bigjimslade Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 (edited) Hi everyone! I did this last year so I will do it again this year. Below is everything you ever wanted to know about how tickets work at Best Buy (BB) and a picture of a sample ticket so you will know what they look like. FAQ: What is a ticket at Best Buy? A ticket is a paper that BB employees will pass about 2 hours before the store opens. The ticket holds the product for the ticket holder for the item on the ticket until 11am local time on Black Friday. BB does this to cut down on fights and riots in the store. What are the tickets for? No one really knows what BB will put on the ticket system for BF. In the past they have been for items that are in high demand but have limited stock for. In the past few years items included desktops, laptops, cameras (Digital and SLR Film), MP3 players, GPS, TVs (HD, Plasma, LCD, Tube), Printers, and sometimes household items like washer machines. Is the ticket system company wide or just a local program? The ticket system is a company wide system. The tickets come from BB HQ and are sent under strict security to the stores about 1 week before BF. When do they pass out the tickets? The tickets are passed out the morning of Black Friday about 2-3 hours before the store opens local time. What happens when they pass out the tickets? About 2 hours before they open the doors for black friday Best Buy employees will come out of the store and start at the front of the line. One BB worker will have a ticket for an item. He/she will start at the front of the line and go down the line saying "Who wants the $149.99 desktop?". He/she will give each person a ticket until the BB employee runs out. Once the tickets are gone for that item then that is it for that item. BB employee will do this until all of the ticketed items are gone or until they have reached the end of the line. Once I have a ticket what happens next? You wait......You wait until the store opens. The BB worker who gave you the ticket will explain to you where to go in the store to pick up your item. Most BB will close there customer service desk to make room for all check out lanes to be open so pay attention on where you are told to go to pick up your item. Is there a limit on how many tickets I can get? Most ticketed items are one per a person per an item. For example if you want 1 desktop and 1 digital camera then you will get two tickets. If you want 2 of the SAME item you wont be able to get it since there will be a limit of one per a person. Some stores will even go the extra mile of checking ID's so be ready to show your ID if asked. Can I get out of line after I get my ticket? My advice to you would be no. At the BB last year the manager told us and the 6 police officers in FULL tactical gear that if anyone leaves they lose there place in line and ticket. What time should I get in line for a ticket? It is hard to say since I don't know what you are wanting to get and where you live. Last year (BF 2008) people started to form lines at BB around 10pm Wednesday and by 12 noon Thanksgiving Day there were already 300 people in line. Most of the people in front of the lines wanted the laptops, desktops and TVs and they were college and high school students. It all depends on the weather as well. My advice....get there early.....Turkey is over rated! Is there anything else I need to know? Keep your eyes on this thread. I have sources at BB that will give me updated info if needed. Also remember that BB HQ gives local managers the power to customize the ticket system to fit there own store and community. This FAQ is only created as a guide only. If you have any more questions please post! This FAQ will be updated throughout the BF season. Below is a sample ticket from BB. http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m207/davedfw/gottadeal/bbticketbf2005.jpg Edited November 27, 2009 by bigjimslade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimslade Posted August 19, 2009 Author Share Posted August 19, 2009 Last year for the first time BB posted a FAQ on their Thanksgiving Ad. Below is a link and will help you better understand how BB works on BF. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcmcat136300050023&type=category&AID=10597222&PID=1418914&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Folspage.jsp%3Fid%3Dpcmcat136300050023%26type%3Dcategory&ref=39&loc=01 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkrbel Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 thanks, if only you could pinpoint which line will be shortest of the bestbuys near me and when each will start:) maybe this year I'll just have to have ppl at different ones to ensure we get anything electronics-wise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimslade Posted August 19, 2009 Author Share Posted August 19, 2009 In the next few weeks when more people come on then you can post what area you are in and hopefully people who knows your area will be able to tell you. thanks, if only you could pinpoint which line will be shortest of the bestbuys near me and when each will start:) maybe this year I'll just have to have ppl at different ones to ensure we get anything electronics-wise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas377 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 I did all my BB BF shopping online on Thanksgiving Day the past two years! No need to camp out for tickets! (I don't know if some things were in-store only, but everything I wanted was posted online.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkrbel Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 I don't think I bought anything at BB last year. CC thanksgiving day was the biggest purchase overall. Got some cheap external hard drives at staples. I think BB only had blu rays which looked good and Amazon had better prices and free shipping. But this year I'm looking for a bigger TV and possibly a laptop will probably end up somewhere very early, can only hope there are fun people in line w/me:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krstee Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Best Buy is the one store I avoid on BF. I can't imagine that spending 2 days in a tent in front of a store is worth saving several hundred dollars on electronics. Now, it would probably be a different story if I didn't have small children to take care of or a full time job to go to. The lines and the crowds are just too much for me. I know some people love it and thrive off of this - and I say, More power to them! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetCanela Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I have done well on-line at Best buy as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdogofftheporch Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 At my bb there was a line around the store at 12pm turkey day with tents (rockaway n.j.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenna8110 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I tried to go to Best Buy for BF 2 years ago. I got there about 8pm Thanksgiving and the line was already past BB and 2 other stores! People had tents, heaters, guitars, recliners...you name it! BB BF people are crazy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFNinja Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 I tried to go to Best Buy for BF 2 years ago. I got there about 8pm Thanksgiving and the line was already past BB and 2 other stores! People had tents, heaters, guitars, recliners...you name it! BB BF people are crazy! I know what you mean. I tried it last year for the first time and now I am hooked. Can't wait to be able to do it again this year.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the5threvolt Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 There's no way I'm standing in line that long. Are items which are not advertised on sale as well? If I don't see a certain monitor on the ad, does that mean that item is not going to be cheaper on that day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimslade Posted October 4, 2009 Author Share Posted October 4, 2009 Welcome to the community! Everything that is on sale will be in the sales ad. A few years back they had some hidden sales that only the people in line knew about the day of. In the past the monitors are on the sales floor and it is first come. I go to a high volume store and they will have around 200 of each one. If you have any more questions just ask! There's no way I'm standing in line that long. Are items which are not advertised on sale as well? If I don't see a certain monitor on the ad, does that mean that item is not going to be cheaper on that day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbie567 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 I know that a lot of people were disappointed about the lack of BB secret sales last year, but my local BB (at the time) in AZ definitely had several items that were not in the ad, that were much better bargains. I bought one of the secret sale deals, an HP laptop for $349. Don't remember the exact specs as I bought it as a gift for my parents, but it was not too shabby. Also, I got there late - around 3am BF morning - and still had no problem. My first BB BF experience - very much looking forward to doing it again this year!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcan800 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 What are the rules with waiting in line, such as leaving for rest room, warming up, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimslade Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Welcome to the community! The rules are un-written. My best advice is to be friendly, make friends with the people in line and when you leave for the rest room come right back. If you leave to get food ask the people around you if they need food. Most people in line wont be happy to let you leave to warm up. I would get hand warmers, propane heaters and a tent. If you make friends with the people in line then you will be set. If not it will be a long 24-48 hours. What are the rules with waiting in line, such as leaving for rest room, warming up, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatandJacks Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Would you suggest asking store employees how BF was last year at a certain store to get a better idea of a timeline and what to expect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimslade Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 That would be a great idea. There is no harm in asking as line starts at different times at different BB. My BB the line starts around 3am on Wednesday. Why? Because that is when I get in line. The week of BF I would watch this site as people will post line reports starting the Monday before BF. If you have any more questions just ask! Welcome to the community! Would you suggest asking store employees how BF was last year at a certain store to get a better idea of a timeline and what to expect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBracken25 Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I did all my BB BF shopping online on Thanksgiving Day the past two years! No need to camp out for tickets! (I don't know if some things were in-store only, but everything I wanted was posted online.)This is what I wanted to do, I might have to work that day and won't be able to stand in line, also our family is upgrading our TV and I don't think I can put it in my sedan. So my question is, Do they sell TV's online? Will they deliver? And will the prices match the Black Friday price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countingcrow Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Mos of the items Best Buy has in their ad will be online, except for a few door buster deals. Most tv's you should be able to buy online, but there is usually a couple store only models for Black Friday that won't appear online, but most of the other deals will be there. Yes, they will deliver your tv if you order online. Last 2 years I did all my BF shopping on Bestbuy.com the day before, there wasn't anything I couldn't find while buying online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TazErase Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 I tried to go to Best Buy for BF 2 years ago. I got there about 8pm Thanksgiving and the line was already past BB and 2 other stores! People had tents, heaters, guitars, recliners...you name it! BB BF people are crazy! Thanks We try our best, lol. Unfortuneately where I go we aren't allowed tents, bbq grills, etc since the mall owns the property. I still have our chairs, heaters, an laptops, as well as coffee, etc. By 8pm 2 years ago there were a few hundred on line. Last year only about 60 so it does vary based on how the sales are. I'm addicted though. I have no clue what I'm getting yet, but my goal is still to be in the top 10 at most. Last 3 years I was 5 or better but it keeps getting earlier and earlier as people try to beat my time from the year before, lol. Always fun getting your pic in the local newspaper and their online video of the news, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina97 Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Hi, anyone know if the emachine computer will be offered online? DH has to work and there is no way possible I can take my 5 year old out at 3am! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimslade Posted November 22, 2009 Author Share Posted November 22, 2009 http://forums.gottadeal.com/showthread.php?t=158421 Hi, anyone know if the emachine computer will be offered online? DH has to work and there is no way possible I can take my 5 year old out at 3am! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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