What Is Black Friday? ~ Explanation & Tips

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What is Black Friday?

The day after Thanksgiving in the United States, is referred to as Black Friday. Black Friday is one of the major U.S. holiday shopping days & ushers in the Christmas shopping season.

The origin of Black Friday comes from the shift to profitability during the holiday season. Retailers went from being unprofitable, or "in the red," to being profitable, or "in the black", at a time when accounting records were kept by hand and red indicated loss and black profit.

Retailers publish special sale ads on Thanksgiving day to get customers into their doors the following morning. "Doorbusters" and "Early Bird Specials" help lure customers in with heavy discounting on retail items. Lines often stretch around the block as customers jam parking lots waiting to snatch up the hot sale items of the year.

Black Friday is a shopping holiday that often translates into both an online and offline shopping experience. Many retailers publish the same ads online offering similar discounts with free shipping promotions to get customers onto a retailer's online shopping portal.

The above was borrowed from: About.com & Wikipedia.com

Are there useful coupons to use on Black Friday?

Yes, there always coupons available to use on Black Friday. Many manufacturers release coupons in the Sunday newspaper inserts that can be used at a number of stores on Black Friday.

Often times you can get retail store coupons by signing up to their online newsletters or rewards programs. These retailers may send out coupons via email or through the regular mail.

Stocking up on coupons in advance for Black Friday can add to significant savings. Be aware of expiration dates on coupons. You may also wish to acquire coupons that may have longer expirations so that they may be used later in the holiday shopping season.

When do retailers officially publish their Black Friday sale ads?

Traditionally most Black Firday sales circulars are published in the newspaper the day before Black Friday which is Thanksgiving Day. However, some areas are know to get them on Wednesday or on Black Friday itself.

Some retailers have been known to release their ads earlier to the public either by newspaer, mail or available in the stores themselves. Many stores even have 2 overlapping ads for the same time period that cover both Black Friday & the holiday shopping season.

What about layaway?

Each store sets it's own policy regarding layaway as it pertains to Black Friday. Stores' policies tend to change year to year. It is suggested that you contact your individual store to see what their policy will be.

Are the prices before rebate, after rebate, etc?

To avoid confusion, prices are BEFORE rebate. If an item has a rebate, it will be indicated in the item title (e.g. "Item Name ($40 Mail-in-Rebate)" - $150 ). The final price for that item, after rebates, will be $110.

What do AR, MIR and B&M mean?

AR = After Rebate
MIR = Mail In Rebate
B&M = Brick & Mortar ( deals that are only available in store )

What are some good Black Friday strategies?

(1). Keep track of the timing of promotions.

Be aware of each stores hours & their special promotions on Black Friday. Special sale promotions like "Doorbusters" & "Early Bird Specials" start as early as 5am & last only a few hours. Get to your desired stores early in the morning.

(2). Write it down

Check circulars & pay attention to sales ads. Make a list of all the stores you plan to visit & the items you are interested in from each store so that you can get in & out of the store quickly. The sooner you get to the checkout register the better. Create a budget & make a checklist of the gifts / items you want to buy.

(3). Take advantage of promos & special deals, such as $ off $ coupons, etc.


(4). Know store policies on returns & gift cards before you buy.


(5). Have a game plan ready

Come up with a game plan as soon as possible & get to the stores as early as possible. Some families divide up to take advantage of the promotions offered at different stores since there are time limits as to length of availability. Develope a buddy system with a friend, divide the stores among yourselfs & have a copy of each persons list in the buddy system for the specific stores you will be shopping.

(6). In & Out

Try to get to the check out line as soon as you can. Lines can be long &
you want to try to get to the next store on your list as soon as possible.

(7). Buy Online

Many stores who participate in Black Friday sales offer the same or similar sales / promotions on their online websites.

(8). Pricematch! Pricematch! Pricematch!

Capitalize on a retailer's pricematch policy. This can save you trips to other stores thus maximizing your time & saving you a trip to another store. Some stores that allow it during the year may not allow it on Black Friday. Different stores in different areas may have different policies as well. Each retailer makes their own decisions and policies, and those may change from year to year. Rule of thumb is to contact your specific stores ahead of time to find out their policy.

(9). Return & Rebuy

Another option may be to buy the item before Black friday, return the item to the store on Black Friday for a refund & then rebuy it to take advantage of the new sale price. Different stores in different areas might have different policies. Some stores that allow it during the year won't allow it during Black Friday & while some stores honor this policy it may be discouraged by others, so your experience may vary. Each retailer makes their own decisions & policies & those may change from year to year. Rule of thumb is to contact your specific stores ahead of time to ask about their policy.

(10). Safety 1st

Women ~ Don't shop alone if at all possible. Park in well lit areas & be sure to lock your vehicle. If it's an option; leave your children with a family member or baby sitter. If you do take your chilidren with you keep them close to you at all times. Avoid carrying large sums of cash or wearing expensive jewelry. If possible women should leave their purses at home. Be sure to hide anything you may buy when placed in your vehicle so not to be visible. Be sure to wear comfortable clothing & shoes.

(11). Arrive early or camp out

Shop early as merchandise might not be there when you return. Some arrive early to get as close to the front of the lineas possible. Some have also been known to camp out all night at a store that has the best deals on items they are looking for. However, this could make for a very cold night in some states.