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Lyndon Cerejo |
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Thanksgiving does not have the same significance for us Indians as it does for the Americans. The nice thing about it is the extended four-day weekend. And while most Americans are busy stuffing themselves with roast turkeys, many of us desis plot our strategy for the next day. The day after Thanksgiving marks the start of the holiday shopping season, when stores begin watching sales closely to see if the year's goals will be met. Across America, sellers jumpstart holiday shopping with incredible savings in a time-and-quantity limited sale, more popularly known as the 'Day After Thanksgiving Sale', or 'Black Friday'. The latter comes from the hope that the sales this day will put retailers back in the black as the last shopping season of the year begins. That sale is a bargain hunter's delight -- the biggest shopping day of the year, with retailers discounting certain products by as much as 70 per cent, and giving some away free! But as the saying goes, there's no such thing as a free lunch, and retailers make you work for your discounts. The catch is that the sales last only a few hours, start really early in the morning, around 5am or 6am, have limited number of items guaranteed, and don't always offer rain checks. To beat the odds, experienced shoppers use the five-stage plan to prepare for the big day. Stage 1: Get the sales flyers The key to making the most of 'Black' Friday is getting the flyers from the various retailers not less than two days in advance. In the pre-Internet days, collecting these involved visits to each of those stores, or rifling through the daily papers. Today, the flyers are just a few clicks away at the retailer's Web sites. Make sure you download them to your computer, so you can refer to them when you move to stage 2. Stage 2: Create a shortlist List out the deals and prices, organising them by store. Make sure you are getting the best by running a quick check on the Internet or another retailer. Remember to include discounts like the $20 off the $100 rebate MSN is offering. That done, prioritise the items on your list in decreasing order of importance, with the best deals and items you really, really want first. Stage 3: Plan the route, allocate responsibilities If all the items on your list are from one store, you are lucky. Chances are, though, that your list will have items from multiple stores. If the stores are far apart, team up with other friends and decide who will tackle which, for what items. Stage 4: Build mental snapshots of store layouts The hot items on sale have limited quantities guaranteed in each store, so you need to know where each item on your list is kept. Go into the stores on your list to familiarise yourself with the aisles and shelves. File that mental snapshot away for Black Friday. Stage 5: Get in early and get out fast The sales start early, sometimes at 5am or 6am, and usually last four to six hours. It pays to get there at least an hour earlier, so you are not far behind in the growing line outside the store. Remember to dress in layers and carry hot coffee to keep you warm. When the store does finally open, fan out, go to your mapped aisles, pick up your goodies and rush to check out. Remember, the later you reach the checkout counter, the longer it will take you to get back home!
Enjoy!
Illustration: Lynette Menezes |
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