<p>I used to do black Friday when son was little. I am not much of a sleeper, so the fact that stores were open at 4am was wonderful to me! It was before the big internet sales and cyber monday. Now, you can get the same deals, or better online. So I do that. But if I saw a deal that someone had to have, I still might venture out. If the weather was good, and it was close enough. </p>
<p>I do know of two sisters that go to the outlet mall every year at 12MN thanksgiving. They have a bonding experience, and both have large families to buy for. My friend swears that she can get more for her money for the kids. So her budget stretches farther. Since many of these stores have hourly sales, they will spllit up for certian items and buy for each other…one will hit coach for the 1am door buster for all of the girls, the other will hit gap at 1am for all of the boys. With the crowds, this works well for them. It is quite strategic, actually! </p>
<p>And yes, it is for the deals, but it is also for the sport of shopping, as well as bragging rights!</p>
<p>My daughter, sister, and I have done several Black Friday shopping trips though we don’t leave the house until 5 a.m. or so. Sis and I go to bed fairly early on Thanksgiving since we’ve been busy for a few days prepping for the big family feast and neither of us are late sleepers anyway. We don’t go to the malls but usually to the smaller chains like Staples, Olympia Sports, etc. Haven’t seen any pushing/shoving and find the people in our area to be in a pretty festive mood overall. We’re usually home by 9 a.m. and ready to start the turkey soup making!</p>
<p>I think it’s ridiculous that the big retailers are now expecting their employees to sleep on their holiday so they can work overnight. They claim this was a result of customer requests. I will not be shopping at any stores that do this - for Black Friday or for any of my holiday purchases - and have signed several petitions at Change.org to let their corporate offices know that at least some customers would like them to rethink this.</p>
<p>I won’t go to any store forcing employees to be there at midnight.</p>
<p>I also wonder if there really are great deals. A Best Buy employee told me they bring in merchandise from prior years and items that didn’t sell for mark-downs.</p>
<p>I went out on ONE Black Friday in the last five years. I had a specific mission…to get my son a Pea Coat and they were listed as “specials” for very good prices at a bunch of BlackFriday stores. So…off I went. I went to EACH store and NEVER found a Pea Coat…not the ones on special…there were plenty of others but not the “specials”. I felt like it was a ‘bait and switch’ but they claimed they were sold out (how could you be sold out of something when the customer…me…was the first one in the store?). I ended up going to both American Eagle and Kohls…where I got the Pea Coats (yes I got two) for my kiddo. He picked the one he liked best which happened to be from Kohls, a Ralph Lauren that was reduced, and then reduced again…under $100. I took the other one back.</p>
<p>After that I swore I would never go out for these non-existent specials again.</p>
<p>I have shopped early on Black Friday probably four or five times, and I have never experienced pushing or shoving. In fact, I found that people were MORE polite to each other–sort of a bonding/empathy experience. I think pushing and shoving is the exception, but it is what makes the news when it does happen.</p>
<p>I am happily sleeping in this Black Friday, but for anyone who hasn’t been and is considering going, I wanted to say, based on my experience at least, you don’t have to fear physical violence!</p>
<p>My mother in law & her two daughters love that sort of thing.
To them the Nordstrom half yearly sale is the highlight of their year. ( or it seems to be)
They have a whole bonding ritual over shopping that I don’t really get. ( I also don’t understand why you would need a whole closet of shoes- perhaps I am missing a gene)</p>
<p>They do go out early the day after Thanksgiving, usually to get some gimmicky electronic thing- I don’t think what they are buying really matters, it is more the sense of camaraderie, and the elation they get from spending money.
Then they come back to the mom’s house to make the worst christmas cookies ever. ( I don’t know how they do it- I think they buy the cheapest flour, sugar & flavorings possible, because they * look* ok, they just have no taste)</p>
<p>I get exhausted by shopping on a regular day, so I doubt we will be going out- ( even though I will be in no sales tax Portland!)</p>