GENERAL DISCUSSIONS ( NON STORE SPECIFIC ) ~ Black Friday 2008

[jennsvs]

I usually get a group of people together a few days before the sale. We all pick what we want out of the ads, then we divide the stores between us. If someone is going to a store that has something I want, I give them the money for it. They do the same with me. This way we mainly get what we want without having to be at 15 stores all at one time. I also take my ads to Walmart with me and price match there. But I heard this year they won't be price matching, so that will really suck.

[osumoose]

This will be the first year in a while that I'm not in line at Joann's for their flannel. I've got too much as it is! Fred Meyer will be the big one for me, and I've convinced my MIL and SIL to come along with the promise of coffee. :D

[hopeky94]

Originally Posted by jennsvs I also take my ads to Walmart with me and price match there. But I heard this year they won't be price matching, so that will really suck.

I sure hope this turns out to be a rumor, cuz the BF pricematching is a blessing for me... We only have one Best Buy, Circuit City, etc. in the area, and they're about 30 miles away-- close enough to PM, but not worth the drive and the fighting thru traffic and other people just to get 2 or 3 movies!

Plus, pricematching gives me something to do from the time I get to WM until time to "assume the position" at my first palet! LOL

Either last year or the year before, one of my local WM's told me they weren't going to PM on BF, while another store (about 15 miles away) said they were. The lady at the service desk who told me no was very hateful and rude, so I emailed WM about her, and about 5 days later (after BF) got a call from the assistant store manager apologizing and assuring me they do pricematch on BF.

So has anyone else heard anything about this? (Or is there a separate thread about this already and I missed it somehow?) TIA!!

[YouPdWhat]

Originally Posted by hopeky94 I sure hope this turns out to be a rumor, cuz the BF pricematching is a blessing for me... We only have one Best Buy, Circuit City, etc. in the area, and they're about 30 miles away-- close enough to PM, but not worth the drive and the fighting thru traffic and other people just to get 2 or 3 movies! Plus, pricematching gives me something to do from the time I get to WM until time to "assume the position" at my first palet! LOL Either last year or the year before, one of my local WM's told me they weren't going to PM on BF, while another store (about 15 miles away) said they were. The lady at the service desk who told me no was very hateful and rude, so I emailed WM about her, and about 5 days later (after BF) got a call from the assistant store manager apologizing and assuring me they do pricematch on BF. So has anyone else heard anything about this? (Or is there a separate thread about this already and I missed it somehow?) TIA!!

I haven't heard anything either but then again I haven't asked for this year in particular. In the past my SWM & WM stores have all priced matched without a problem. I would suggest that you contact your store specifically & ask. Also, it never hurts to carry your ads with you just in case. I have found out that you can ask the same question of 10 different people & get 10 different answers.

There wouldn't be a different thread unless maybe in the Wal-mart ad thread & there haven't been any posts there as of yet.

[okjess]

me too.. what advice do you have for a newbie w/ black friday just around the corner?

[deffenm]

I go every year and love it. I always review the ads before hand and make my list. I also go with someone, friend or MIL. We know what each other is looking for and if we see it we grab it. I have never had anyone be rude or mean. I also strike up a conversation with those around me. Everyone I have met has been very nice. Even in the stores I have found nice people that will "toss" me the item I need if they are in front of me. I go in hoping to get the items I want but I am not counting on it. Then when I get the items I am very happy. I never go for big items like electronics I am always looking for toys. I have always gotten all of the itmes on my list. I have actually started shopping already because I have 3 children and 2 of my children have Dec. b-days. (Dec. 24th & Dec. 30th) We are also a single income family (DH stays at home with kids). Good luck to everyone and happy BF shopping.

[jennsvs]

I heard about WalMart from a store manager. He said he heard from corporate, so I assume he knew what he was talking about. I guess we'll have to start calling the ones we go to. I live in Central Indiana. If anyone hears different from what I heard, please let me know. I hope that it isn't true because I always price match on BF there.

[beth119]

Originally Posted by deffenm I go every year and love it. I always review the ads before hand and make my list. I also go with someone, friend or MIL. We know what each other is looking for and if we see it we grab it. I have never had anyone be rude or mean. I also strike up a conversation with those around me. Everyone I have met has been very nice. Even in the stores I have found nice people that will "toss" me the item I need if they are in front of me. I go in hoping to get the items I want but I am not counting on it. Then when I get the items I am very happy. I never go for big items like electronics I am always looking for toys. I have always gotten all of the itmes on my list. I have actually started shopping already because I have 3 children and 2 of my children have Dec. b-days. (Dec. 24th & Dec. 30th) We are also a single income family (DH stays at home with kids). Good luck to everyone and happy BF shopping.

I never go for the big items either. In fact, most of them you will find cheaper after BF. I like the little things that get over looked.
DH and I stood outside of Target last year with prob about 500 other people so we could get the $7 pajamas. I really just like the excitement!

[TheBargainBabe]

I'm not a morning person AT ALL either.
But I really enjoyed myself last year. I got up at the butt-crack of dawn, went and got a coke from the gas station, turned on the radio (it was a "best of" show of a local morning show..funny stuff!) and went where all I needed to go.

I would recoommend not getting a cart unless you really are going to need one. I.E. at Target I was getting like a dozen movies, but that is all. So if I had a cart it would have been a bear to try and navigate the crowd. But I just held everything in my arms and weaved in and out of where I needed to be.

Word of caution about Walmart price matching...they were open first so I went there first and had a bunch of stuff to PM. But when the woman looked at the ad, the other store (Target I think, and Kmart) hadn't opened yet so they couldn't honor the ad. No way was I going to just stand there for another 90 minutes. So I just got the walmart stuff and left.
Anyway, be sure if you are PM that you know what time the store opens and that walmart will not PM before that time. ;)

[tightwadtips]

Something I found out at Fred's a couple of days ago: They price match ads up to 30 days! I can price match something there for a month afterwards. They have several of the same movies that the other stores have BF deals on, so I am thinking this might be a good way to go. You would have a month to get them, so before BF I am going to check out Freds, if they have it, I am going to get them to match it a few days later (missing out on the huge crowds and still getting the goods to boot!) This will free me up to get the other things I want to get that I can't price match. Just make sure you have a copy of the ad, because otherwise they won't match it. HTH