Have I mentioned how much I like Black Friday shopping to you guys and gals yet? I don’t think I have, but that’s what today’s post is all about. A way for you to prepare yourself in anticipation of one of the most wonderful days of the retail year.

How timely of me, you say? Why thank you, dear readers!

First I’m going to start off with all the essential information YOU need about the biggest shopping day one of the biggest shopping days of the year, what day it is this year, and maybe I’ll share some resources you can use to get the best prices and survive the ordeal.

So what is Black Friday exactly? Well, it’s a 24 hour sales period which takes place the day after the [American] Thanksgiving holiday, which is the 4th Thursday of the November. This year Thanksgiving is November 26th, so Black Friday is November 27th.

It’s starting to gain steam internationally, but is especially popular in North America. And gained it’s name for two reasons

1. It is a heavily disruptive day for both foot and car traffic, and over 50 years ago Philadelphia police
2. Retailers typically have their “Superbowl of Retail” in the final quarter of the year, with the month of December being the highlight of the books being in the black

The reason why it is acknowledged as a 24 hour sales period is because some retailers start their sales day at midnight in anticipation of online sales or to get people into their brick and mortar stores ahead of the competition. Of course, you will also see “Black Friday starts early” sales, but for the most part, everyone sticks to the actual day when it comes to their best product offerings.

But that doesn’t mean the best online deals are available on the 27th.

Nope.

If you haven’t heard of Cyber Monday before, do a little reading and educate yourself.

And you really need to have a strategy for this shopping event. Which is why I’ve given you a short list of key words below to prepare you for the day.

1. Decide – You need to decide what you need and go out with the intention of sticking to your list. And have a budget too. For example, if you are like me and are planning on acquiring more blu-rays for your collection or picking up some bath and body products, then set your spending limit before you go out.
2. Research – You need to be careful. Because the reality is that some stores are going to advertise their weekly 2 for $20 or 3 for $15 deal, or worse, raise the prices on their inventory for a few weeks ahead of the event, and then drop the prices back down as if they are doing you a favour. If there is something you want, make sure you know how much it is worth before you go shopping.
3. Efficiency – Don’t spend hours in one store. Have a route mapped out, get in, and then get out as quickly as you can. Sure, you might find a surprise deal at a store, but if you’ve hit your route properly you’ll be better prepared for it and you won’t waste time in line or lost in the crowds.
4. Adapt – If you can’t find exactly what you are looking for, and you know that the item(s) are rare, then accept a compromise if you can. Unless you know you can wait for the product and find it at another store.
5. Cool – Keep your cool. This can be an incredibly stressful exercise, but you have the ability to step back or to walk away. You won’t make good decisions if you are irritated and you’ll regret an outburst. Seriously, it won’t be worth it to lose your temper.
6. Think – It can be a lot of fun to bargain hunt and find a deal, but remember stores have sales all the time, and a lot of the time it’s to clear out old inventory. So the hunt might not be worth it after all. It could be one of those activities that isn’t for you, in that case, stay away.

Why did I decide to share this guide with you dear readers?

As you know, timotheories now provides weekly film and album reviews, and while I have been buying these items at full price to share new releases, I am a bigger fan of buying items on sale. My rationale for this is that I get to experience more movies and more music by paying less for the items. My collections are fairly sizeable at this stage as a result, and whenever I want to reference something, I own the copy and have a bit more liberty in using it to make art. I also like to use these items for my social content – who does n’t like movies or music, right?

And those are my theories on Black Friday. But what do you think dear readers? Are you going to be Black Friday shopping? What are your plans for the day?

Tim!