line get not so happy when the scramble to new location starts. totally unfair and a large part of the reason I try to avoid showing up too early. It happened to me one year at a best buy and since then I don't think I've been to best buy on BF before 10 am and then only to pick up dvd's or blu rays after the major rush is over, even then the line to get INTO the store has been over 30 minutes and slim pickings inside. I DEFINITELY second the online option. I managed to do almost all my shopping online last year on Thanksgiving or very early AM and was home by 11am. I had all my rebates ready for mailing/done online by the end of the day rather than spending all weekend doing them as usually spend all day at stores. Last year, Amazon Radio Shack and Circuit City helped me get my shopping done with amazing deals and free shipping which helped avoid the rat race. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetCanela Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Yeah I'm not into camping out either. I got a great deal for myself on a laptop on bestbuy.com. I go out early for clothes and things, people are not fighting for and get pretty good deals on-line the night before myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebirth Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 I haven't went for the big items either. I always got there 2 hours before the stores open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alora7 Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 My first stop is usually walmart and I found that the smaller non-supercenter stores have a lot fewer people. I tried to get a laptop a few years ago when I got in line at midnight it was already too late. After we were done with everywhere else we went to the smaller walmart to pick up some more dvds and they still had the laptops. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that the smaller stores aren't 24 hours so you would have to wait outside. Now I go to the small one first and I never have to show up more than 1 hour early to be at the front of the line. We can get in and out with everything on our list in under 30 minutes and then get to the other stores before they open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicalkarasel Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 Like many other BF shoppers, I've stood in lines for over an hour for doorbuster items, but never camped out for anything. For some of those items, I drove over an hour because I thought it was worth it. For example, my wife and I were at a Yankee Candle outlet and bought 6 large candles for $60.I love yankee candle, and that is a FANTASTIC deal! I think it may depend where you are from as well. I live in the Tulsa, OK area, and we don't have many camp-outers at our Best Buys. (last year there were none at all at one store!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Mommy Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 I usaully get up about 4am..... the stores that I hit first are about 5 min away from me and then the others are about 15 min away. I have missed out on a few, but usually get the majority Same here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpr Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 I've never camped, but have been in line at BB around 2 am and was about number 10 inline. That was in 2004. I have been out of the country for a few years and it seems to have gotten worse. I have no idea what I will do this year, even if I'm around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iggypop123 Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 depends on what you want. i want a 1080p tv. last year lines were too much for me so i passed. savings werent worth a full day of camping to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyers12345 Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 another option is always pricematching- if it's not a store brand, check with Walmart or Target to see if they carry it. Then purchase it there instead. Target will now pricematch up to 7 days after the purchase, so you could purchase it before BF and take the ad back in during sale times to get the difference credited. That's how I've gotten several doorbuster electonics items, such as MP3s, camcorders, software, TVs, and cameras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ribbit1072 Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 another option is always pricematching- if it's not a store brand, check with Walmart or Target to see if they carry it. Then purchase it there instead. Target will now pricematch up to 7 days after the purchase, so you could purchase it before BF and take the ad back in during sale times to get the difference credited. That's how I've gotten several doorbuster electonics items, such as MP3s, camcorders, software, TVs, and cameras.We did this at Target last year, bought the Car DVD player and then DH took it back Black Friday morning while I went to get what else we needed. It was the easiest thing ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyers12345 Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 We did this at Target last year, bought the Car DVD player and then DH took it back Black Friday morning while I went to get what else we needed. It was the easiest thing ever!It is so nice! That's price adjusting, and they will do it for 14 days. Now, with the pricematch, if it goes on sale somewhere else, they will credit the difference for up to 7 days after your purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audrey06 Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 For example, when I got into the one local 24 hr walmart, the line for the 32" flatscreen was wayyyy deep for the few they had. I thought "Hey. Electronics has those computers where you can order stuff to be shipped to the store for free. Wonder if they are on there." YAHTZEE!!!! I calmly ordered one to be shipped to my house for a nominal fee - 2 girls saw what I was doing and blocked the view behind me so that others wouldn't storm over. I logged off, made sure it was logged off and they happily jumped on and ordered theirs! I gleefully skipped around the store after that, laughing hysterically to myself after hearing about the hairpulling fights that happened at 5:01 am over the tvs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fkw1111 Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Last year was the first year we did not camp out. By early Thanksgiving evening- I found everything on my list on-line at a cheaper price- my shopping was 90% complete by 9 pm Thanksgiving Day. Previous years proved that if you want the cheap-cheap electronics, you will need to camp out. Any Best Buy blockbuster items are a camp-out must! Computers- plan on being one of the first 25 in line. TV's- the first 50 and cameras- the first 75. In our area, the Best Buy line will be 200 people long by 9pm. Watch the ads the weeks prior to BF. We needed another laptop last year- but got a great deal at Walmart a couple weeks before BF. We still needed to be in line early, but didn't need to camp out that week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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