Collegiettes™ are you ready for Black Friday shopping?
Black Friday is known as the day after Thanksgiving set in place for early Christmas shopping. Most stores have amazing deals on Black Friday and shoppers have to get to the stores extremely early in order to get those deals. Unfortunately, some stores have recently started Black Friday shopping the day before on Thanksgiving, but don’t worry. Black Friday is still here and now Her Campus is here to help you get ready for it. Here are 5 helpful tips when shopping on Black Friday.
1. Make a list of the things you want and stick to it.
As most people know, Black Friday is the best day for bargains on technology such as cell phones, laptops, and more. In order to prepare yourself to be making some big purchases, plan ahead. First, make a list of the people you plan to buy items for (include yourself too)! Next, make another list of what you want to buy. And finally, stick to your list! Do not be swayed by the salesperson in Best Buy trying to convince you that you need to buy an iPad along with that laptop. Even if something is on sale, you don’t have to buy it. Focus on your list and avoid impulse shopping. In addition to making a list, make a reasonable budget for yourself and try to stay within your price range. Sure, it may feel good to swipe that credit card in the store but it surely won’t feel good anymore when you’ve hit the red in your bank account. Just like you’re not supposed to go to the grocery store when hungry, don’t go Black Friday shopping unprepared.
2. Do your research on things you want before you get to the store.
If you get to the store not knowing what you want to buy, you will end up wasting hours and missing out on the sales. Do your research on products that you want by comparing different item’s productivity and prices. Just because something is on sale does not always mean it is a good deal. Compare prices from competing retailers before you to get to the store to buy products. Also, read reviews! That big purchase you bought at a discounted price won’t matter if the product is bad. So read consumer reviews to make sure you are really getting a good deal. Just know exactly what you want before you get to the store because most likely, retail workers will be stressed out over the pressure of Black Friday and not extremely helpful when it comes to which laptop is a better buy. Overall, doing research on products you want to buy is only going to help you.
3. Check the Internet.
You may have seen that H&M coat on sale the day before Thanksgiving, but there’s a good chance that the sale may have changed since you last checked. Be on top of the sales because the deals will come and go quickly. Checking the Internet will also provide you with coupons you may not get in the store on Black Friday. Many stores have printable coupons that you can use in the store rather than just online. If you sign-up to receive e-mails from stores you could get even more coupons too. In general, ads are your best friends when shopping so take advantage of them. Before you head out the door on Black Friday, check the deals one last time just in case.
4. Keep your receipts.
Keep all receipts! Whether you are absolutely positive you won’t return that sweater or not, keep the receipt. Along with receipts, if you are buying for someone else, don’t forget to get a gift receipt. Most stores will print you a gift receipt the person getting the gift can have in case they need the next size up or want something different. While most stores automatically print gift receipts around this time of year, always ask to be sure you get what you need. Keeping receipts isn’t even all about returning items you don’t want anymore. Many stores allow price matching if the price drops after you have bought something. So if you’ve kept your receipt, there’s a chance of you getting money back.
5. Only shop the deals.
Black Friday is purposely for deals so focus only on them. You can always do the rest of your Christmas shopping later. Chances are though, it will be difficult to avoid the crowds. If long lines and big crowds really aren’t your thing, don’t stress over your shopping. You can just as easily shop online versus in the store. Sometimes, stores even have better online deals than in store.
Lastly, when the shopping is all done, go back and evaluate what you have bought. You may have gone a little overboard at Forever 21 and actually don’t need the third blouse you bought. Once the initial happiness of a shopping spree has worn off, get serious and pick through your purchases for what you really want to keep. It is totally okay to return items after the sales have ended. And don’t forget about Cyber Monday, where many stores have special web-only deals. With that being said, I hope these tips have helped you get ready to go shopping. Enjoy your Black Friday collegiettes™!
If you have any other helpful tips about Black Friday shopping, leave a comment below!
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