# Will You Be Doing Black Friday Shopping? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 10, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548 "2013-11-10T03:25:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/1 "2013-11-10T03:25:36Z")
Or will your response be: “No, this year I should be able to get most of my Christmas shopping done on Thanksgiving, as retailers now understand that there is nothing else Americans would rather do on Thanksgiving than to go shopping.” [I personally can’t stand such an unpleasant shopping experience.] ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/2 "2013-11-10T03:36:33Z")
God, no. When I was in high school, I worked retail for a little over a year. That included working a Black Friday. Our crowd was reasonably respectful—nothing like the "worst of"s you get on YouTube—but being in a big seething mob of avarice nevertheless would bring back bad memories. I’ll do my Christmas shopping online a few days before Christmas, same as I always do. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/3 "2013-11-10T03:40:07Z")
I’ll probably head out and hit a few places Friday afternoon after all the crowds have left. Places like Best Buy and Target still have sales on stuff, and I usually find some things I need, usually at a good discount. ---
**Author:** ![svd678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@svd678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svd678)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/4 "2013-11-10T05:17:40Z")
I went shopping on Black Friday once, AND I WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN! ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/5 "2013-11-10T05:19:50Z")
Maybe at the airport gift shop. 😉 I will be travelling. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/6 "2013-11-10T05:29:41Z")
Yes, online. I won’t be shopping at all at retail stores anytime during Thanksgiving weekend. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/7 "2013-11-10T07:39:57Z")
Heck No!! Are you kidding?? I hate Christmas shopping anyway, Why would I want to be out with the “Teeming Masses”? You gotta be nuts to go shopping then. You could not pay me enough $$ to do this! How soon until The “Holiday Season” is over? … That is not soon enough! BAH HUMBUG!! PS. I really dislike the Christmas Season. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/8 "2013-11-10T13:17:52Z")
I just go to one local crafts fair where I usually buy several pairs of earrings from my favorite artist/craftsperson. Won’t be going to any regular stores. Online shopping-- that’s a different story. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/9 "2013-11-10T14:18:44Z")
I’ll do my BF shopping the same as I’ve done the last few years–Thursday night in my underpants nibbling a turkey sammich with the whole herd of critters trembling on the edge of the No Mooching Zone. You don’t get most of the super-crazy/high-demand sales online, but you do get some pretty damn good sales. One year, by the time I got done stacking sales, mailing list discounts, and in-store rewards I bought over $700 worth of stuff on Black Friday and Cyber Monday and paid under $200 for it all. And never had to get dressed or leave the house to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/10 "2013-11-10T14:28:13Z")
Sure. On Steam, if there are any good sales. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/11 "2013-11-10T14:37:35Z")
We don’t buy Christmas gifts, so no. I can’t imagine dealing with the traffic and the crowds in any case. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/12 "2013-11-10T16:30:10Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Yes, online. Ditto. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/13 "2013-11-10T16:35:23Z")
Would never even consider it. Unless you’re one of the superhardcore who lines up on Thursday afternoon, you’ll never get those doorbuster specials everyone advertises. And unless you’re buying electronics, those sale prices will be matched if not exceeded by last minute sales. (Hasn’t last Saturday before Christmas passed Black Friday as the biggest shopping day?) ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/14 "2013-11-10T16:39:36Z")
Just get up early, hit one of the deal sites (there’s fatwallet, slickdeals, and similar sites.) and look at Amazon/Newegg black Friday deals. Usually, both those stores will give stuff away at less than cost, probably, (even if it isn’t less than cost, the deals will be the lowest around for months) for a limited time/limited quantity. There is usually some good stuff floating around. You often have to stack coupon codes, rebates, and so on to get the real deal, which is part of the way they are able to offer things for less than cost - rebates are a hassle, and, statistically, a large percentage will never be redeemed. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/15 "2013-11-10T19:20:57Z")
My Black Friday is the day after Halloween, when props and costumes go on sale. That’s over and done with. 😃 As for everyone else’s Black Friday…given the option, I will barricade myself in the house and eat leftovers. I have no desire to wade into collective madness, and as soon as I figure out what to get anyone, I will start my online shopping. Black Friday can choke on my free two-day shipping membership. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/16 "2013-11-10T19:29:48Z")
I have absolutely no intention of going into any sort of retail store on Black Friday, or on Thanksgiving itself, unless I have an emergency. I define “emergency” as “someone is going to die or be seriously injured if I don’t get something”, not “OMG I’m out of chocolate”. Well, if they let me carry a cattle prod I might go into a retail store. But I wouldn’t be shopping, I’d be showing people the error of their ways. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/17 "2013-11-10T19:38:41Z")
Possibly online. I accidentally went to Black Friday at Best Buy once because my brother’s birthday is Dec 3, I needed to get him some video game accessory urgently, and I forgot what day it was. Never again. ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/18 "2013-11-10T19:48:55Z")
My daughter and I usually go out shopping on Black Friday but this year she is likely to have to work, so we are planning to shop online in the early AM and have our traditional breakfast out at another date. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/19 "2013-11-10T19:57:55Z")
Some years back, we decided that as adults, we didn’t need to fuss with the gift-giving any longer. So we each buy a $10-ish item and do a goofy exchange game on Christmas morning. It’s fun, not stressful, and at most, we end up with one crappy item we don’t want. Win all around!! I did Black Friday once eons ago, got caught up in the frenzy, and wound up going back a few days later returning half of what I bought. Never again. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548/20 "2013-11-10T20:26:06Z")
Yes…the newest Littlest Briston is brewing, so we’re hoping Babies R Us and such has some of the gear we need cheap. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-be-doing-black-friday-shopping/673548.md?page=2)