Friday Nov. 25 may simply be the day after Thanksgiving to some, yet for others, it is Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
The deals and bargains on Black Friday are endless, starting as early as 12 a.m. that morning. People wake up before the sun rises in order to wait in line at the nearest department or electronic stores for a head start on their holiday shopping,
According to a Nov. 17 article in The Washington Post, about 74 million shoppers in the U.S. said they are planning to shop during the three days following Thanksgiving. This has gone up 27 percent from last year, according to the article that got the survey from the National Retail Federation by BIGresearch.
Knowing the deals and exactly what you want ahead of time can save you time and stress. If you’re heading to the mall, great places to hit are department stores. Sure, your favorite clothing store might have a sale or two, but department stores open early with great ways to save.
Macy’s Inc., for example, opens their Black Friday sale from midnight to 1 p.m. One coupon they’re offering is ten dollars off your purchase of 25 dollars or more. If you have a certain item in mind, like a pair of boots of the bag you’ve been wanting all fall, this coupon is a worthy save.
Stores like Target Corp. and Best Buy Co. are great to hit if you’re looking for electronics or Christmas gifts. Best Buy opens at midnight as well, and has crazy savings on movies, laptops, flat-screen TV’s, and even smart phones. If you’re still looking for that perfect opportunity to snag a big screen TV for your apartment, this may be the day.
Let’s face it, Target is crucial for college essentials. They, too, have a bunch of gadgets and electronics on sale, with the addition of kitchen supplies, toiletries and heavy-duty winter jackets that will really come in handy walking to class in this weather. Target opens at midnight on Friday also.
While some hit electronics and necessities, most college students prefer to shop for clothes. When asked if she would be attending Black Friday events, sophomore government major Josie Goggin said, “I plan to go to Montgomery Mall really early and go to Forever 21 since they’re already cheap as it is. I’ll also probably get gifts for my parents since they’ll be good deals.”
Sophomore business major David Ancona-Cole said, “I’d go to the Philadelphia Premium Outlets for clothes. If I did it I would wake up at 5 in the morning.”
No doubt about it, the malls will be extremely packed on Black Friday. Men and women’s clothing store Express is offering 40% off everything until noon on Black Friday, and 30% off everything after noon, according to Blackfriday2011.com. Popular affordable clothing store H&M is advertising dresses and sweaters from just five dollars, outerwear from 20 dollars, and pants from only 10 dollars on their website for Black Friday. They open at 5 a.m.
Though not all stores have released their deals and coupons yet, this year’s Black Friday is set to be even bigger than last year’s. Don’t miss your chance to shop at all your favorite stores for less, and have fun!