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We’ve Got You Covered for Black Friday Shopping and Beyond
Americans have a love-hate relationship with Black Friday shopping. We love a good sale; the thrill of waiting patiently for something to drop to a lower price. We also love the convenience of getting most (or all, if we’re ambitious) of our holiday shopping done in one day.
But we hate how, every year, the start times for Black Friday deals creep closer and closer to our turkey time. Thanksgiving is meant to be a holiday full of connection, family laughs, football, mountains of food, and relaxation. But Black Friday can add a layer of stress and hurriedness to the holiday that wasn’t there until the 1960s.
For consumers, it’s about more than the deals. A Statista report from 2017 found that 42 percent of consumers feel Black Friday is a great way to shop for the holidays. What’s more, 39 percent of consumers think of it as a tradition and still enjoy it even though online sales are available.
How to win at Black Friday shopping
Because of the sheer volume of Black Friday participants, it was inevitable for tips and tricks to surface. There are hundreds of them, but we’ll share a few of our favorites here.
Do your research
Black Friday advertisements generally publish a month or more ahead of the day (especially for bigger corporations). It is worth planning your day based on which places feature doorbuster prices or prizes, which locations open the earliest, and to have a basic understanding of the pricing. It may be a shock, but not all Black Friday deals are always, well, deals.
Prioritize your Black Friday shopping list
Think about what types of items you need and who you are buying for beforehand. This is not to say that you can’t make an impulse purchase when you’re shopping, but it will help keep you streamlined in the chaos that can ensue. Plus, this can help you decide where you want to begin your trip.
Shop for future holidays and events
Black Friday is not just for Christmas gifts. Shopping for other holidays––or even for future events like anniversaries, weddings, and baby showers––can make your future shopping simpler.
Make a budget
Some tip sites take this a step further and suggest you only pay cash, so you are less likely to overspend. If that helps you, we say go for it. Alternately, you could use a budgeting app to help you stay within reason.
Ask for gift receipts (and understand the return policy)
Since most purchases during Black Friday are for someone else, gift receipts are a must. Additionally, some stores change their return policies during holidays as “many retailers are including restocking fees and shorter return deadlines.”
Start your Black Friday shopping at CVSC
As Cascade Village Shopping center, we have over two dozen stores to make your Black Friday experience a one-stop-shop. With stores like Famous Footwear, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, JCPenney, World Market, and Petsmart, you are sure to find everything on your holiday shopping list.
Plus, with restaurants like Moose Sister’s, Shinsei, El Rancho Grande, and Left Coast Burger Company, you can refresh yourself midday and begin round two of shopping. But we wouldn’t blame you if you went to Massage Envy instead.