Black Friday Strategy and Advice
|
Credit Cards
Make sure the store takes the credit card you want to use. Here are 2 things to
avoid… 1. a credit card from an institution that has gone out of business due to the
recent financial crisis. Nothing like shopping for hours on 2011 Black Friday and
then being told at the checkout your credit card is no good…2. a credit card that
you like but the store doesn’t take. Nothing like shopping for hours on 2011 Black
Friday and then being told at the checkout the store does not accept American Express.
If you are looking for a no hassle card, click on
the Discover Card logo to get more information on
Discover offers at least 9 programs...one of which
will be right for you. Use of a credit card
gives you a right to protest a purchase gone bad and
a few weeks to pay the bill. Remember, when
the bill comes, pay it off in full.
Rebates
I know it sounds crazy, but people will pay full
retail for the product because it has a great mail
in rebate - and then never send in and get the
rebate. The store made a huge profit on your
full retail purchase and you got lazy and lost an
opportunity to get a good deal and a few rebate
bucks in your pocket. Here's how to avoid the
loss.
Stores are more than willing to give you an extra
copy of your receipt to be mailed in with the
rebate. So when you check out, make sure the store gives you your receipt PLUS an extra copy
that you can send with your rebates. When you get home after 2011 Black Friday,
jump on it and make the copies, fill out the forms, stick it an envelope, throw a
stamp on it and get it to the Post Office. If you wait a few days, you’ll get
busy, never get around to it and lose all the rebate money. And make sure you
copy all the info that you are putting in the envelope – rebate companies do lose
your stuff and you want to be able to prove you sent it in.
Put together a spread sheet that lists store name,
item purchased, date, amount, amount of rebate, when
rebate forms mailed. Look at it once a month.
It will help you remember who owes you money.
There can be a good kind of lazy. Before you
do all the paperwork by hand, be sure and check the store's website for online rebate applications…some stores
allow you to apply online. Many stores, even if they require paper rebate
applications, will still allow you to check your status online.
The Black Friday and holiday seasons bring a lot of
junk mail. Be careful during the rebate season. A lot of rebate
checks look like cheap junk mailings. People have thrown away a lot of rebate
money.
eBay
Remember you can buy stuff on 2011 Black Friday you don’t want just to sell it on
EBay. Check
EBay completed auctions
to see what the stuff will sell for.
Sometimes there is money to be made…and sometimes you can buy the stuff on
EBay cheaper than on 2011 Black Friday.
Keep in mind you'll spend a few bucks on listing
fees, PayPal fees, shipping, etc. There may be
money to be made...but be sure.
Check Out
You got to the store early on 2011 Black Friday, picked up what you wanted and…
ouch…the checkout line is 2 hours long. You’re thinking you need to get out of
here and to the next store. If only you could keep my stuff and checkout later.
Here’s a wild and crazy idea. If you’re in a store that also sells appliances,
you could put your stuff in a refrigerator or stove that is on display.
On 2011 Black Friday nobody looks at appliances. You may be able to hide your
stuff and come back after the checkout line has gone down and checkout. In the
meantime your stuff is hidden and you are on your way to the next store to shop.
You're probably wondering if I ever did this.
Let's just say I know it works.
Marking the Ads
It sounds so simple but printed ads are noisy and when you’re walking around with
a hand full of 2011 Black Friday ads, many that are pages long, it can be difficult
to find the item you hand read about the day before. Here’s a tip… buy some of
those sticky tabs that come in colors. Or some of those “sign here” stickers.
They are easily seen and you can place them at the exact spot of the item you want.
When you get into the store, a quick glance at the pages of the ad shows you why
you went to that store. Believe me, when it gets hectic, it is difficult to
remember.
And don’t walk into a store with the 2011 Black Friday ads from all your stores.
You don’t need all the 2011 Black Friday ads in that one store and, as your hands
get full, you’ll be tempted to lay down that stack of ads while you examine
merchandise. A few minutes later you notice your ads are gone, you go looking
for them, they’re gone because someone else picked them up and your shopping trip
is ruined.
Here's an idea that is a little work, but pays big
dividends. You have read the ads and know what
you want. On a 81/2 X 11 paper write the store
name and tape on it the ad of the item you want.
On a few pieces of paper you can probably list and
tape all the store you want to visit and the items
you want to purchase. Remember last year when
you stood in the store, turning page after page,
trying to rememebr on what page you saw the item?
A few minutes of prep at home and you'll be a lean
mean shopping machine, carrying only what you need.
Online Deals
Don’t think you have to stay up all night to get the best prices. Many stores will
place their 2011 Black Friday ads online before Black Friday and some of them will
allow you to purchase online at the 2011 Black Friday ad prices and have the items
shipped to your home. At today’s gas prices and figuring what your time is worth,
online can be a great, even better, deal. In
fact,
www.BlackFridayAds2011.info is designed to let
you shop 24/7 365. You don't have to wait for
Black Friday and you don't have to visit the bricj
and mortar stores.
Hiring an All-Nighter
So the big screen TV and the laptop are only available at the store and in
limited quantities. But man are they a great deal…hundreds of dollars of
potential savings. But staying up all night, in the cold and rain, is not your
idea of a good time. Not a problem. There is some kid in your church youth group
or a college student who wants to make a $100. Hire them and let them freeze and
then shop for you while you stay home and sleep in.
But pay for performance...only after they deliver the
item for you do you pay.
Preparing for an All-Nighter
Too cheap to hire the kid for a $100? Then be prepared for the all nighter
outside the store, waiting for the doors to open. Here’s how to maximize your
comfort. Bring a sleeping bag, umbrella, folding canvas chair, thermos with your
favorite hot drink, maybe another thermos with hot soup, a book to read, your IPod.
Not only will you get a great deal, but you’ll be a whole lot happier about the
wait. And bring a friend...misery loves
company.
Laying Out The Route
After you have decided which 2011 Black Friday stores to shop, punch all the
store locations into your GPS and ask it to optimize the route. Your GPS will
take you to one store after another in the most time efficient route. Remember,
5 minutes could make a difference in whether or not you get to the store in time
to buy the last widget they have. Click here
to see a Magellan GPS
 that has the routing feature for only $65! I bought 5, 1 for each family member and we love them.
|
