Bob Childress shops with his daughter Isabelle at a Wal-Mart in Deptford N.J. Wal-Mart has already reacted to other retailers’ early “Black Friday” sales by lowering some of its own prices.

(Matt Rourke/AP) by Laurent Belsie and David Grant | 11.13.09

“Black Friday” deals have already started this year and they’re coming fast and furious. to get the best ones, it helps to have a strategy. here are our top 5 tips for snagging that holiday deal:

5. go online. Most of Black Friday’s good deals are available online as well as at the store, says Michael Brim, founder of BFAds.net, a website that tracks Black Friday ads and sales. “Unless you want one of the bargain-basement door busters, unless you’re there for the thing that best buy or Wal-Mart are going to have [only] 10 of, the majority of the sales are available online.” Often, companies will advertise their in-store-only sales on their websites. so even if you plan to shop bricks-and-mortar stores, it pays to check their websites first.

4. Plan ahead. “No one wants to sit in traffic on Black Friday, so make sure to map out the stores that you want to hit,” counsels dealnews on their new Black Friday strategy guide. “Know when they open, when they close, and if applicable, what hours during the day their best sales will take place.”

3. get a shopping buddy. Black Friday shopping used to be characterized by a bruising free-for-all as shoppers jostled to grab popular items. “In prior years it was a contact sport,” mr. Brim says. “If you’re quick and you’re big and a gritty shopper, you can hop from place to place to place and get three or four items if you’re at the peak of your game.” now that big retailers have instituted a ticket system, where customers line up for tickets of particular products, the key strength is numbers. first, having multiple friends fan out to different ticket sites is a must. Next, Black Friday pros use a buddy system: an “explorer” who charges through aisles looking for particular items while another mans the shopping cart in a central location. “If there is any chance of chaos on Black Friday, you don’t want to have a cart with you,” Brim says. “It may work well as a battering gram but when there are 14 other carts in there you won’t have room to maneuver.”

2. Love the deal – or leave it. this year’s retail scene is so competitive that you can afford to be choosy. if you can’t get to one retailer for an advertised sale, chances are other retailers are trying to match it. Check online for up-to-the-minute information (see Tip no. 5) but don’t be afraid to ask a competing retailer to match it. “The trick is proving it to them,” dealmaker.com says. “Know your store’s price-matching policy and if possible, carry circulars with you to prove that their competitor has a better deal.”

1. Shop early. Preparing for a Black Friday outing? Shop online on Thursday first, counsels dealnews.com. “In years past, we’ve seen some deals sell out before Black Friday.” so that means going online as early as possible — after 9 p.m. Wednesday for West Coasters. Actually, you should be keeping an eye for great gifts months in advance, says Julia, aka Bargain Babe, who runs the BargainBabe blog. “Buying early is one strategy for keeping within your budget.”

On the other hand, here are two old school shopping tricks that don’t work so well anymore:

1. Casing the joint. Going to a store before Black Friday to familiarize yourself with the terrain is not a bad idea, but don’t be surprised when the laptop you want is stacked next to the microwaves, for example, Brim says. “A lot of the big items are consumer electronics and usually that’s one part of the store. to prevent the mass mobs, they may put the DVD players next to the Washing machines.”

2. Strategic restocking. if you see the item you want during your reconnaissance mission, don’t try to stash it in a dryer or oven for easy recovery during the Black Friday melee, Brim says. Stores are now keen to this trick and do more stringent checks on products.
________________
– David Grant is a Monitor contributor. keep up with this year’s Black Friday economy by following us on Twitter.

Comments 1. Julie | 11.13.09

Last year I used price drop alert sites to keep track of black friday deals. I’ve already made a list of the gifts i’m buying for my family at ZingSale.com, and now i get an email when any of them go on sale.

2. Kevin Lockett | 11.13.09

Great post on Black Friday. I posted something similar on how organize your Black Friday Crew ehow.com/how_5638836_organize-black-friday-crew.html

3. Carolyn Lindemann | 11.13.09

Dear Laurant and David,
My compliments to your article; well written, intersting subject and useful information. my fingers will be busy surfing after 9 pm !
I try not to even read the side articles on the screens that pop-up; but some reason I clicked on your Black Friday and read the WHOLE article!
Well done, good and faithful servants !

5. dealsglobe | 11.13.09

ya its really good tips for online buying……

6. Peter S. Read | 11.14.09

Seriously? the Christian Science Monitor’s economics section is writing articles about GOOD DEALS? Come on, guys! this is a very well respected publication! what happened to your international business entries? that was the only useful thing to read…

7. Dave | 11.15.09

YOU guys posted the wrong web site. the Web site for Michael’s black friday site is: BFADS.NET

8. Jerry Jordan | 11.17.09

Best tips of all:
5. Wait for the after-Christmas sale! Relax on Friday. go for a walk, play frisbee or charades with your family.
4. buy used and save even more.
3. give to the recipient’s favorite charity.
2. Make a gift that’s unique and handcrafted.
1. give the gift of your own time, talent, or expertise.

Trackbacks/Pingbacks Leave a Comment

We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. the comments feature is a forum to discuss the ideas in our stories. Constructive debate – even pointed disagreement – is welcome, but personal attacks on other commenters are not, and will not be published.

Tip: Do not write a novel. keep it short. we will not publish lengthy comments. Come up with your own statements. this is not a place to cut and paste an email you received. if we recognize it as such, we won’t post it.

Please do not post any comments that are commercial in nature or that violate copyrights.

Finally, we will not publish any comments that we regard as obscene, defamatory, or intended to incite violence.

Shoppers swamped Wal-Mart in Sacramento, Calif. to take advantage of Black Friday specials in 2008. This year, the release of Wal-Mart’s Black Friday sales for 2009 was an attempt by the retail giant to walk a fine line between harnessing the power of the Internet and being stung by it.

(Newscom) By David Grant | 11.18.09

Updated 11:15 a.m. EST with comment from Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart’s Black Friday sales for 2009 are now alive in full color on the Internet. from door-buster TVs to a $198 laptop to a $59 GPS system, the retail titan’s Black Friday plans have been laid bare at last.

Where just this past weekend Wal-Mart was brandishing its brace of lawyers at the leak of several movie and videogame prices, Wednesday it OK’d the release of its entire clutch of Black Friday secrets ahead of its own Nov. 23 release date.

Why the change of heart? the move speaks volumes about a company trying to harness the Internet’s viral power while not tipping its hand too soon.

Over the weekend of Nov. 15, a user on a forum hosted by the website DVDTalk.com posted Black Friday prices for several DVDs, Blu-Rays, and videogames.

Since Wal-Mart had already sent letters this summer warning websites like DVDTalk and others not to publish its Black Friday deals early, what happened next came as no surprise. the company’s lawyers quickly contacted the site’s owners, Internet Brands inc., and demanded that the post be removed. DVDTalk took the item down.

“We try to be good corporate citizens. While we didn’t editorially post it, we respect everyone in the retail space,” says DVDTalk director Brent Conver.

Then on Tuesday, Wal-Mart confirmed the price of six Black Friday items to CNN. After a user e-mailed him a high-quality copy of Wal-Mart’s Black Friday circular, BlackFriday.info founder Jon Vincent called the company to negotiate its wider release and was allowed to publish the entire flyer Wednesday.

“I was saying, listen, this thing is all over the place, it’s kind of stupid to not let us post it. they gave us permission,” Mr. Vincent says. “They realized they can’t stop the Internet.”

In an e-mail message, Wal-Mart spokeswoman Tara Raddohl wrote that Wal-Mart has “not confirmed the accuracy of any leaks or circulars currently posted, nor have we given the day after Thanksgiving circular to any site or media outlet.”

But why admonish DVDTalk and then give BlackFriday the juice? several reasons, Black Friday analysts say. First, because many Black Friday sites are tiny operations with a small crew or single proprietor, a Wal-Mart lawsuit threat carries a lot of weight. when CNN came calling, the threat of litigation was diminished.

“The difference is Wal-Mart knows they can’t litigate CNN out of existence,” says Michael Brim, founder of BFAds.net.

Further, the many sites pursuing and posting the latest Black Friday deals don’t want to spoil relations with their golden goose, an issue not faced by CNN. BFAds makes a small commission from Wal-Mart for each shopper that passes through its portal en route to a purchase on Wal-Mart’s website.

What could be seen as a corporate giant bowing to the pressure of the savvy Web sleuths might, in fact, be an integral part of Wal-Mart’s marketing strategy. in terms of timing, Vincent says it may have been almost perfectly placed.

“We’re only about a week away from Black Friday so it’s not too far away. People are going to be taking the next week off probably so now is kind of a good time to reach them before they check out,” Vincent says.

Noting that his site’s Black Friday post was Alexa.com’s 7th most popular on the Internet Wednesday afternoon, Wal-Mart’s release certainly generated interest.

“Tons of people are visiting our site and they’re getting tons of exposure,” he says.

“Their ad this year is great. I think it beats all the other Black Friday ads,” Vincent says. “They want all the other ads to leak out and then their ad goes out and they one-up everybody.”

“They basically want the best of both worlds,” Brim says.

And for now, they’re getting it.

See also:

Black Friday 2009: Are Black Friday’s years numbered?

Black Friday 2009 Wal-Mart ad: some people know what’s in it

Black Friday 2009 deals: will best buy or online stores win?

Wal-Mart’s 2009 Black Friday Flier

— David Grant is a Monitor contributor. What are the best Black Friday deals on the market right now? let us know on Twitter.

Comments 2. 2009 Black Friday Ads | 11.19.09 3. Bob | 11.19.09

Dont forget what happened on Long Island in 2008. A man was killed – STAMPEDED to DEATH – at a Wal-Mart because of people rushing to buy items in the Black Friday sale.

Wal-Mart doesnt seem to be doing anything to reduce the mania which could lead to another death like this from occurring.

4. Karen | 11.19.09

I’ve always been surprised that Walmart holds on to their ad for so long, but now it makes more sense. before it seemed like they didn’t see the value in the internet and all the hype that goes along with Black Friday.

But now I understand Walmart wanting to keep their Black Friday ad out of their competitors’ hands for as long as possible, because at this point other retailers can’t reprint their ads and change prices.

In some regard, their strategy might even be smarter because everyone is always talking about “when is the Walmart ad going to be out!”. it almost builds more hype.

I’m glad Black Friday sites exists. I have so much fun looking at the ads and planning ahead. Thanksgiving Day is so busy for me with family that I don’t really have the time to look through the paper. I viewed the Walmart ad at 2009blackfridayads.com/walmart and am so excited to go shopping next Friday! they really have the best deals.

5. Hillcrest Guest House, St. John, US Virgin Islands | 11.19.09

You can’t blame those who do the leak, especially with the status of the economy.

Because of the early leaks, we have published ours; 20% off rates for new guests for the months of March, April and may.

6. Chas | 11.19.09

I must say..Wal-Mart do have some very nice deals. they make it real hard for the others to compete with them. with today economy any penny save can benefit you.

7. Richard | 11.19.09

I think it’s notable that Wal-Mart is playing this game and still using the phrase doorbuster after some workers at one of its stores died last year because of the whipped up frenzy the company created with Black Friday and its failure to adequately manage the foreseeable results of that.

8. Pat | 11.22.09

I love the sales Wal-mart has on Black Friday, I just wish they did not limit their quanities, this may keep from injuries and even deaths. as large of a retail store is there should be enough to go around for everybody, not just limit for the first 15 minutes after opening. I would love to get in on the great savings but I,m not goiung to be any retailers door at 2:00a.m. for any of them. And I do realize that they do not care about my opinion because someone else WILL take my place in doing so. so good Luck People and have a SAFE day.

Trackbacks/Pingbacks Leave a Comment

We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. the comments feature is a forum to discuss the ideas in our stories. Constructive debate – even pointed disagreement – is welcome, but personal attacks on other commenters are not, and will not be published.

Tip: Do not write a novel. Keep it short. We will not publish lengthy comments. Come up with your own statements. This is not a place to cut and paste an email you received. If we recognize it as such, we won’t post it.

Please do not post any comments that are commercial in nature or that violate copyrights.

Finally, we will not publish any comments that we regard as obscene, defamatory, or intended to incite violence.

By Meena Kar
Oct. 24 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Black Friday shopping has always enjoyed a great hype among the sellers and the buyers. Retailers plan special advertisement declaring the discounts for Black Friday shopping and circulates the advertisements just before the arrival of the day. However, this year, it has been reported by some media sources that some Black Friday advertisements have already started circulating on the internet. it has been stated that the advertisement of OfficeMax has been released on the web and declared the special offers that they have planned for the Black Friday shopping.

As stated by the sources, the advertisement of OfficeMax which was circulated by the BF Ads.net had several mistakes in it but gave the shoppers an idea what the company would offer them on Black Friday. for some reasons, the advertisement was later removed from the internet and people could not find the discounts anymore. it has come to the news that OfficeMax lawyers had given a cease letter for circulating the company’s advertisements on the internet. the letter of OfficeMax stated, “Not only is most or all of the information BFads.net is disseminating regarding OfficeMax advertisements and sales false or misleading, such information is also misappropriated OfficeMax confidential information.”

It has been stated by the OfficeMax that the advertisements of the company that were circulated by the BFads.net should not be considered as official advertisements of the company. for preventing any confusion among the buyers, the company has removed all the listings of the advertisement. Black Friday which comes just after the Thanks Giving is the great day to shop.

Related Stories

• Verizon Droid Slated for A November 6 Release – Oct 27, 2009
• Numerous deals for Black Friday 2009 from Best Buy – Nov 10, 2009
• Black Friday 2009 Deals start Early – Nov 06, 2009
• The Hills star Audrina Patridge was a victim of school bullying – Oct 11, 2008
• For the first time, online advertising overtakes TV sales – Sep 30, 2009
• Microsoft, Yahoo! Change Search Landscape – Jul 29, 2009
• Falling readership forces closure of Far Eastern Economic Review – Sep 22, 2009
• Facebook facing ‘image’ problem over third-party ads – Jul 30, 2009
• Cyber Monday is on November 30 2009 – Oct 13, 2009
• ‘Clever’ Oz advertisers keep close watch on Facebookers’ updates – Sep 20, 2009

156