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Black Friday Christmas Shopping Strategy

Most parents know that Black Friday shopping is a time to get great discounts on items for your Christmas gift purchases. Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving when most large retail stores offer huge discount savings on big ticket items. But there is a catch, usually these items that are discounted are in very small supply. Maybe 5 or 10 items that are first come first serve. If you are one of those lucky few you can save hundreds to thousands of dollars on your Christmas Gift purchases.

Black Friday Shopping Lines - Be Prepared

However in order to take advantage of some of these short in supply deals you need a game plan. Black Friday shopping is like war. You need a strategy and plenty of advance planning to outwit, outplan and outshop the other Black Friday bargain seekers.

To help those Black Friday Newbies, here is a quick if not War Plan to become the ultimate Black Friday Shopping Ninja!

Know that you may have to camp out 24-48 hours in advance outside a store in order to get your Big Ticket item.

Full List after the jump….

Black Friday Game Plan

1) Plan well in advance. ( prior to Thanksgiving day)

2) Determine what items you want to purchase and make a list.

3) Determine what Stores carry your top ticket item.

4) Find out what Time the Store(s) will officially open and their policy for Black Friday Shopping. Will they hand out tickets to the first ones in line to purchase certain items. Some stores open at midnight, some at 4 am some at 6 am.

5) Know that you may have to camp out 24-48 hours in advance outside a store in order to get your Big Ticket item and gather supplies for a two day outdoor adventure.

6) Assemble a Team. Works best if you have more than 2 people to do shifts in line.

7) Scout your locations. Find the least densely populated Store location. Find Alternative locations or stores

Know your competition. Students may camp out in groups for 24-48 hours or more. Be prepared

9) Watch for newspaper ads and TV ads for deals.

10) Map out Locations to stores, load your vehicles with supplies, check weather forecasts for Thanksgiving day and Black Friday. Drive by the Locations as early as Monday – Tuesday of Thanksgiving Week to scout for “Black Friday Early Bird Line Squatters“.

11) Disperse your team to their designated location. Make sure you have Cell Phones Charged and in complete communication. You may have to forgo Thanksgiving Day all together because of “Black Friday Early Line Squatters”.

12) Arrive at Store location. Determine immediately the odds of success based upon your position in line. Query those ahead of you for what items they are wishing to purchase. If your wish list is a “Discounted Computer”, and there are only 10 available at the discount price and 15 people are ahead of you who want the “discounted computer” you are most likely not going to get your “Discounted Computer” on a Black Friday Special Deal.

13) If odds are bad at location 1 ( more people wantt Item X than the supply of item X) move to an alternative location. Inform your team members and potential replacements.

14) Once you find your location with the best odds of success, make your self as comfortable as possible.

Black Friday Early Bird Special Line Squatters Ninja Supply List:

Tent, Chairs, Blankets, Cell Phones, Propane Grill (heat and cooking), Full Cooler of food and beverages, Books, Magazines, Cards, ETC.

Good Luck Black Friday Shopping Ninjas. Yes it takes a lot to get those huge discounts and if money is an issue, your time can prove to be successful. If being a Black Friday Ninja is not for you, Shop on line like the rest of us and avoid the Black Friday Nightmares. We are not as young as we used to be and all-nighters are just no longer in our capacity.