It’s hard to believe that the holidays are right around the corner. Before you know it, Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year, will be here. With many big-box stores offering their best discounts and promotions on this day, you may be ready to wake up before dawn and brave the crowds to get your holiday shopping done in one fell swoop. If you’re determined to do this, we can’t stop you! But, we urge you to prepare for this shopping extravaganza in advance. Follow this to-do list, so come late November, you’ll be ready!
Set a Budget
With price increases and fewer discounts extended due to inflation, it’s important that you set a budget before you begin shopping. The easiest way to create your budget is first to decipher what gifts are necessary, then leave additional room for last-minute pop-up gift ideas. Determining who you are buying for and how much you want to spend on each person will help you narrow in on a dollar amount.
Look for Social Media Promotions
Around the holidays, retail stores often release last-minute promotional events and high-volume deals on their social media accounts. That’s why it’s a good idea to follow your favorite retailers on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and be on the lookout for posts or stories that may disappear in 24 hours. Flyers and one-off sale announcements will happen quickly, so you must be on your A-game.
Consider Curbside Pickup
Forget the long lines and crowds. Nowadays, many retailers like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy make it easy to purchase the items you want and have them in your home that same day via curbside pickup. Check the website if they provide this service on Black Friday. Then, drive up to the pickup location, call the phone number, and a staff member will be right out with your order.
Bookmark Webpages Ahead of Time
Online shopping during Black Friday is all about speed. That’s why it’s crucial to bookmark pages so that you have immediate access to websites when sales go live. Pro tip: Pre-save your credit or debit card information with your billing and shipping addresses so that you don’t have to waste time entering information on Black Friday.
Remember: Not All Stores Will Price Match
Price matching is a competitive thing between retailers. If Walmart has an item at a specific price, but Target has that item at a lower price, Walmart will step in and make Target’s price happen for the sake of the customer’s happiness. But that’s not the case around Black Friday. Many retailers pause this process during the weekend event. Some pauses last as long as two weeks. Be sure to research exactly what the policies are for your preferred retailers.
Do you have any tips for Black Friday shopping? Share them with us in the comments below.