SANE Places to Go on Black Friday

[stevesastre]

Hi folks! This is my first thread, and I haven't found anything on this, so I was figuring we could get something going here.

Last year, I left for Staples at 4:00 (AM), got there at 4:30, and it opened at 5:00. We had no trouble parking, and we were about 50th in line. I was able to get my 400gb external Mybook for $99 (An amazing deal at the time), and all I had to do was fight for it over at the electronics corral. The employees were handing them out, and it was a mess, but I still got it with a relatively small headache. We got out of there by 6:00. It was nothing like the store across the street...

Fry's. At 4:30, Fry's had a line stretching half a mile out of the store, and there was zero parking. I didn't even want to touch it, and I was so glad that I had gone to Staples. My question is, are there any other stores like this for "sane" people? I've found Best Buy, Circuit City, and Fry's to be an absolute mess in previous years, but what about the folks who just want to get up early, rather than camp out?

I'm in the market for a 32" LCD, and I'm sure that Staples and Office Depot will have a $289 Emprex or something. Is it right to pick these stores to avoid the mess, or are there some stores that are even better? Should I be waiting in front of Ace Hardware this coming Thanksgiving? :lol:

[duluthgeek]

Hi folks! This is my first thread, and I haven't found anything on this, so I was figuring we could get something going here.

Last year, I left for Staples at 4:00 (AM), got there at 4:30, and it opened at 5:00. We had no trouble parking, and we were about 50th in line. I was able to get my 400gb external Mybook for $99 (An amazing deal at the time), and all I had to do was fight for it over at the electronics corral. The employees were handing them out, and it was a mess, but I still got it with a relatively small headache. We got out of there by 6:00. It was nothing like the store across the street...

Fry's. At 4:30, Fry's had a line stretching half a mile out of the store, and there was zero parking. I didn't even want to touch it, and I was so glad that I had gone to Staples. My question is, are there any other stores like this for "sane" people? I've found Best Buy, Circuit City, and Fry's to be an absolute mess in previous years, but what about the folks who just want to get up early, rather than camp out?

I'm in the market for a 32" LCD, and I'm sure that Staples and Office Depot will have a $289 Emprex or something. Is it right to pick these stores to avoid the mess, or are there some stores that are even better? Should I be waiting in front of Ace Hardware this coming Thanksgiving? :lol:I was first in the door at Best Buy a few years back, but now I think it's best to just stay home and surf the internet, then to stand in the cold for hours and body slam the people trying to jump into the line when the doors open... I got lots of good online deals and saved the sales tax on some...BTW OfficeMax has been pretty quiet and there's no rebates to mail in...:)

[SlickEnW]

if the store is sane its because the deals are Tame. We don't go out on BF for anything less then insane dealness...you can get regular deals all year long ;)

[chamelean75]

For those who live in Santa Rosa, CA, Circuit City isn't bad. I got there 2 hrs before and the line was only maybe 50 people deep. Office max and office depot were ghost towns. Office depot is right next to best buy and had no one there. For some reason, there is never too many people at Target. CompUSA is next to circuit city but they didn't have anything good so no one was there.

Best Buy however, man oh man, talk about crowds of people outside. After Circuit City, I swung by Best Buy and there were maybe, 500 people still waiting to get in. yeeesh. After that I just hit the mall.

[MoonSprite]

Mall stores aren't that bad. Think Bath and Body works and Victoria's Secret. I also hit up Fashion Bug, Office Depot (so dead in my area), Walgreen's, and CVS.

[Big Tuna]

My husband and I are the crazy ones. We get up and sit in line starting at 3 am every year. But, with the new trends BB and Walmart have started, I may be able to do all my Black Friday shopping at home this year! Besides, my husband has to be at work at 10 and we have a baby now! No BF for us this year!

[JAHokie46]

It also depends on where you live and the locations of the stores. I live in Williamsburg, VA and it's not a populous city. We have no big shopping mall, no Sears or Best Buy or Circuit City (yet, a BB will be added to the edges come next year), and we got our first Walmart, Lowes, and Home Depot within the last 5-7 years. We have a small Staples, and recently opened BB&B, Belk, and Office Depot in a shopping center.

Last year we got our hands on a few great deals by going to Kmart first, then RadioShack. The busiest places here will be the Target, walmart, and prime outlets shopping center. Depending on the deals at Staples/OD/Belk/BB&B, we'll have more luck there than 20 miles down the road in Richmond or anywhere in Newport News/Hampton/VA Beach area.

It may pay to travel 45 minutes to a smaller area that has the stores you want. I don't anticipate many people banging down the doors at the OD, Radioshacks, home improvement stores here.

[forrus]

I would say the Mall is the only place that's sane, but that is again relative because what might seem sane to me might not be that sane to you

[Knuteski]

My husband and I are the crazy ones. We get up and sit in line starting at 3 am every year. But, with the new trends BB and Walmart have started, I may be able to do all my Black Friday shopping at home this year! Besides, my husband has to be at work at 10 and we have a baby now! No BF for us this year!
No BF? Just bring the baby along.

[Big Tuna]

No BF? Just bring the baby along.

Can you even imagine the looks I will get?! LOL

I think I am going to go out, but hopefully not alone!

[TrekChick]

Only sane place on BF is home :D

[Jenni88]

Radio Shack is normally not bad. I was at Ace hardware at the opening; showed up about 10 minutes before it opened. Only about a dozen people and everyone hurryed to find the tools and big in line to checkout (that took a while). Overall everyone was friendly and telling where they got stuff from.

[lulu8585]

Can you even imagine the looks I will get?! LOL

I think I am going to go out, but hopefully not alone!

just teach the baby to hold a credit card, that's an extra $300 laptop for you. limit of one per person right? :cool:

[adam empire]

NAPA auto parts should be a safe bet.

[psnarula]

the only sane place to be on black friday is in bed with the covers pulled high over your ears. the rest of us will be spending the night in a folding chair camped outside of our favorite store.

[harmonym93]

I have never seen any deals that good to take one of my two children out in the cold at that time of the morning. I do love BF but subjecting children to it is a bit over the top.

[lulu8585]

I have never seen any deals that good to take one of my two children out in the cold at that time of the morning. I do love BF but subjecting children to it is a bit over the top.

you should really try it. last year i saw a fair share of *excellent* parenting, leaving their kids in line alone for an hour at a time to save their place in line. :shake:

[stevesastre]

if the store is sane its because the deals are Tame. We don't go out on BF for anything less then insane dealness...you can get regular deals all year long ;)

I have to respectfully disagree about the insane-deal thing. Best Buy and Circuit City specialize in tons of big items, and everything you can think of is cheap. Smaller places like Staples have a few major things, then the rest is just fluff (DVDs, etc). If you want just one big item (Probably a TV, hard drive, or laptop), then you're set. My experience last year at Staples was much better than the hell that is my local Best Buy.

I wish Safeway would carry TVs...

[silly moo]

I was the only person at Radio Shack last year, and I live in a pretty populous area. Linens & Things wasn't bad, and Ace looked tame but I was just driving past. I didn't need anything from there. Meijers can be nuts, but at least they are open 24 hours so we don't have to stand out in the cold. And you can fill up your cart and wait for the sale to start. I did a lot of my shopping online last year, too.

[warlock110]

if the store is sane its because the deals are Tame. We don't go out on BF for anything less then insane dealness...you can get regular deals all year long ;)

last year there was the westinghouse at BB for 500, and you have to be there a day before just to get it, 1 month after BF i scored an olevia for 470, not as good as the westinghouse in some standard but i can live with it. the BF i know is just the mark for price drop on electronics, after the sale about 1-2 month, everything is gonna drop down to nearly as much.

[Lunkwill Fook]

Try the internet, seriously. I snagged a 32" Olevia from TigerDirect.com for $470 last year (I also got a PriceGrabber rebate for writing a review). And, yes, for those who hate TD, I made sure I got my rebate.

Seriously, I ordered it at something like 8pm that night. No lines for me! I probably won't show up at any stores until noon when people are saner.

[vforvendetta]

last year there was the westinghouse at BB for 500, and you have to be there a day before just to get it, 1 month after BF i scored an olevia for 470, not as good as the westinghouse in some standard but i can live with it. the BF i know is just the mark for price drop on electronics, after the sale about 1-2 month, everything is gonna drop down to nearly as much.

I got that Westinghouse, arrived after midnight in Kansas City. :lol:

[cpnqn]

I have never seen any deals that good to take one of my two children out in the cold at that time of the morning. I do love BF but subjecting children to it is a bit over the top.

If I told my children (or dared) that they were NOT coming, I'd have a fight on my hands. My boys LOVE to go out this day, maybe more then myself.

Now, of course- I'm NOT one of those parents that abandons them (well, the oldest is nearly a teen- he wants to wait in line by himself). However, my boys are actually as good as me at finding things. We also have our own 'methods' for communicating. They ask ahead what we're after, and generally my 7 year old, can weave under anyone and get there even in a crowd, if it's not heavy- he'll be back, wild horses can't stop him- he loves it! My oldest, he's a good pity party if he doesn't get his & someone always has sympathy when they've grabbed a dozen of what he wanted.

They save their allowance & each have no less then $100 to spend this day. Most stores already know MY children, because I'm a regular with my cpns and such.

One thing that will upset them and make me angry- when those handing out tickets tell them- it's one per person, and your mom got one... Um, they're still people & they're buying it on their own, nevermind they rode with me, they want THEIRS as well. If my mom came with me, they wouldn't tell me I'm not a person- don't tell my patient boys this... that's RUDE.

Now, this 'season' is very special to my family- I don't do much shopping aside from this trip- it's my one time of year I slow down. I bake and cook alot, we spend a ton of time catching up on movies, games and playing.

No, I can't see NOT taking them. I've been doing it forever! I am not a fighter though- I've kept us back and watched scooters fall on others heads, and crowds topple each other- but, we stand clear. I do put safety first.

If you want more peaceful though, go after 12pm... most are done with the fuss by then. Target restocks and some others might as well- not to mention the 'oops' I found this factor...
Agree- RS is dead on this day. BB, walmart, toysrus and target in the am- avoid like the plague... unless you have the stomach for it.

[manuvns]

don't forget walgreens lot of stuff for under 1 buck before noon .

[brizad77]

don't forget walgreens lot of stuff for under 1 buck before noon .


yes, Walgreens is always a place for late in the morning.

I don't really have any new places to add...I love me some Staples (easy rebates rock!) and will probably head there first around 5a. It has been getting more crowded over the years, though. OD has been great as a second or third stop...pretty dead by 6:30 or 7a. Sometimes I'll hit Target up after the rush for a game or dvd deal.

I have CC and BB close along with a CompUSA...I don't even try to go there anymore.

[ragefu]

last year there was the westinghouse at BB for 500, and you have to be there a day before just to get it, 1 month after BF i scored an olevia for 470, not as good as the westinghouse in some standard but i can live with it. the BF i know is just the mark for price drop on electronics, after the sale about 1-2 month, everything is gonna drop down to nearly as much.

I think the Olevia is better, it's the same panel as an LG just generic brand. And westinghouse I think is Best Buy store brand? I haven't heard anything good about them, other than being cheap

[dealhustlr]

Another vote for:

Radio Shack
Walgreens
Biglots (14k jewelry $10, Fossil watches)
Tuesday Morning
CVS
Riteaid
Albertson's (in 2004 they did triple coupons on BF) I was the "only" customer in the store

Walmart secret, the doorbusters will scan at the same price all day. You just need to find a location in the boonies who has leftover stock. Got this info from the employees who have to wait until the end of their shift.

[jreule]

You could come to ND, where it is freezing so no one CAN stay outside for too long :lmao: (want a mental image . . . think of if the snot froze IN your nose . . . well it hurts . . . that cold). :eek:



Walmart secret, the doorbusters will scan at the same price all day. You just need to find a location in the boonies who has leftover stock. Got this info from the employees who have to wait until the end of their shift.

Not true with all walmarts :shake: and all items :shake: I have tried to go back later to buy items and they scan at regular prices then. :nod:

[bopeep1]

Kmart has been dead for me when I've gone on BF. Now I live in a bigger city, so it will be interesting to see what it's like this year.

[jreule]

you should really try it. last year i saw a fair share of *excellent* parenting, leaving their kids in line alone for an hour at a time to save their place in line. :shake:


Ooh! I never thought about that. AND my 4 year old would probably get TONS of sympathy from other people . . . or I could end up in JAIL for child neglect . . . I wonder if you can access the internet on black friday from jail . . .

[nautec]

You know I just bought a house last year and I scored so much at Lowes like wetdry vacs, tools, closet stuff, garage stuff. Costco is sane but good luck with the TVs there, since it is right at the door, thats the first thing people grab. The free cookbook at costco is nice.

[GinaVA3]

My only experience with Black Friday was two years ago. I got up at the crack of dawn thinking I'd need to be in line at Target in Pasadena, CA. There were a few people there, but not many. Once we were inside, they had a table with coffee and donuts, and it was very relaxed, not at all what I was expecting! Plenty of time to peruse the stuff and get what I wanted.

The threads on here scare me to death. I may get up early to try some internet deals, but I'm not into pushing and shoving to save some money.

[devilot]

I would say the Mall is the only place that's sane, but that is again relative because what might seem sane to me might not be that sane to youExactly. Some women can get out-of-control catty in mall stores. Yikes! That camisole I had in my hand? Take it-- I really don't want an infection from your claws. :eek:

I think one year Express had really cute clutches.

I'm not a big-item purchaser, though. I usually just slip into a bigger store for a DVD deal I'd been eyeing so I generally don't have any real hassles (aside from waiting in enormous check-out lines).

[bradfox2]

I love BB on BF in the morning.. Its so fun competing for all the stuff. I hope to get the 1080p 42" westinghouse for 500 or less this year. its dropped down to 900 throughout the year and based on the percentage cuts of prices last year its totally possible. Ill be up all night waiting for at least one of those.

At my bb they gave out vouchers for the big ticket items to ppl waiting in line.


I have a Walmart best buy and staples all in the same parking lot in my city. Its pretty sick, we got 2 ppl in each line and staples opened 1 hour later then bb so we got 2 of everything at least.