Black Friday Buddies 2009 Unite! SCORE REPORTS, WAIT STORIES, HAULS FOR DAY!!

[starbird]

IPOD touch here. I know the price just came down but I'm holding out hoping they will throw in an itunes card or something

In all likelyhood, the price will not come down again before the holidays. With one exception. The Apple Store online (and possibly in their stores, too) usually have Black Friday sales. It is the one time a year Apple has a "sale" price.

Also, check with your benefits administrator. You may have an Employee Purchase Program with Apple. I do, and the prices for the iPod touch are as follows:

8GB - $187 (retail $199)
32GB - $281 (retail $299)
64GB - $375 (retail $399)

These prices may not be the same for every company, but gives you an idea.

And free engraving and shipping.

 

[starbird]

Target had some BluRay players on clearance this week. The Sony was 50% off and it was $124.99 or something like that. We debated buying it but we have no BluRay DVDs and Red Box doesn't either (that's the only place we get DVDs from) we decided against it.

If you have an HDTV with HDMI inputs, a bluray player will also upscale your existing DVDs, bringing them to a better video quality than a regular DVD player on your HDTV.

 

[dpratt68]

In all likelyhood, the price will not come down again before the holidays. With one exception. The Apple Store online (and possibly in their stores, too) usually have Black Friday sales. It is the one time a year Apple has a "sale" price.

Also, check with your benefits administrator. You may have an Employee Purchase Program with Apple. I do, and the prices for the iPod touch are as follows:

8GB - $187 (retail $199)
32GB - $281 (retail $299)
64GB - $375 (retail $399)

These prices may not be the same for every company, but gives you an idea.

And free engraving and shipping.

I'm hoping for a $25 Itunes ard with purchase somewhere. I am a teacher but the educator discount doesn't seem to apply to the touch. Am I missing something?

 

[starbird]

I'm hoping for a $25 Itunes ard with purchase somewhere. I am a teacher but the educator discount doesn't seem to apply to the touch. Am I missing something?

No, for some odd reason, the education discount (also for college students) doesn't seem to apply.

If you sign up for news from apple.com, I think you get the e-mail on Thanksgiving day with the pricing. I can't remember if it is the same as the EPP or a little less of a discount.

 

[NHWX]

We got the now old-style ipod touch, 16GB, at Costco this May or June for $280.

I don't know what the new ones are running.

Brighid

 

[englishrose47]

I alooking for TSM Wii game !!! A week at Disney did that!!!!!

 

[Catira]

I'm in! I love black friday shopping. My family has a whole game plan. I am partially done shopping for the nieces and nephews, but I have a long way to go with DS. I am looking for toy deals primarily. I am hoping that Michael's has Thanksgiving Day deals like last year...there is nothing wrong with getting a little something for yourself is there?!

Curious as to what I missed at Micheals last year. We of course always hit Best Buy and Walmart first thing in the morning.

 

[Catira]

How does everyone decide which stores they will go to first? Is it by the most wanted item on your list, closest store, which one opens first? We of course always buy the newspaper thanksgiving day and try to make a list of the most wanted items. My kiddos are 15 and 11 so toys are usually not on our list. I have taken advantage of a lot of my christmas shopping when items are on sale. For example, my bestfriend has been wanting mammoth crocs and I just got them for her for $14.99 versus $39.99, christmas pjs from dillards for $12 regular price $82.50 well you get the idea.

This year we need a new dvd portable system for SUV, and hopefully I can get buy a new IPOD Touch that I misplaced or had stolen from my house. I'm sure this list will grow.

 

[flying_babyb]

I make my game plan by what stores have what I want. I also try to pick what stores open first, like walmart opened at 6 but jc pennys and yonkers opened at 5. So since there in the same mall we did yonkers and pennys first then got coffee and hashbrowns from mc. donalds (accrosed the road) and were back in line in time for store opening (and to get my picture frame). Then we went to shopko (accrossed the steet), stoped at menards (and then prompty left, the crowd was huge. Ever since the lady broke her leg there last year were more cautious). Then we hit kmart (in the next city, 15 mins away) to pick up a few deals. Usally then we stop at walgreens and head to culvers for lunch. Small towns rock!! This year first stop will be the internet to get moms camera!

 

[Sandy321]

Does IKEA have a Black Friday flier? Or just specials? or not?

I think we are going to have a girls trip and hit the stores, then stay at a motel - maybe get a massage on Sat!!

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

Count me in! I gotta get a game plan going now though! Black Friday for me will mean:

9 DAYS TIL DISNEY!!!

 

[BabyFu18]

I just read about target opening at 5am and I am praying that doesn't happen, it's could really affect our BF plans and mess things up.

My sister and I always do BB first, since they open at 5, we line up there first thing and get the things we need then head to target and are always lined up before 5:30 (at the latest). We usually need to go Target right after BB because that's where we get any toys we need, but we can't do both Target and BB at the same time!

So unless BB is going to open at 4am I hope target holds on to their original 6am time slot.

 

[flying_babyb]

I would love to see walmart go earlier just so I can be done by 10. I love places with late afternoon sales too! Hot darn, I just relized I have cyber monday off too!! As much as I hate my new scedual (work w,t,f) I love it sometimes too. OMG Thankgiving week will stink. I get day before (w) off, Thankgiving (t) and day after (f) off and monday and tuseday like usual. A whole week off Ick sorry went OT!

 

[TENIA66]

How does everyone decide which stores they will go to first? Is it by the most wanted item on your list, closest store, which one opens first? We of course always buy the newspaper thanksgiving day and try to make a list of the most wanted items. My kiddos are 15 and 11 so toys are usually not on our list. I have taken advantage of a lot of my christmas shopping when items are on sale. For example, my bestfriend has been wanting mammoth crocs and I just got them for her for $14.99 versus $39.99, christmas pjs from dillards for $12 regular price $82.50 well you get the idea.

This year we need a new dvd portable system for SUV, and hopefully I can get buy a new IPOD Touch that I misplaced or had stolen from my house. I'm sure this list will grow.

We develop our game plan Thursday evening, reviewing the flyers, comparing those with Christmas lists. Price matching is a big part of our strategy so we favor the stores who are going to price match. It's important year to year to check what their price matching strategies for black friday are. Sometimes they have a policy just for that day. Also, quite frankly, weather plays a role, and as I've gotten older, I appreciate the wait on INSIDE instead of outside in the ice and snow...

 

[Catira]

We develop our game plan Thursday evening, reviewing the flyers, comparing those with Christmas lists. Price matching is a big part of our strategy so we favor the stores who are going to price match. It's important year to year to check what their price matching strategies for black friday are. Sometimes they have a policy just for that day. Also, quite frankly, weather plays a role, and as I've gotten older, I appreciate the wait on INSIDE instead of outside in the ice and snow...

"You learn something new everyday"... I didn't know some stores did price matching on their items.

 

[Sandy321]

How does everyone decide which stores they will go to first? Is it by the most wanted item on your list, closest store, which one opens first? We of course always buy the newspaper thanksgiving day and try to make a list of the most wanted items. My kiddos are 15 and 11 so toys are usually not on our list. I have taken advantage of a lot of my christmas shopping when items are on sale. For example, my bestfriend has been wanting mammoth crocs and I just got them for her for $14.99 versus $39.99, christmas pjs from dillards for $12 regular price $82.50 well you get the idea.

This year we need a new dvd portable system for SUV, and hopefully I can get buy a new IPOD Touch that I misplaced or had stolen from my house. I'm sure this list will grow.

I also check and recheck this thread - then the flyers - you must have a folder for the flyers of stores you may check out - for instance Department Stores (like Macy's) will have a coupon $10 off $____ purchase etc Even if I dont plan on buying anything there, I'll file those coupons and take them with "just in case"!

ITA about standing out in the cold - I'm too old!! you can find so many bargains, online - or before Black Friday by just knowing the prices - and keeping your eyes open

Also, I keep in mind which stores open earliest - and start there - but sometimes if the line or crowd seems "anxious" "pushy" I'll skip it, nothing is worth it - but I may come back after they've been open for awhile!!

 

[TENIA66]

Price matching is a big part of our game plan. We cart up our price match items and rubber band ad to item for a quicker check out. Then we get in place for doorbuster items we want. Try using a wheeled plastic trash can instead of a cart. Easier to get around in and you can discard at check out if you don't want it. If you do, excellent hiding place for purchases. Also good to have a line waiter, and a cart pusher. 3 people are best, one to grab, one on cart, one in check out line.

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

Price matching is a big part of our game plan. We cart up our price match items and rubber band ad to item for a quicker check out. Then we get in place for doorbuster items we want. Try using a wheeled plastic trash can instead of a cart. Easier to get around in and you can discard at check out if you don't want it. If you do, excellent hiding place for purchases. Also good to have a line waiter, and a cart pusher. 3 people are best, one to grab, one on cart, one in check out line.

I like your three-person strategy!

 

[TENIA66]

I also would like to tell you all if you miss an item that was a doorbuster, go back about an hour after the crowd clears. People grab things in a rush then put them down around the store because they decided against them. You may still find the thing you went for..,.

 

[jacksmomma]

We plan our route Thursday over pumpkin pie! There are 3 of us that go, so we have been known to break up into 2 and 1 (the 2 being me and my aunt, the one my DH, yes he is a brave man!). If there is one particular item that we want the one will go get it while the other 2 go to the second item store. Around here Kohl's opens at 4 so we go there first and then head to the next store. I make a list with the deals and their prices on one side, along with the time the stores open. On the opposite side I list everyone I am buying for, how much I plan to spend on them, and anything that I already have. This really keeps my impulse buys to a minimum. Like a PP said, I take the ads with me. It helps to be able to point something out if I cannot find it and I can re-check any prices I missed. It is also helpful for price matching. I take all the ads that I am even remotely interested in because I *might* need them. Here is another trick I use...go to stores like Walmart, Target, and Kohl's the day before Thanksgiving to stake out the "lay of the land". They always move things around to make room for extra Christmas stock and to adjust the flow of traffic in the store. This way, you can know exactly where you need to run when those doors open up!

Finally we always re-group over lunch. We meet up for lunch after all the doorbusters are over. Then I can relax, look at my list and fill in the holes. 90% of the time I finish up my holiday shopping with Black Friday.