Like outlet shopping, Black Friday's are a thing of the past.

I just dont participate in black friday..... just WAY too much of a hassle. Too many shoppers chasing to few REAL deals.

Just isnt worth it.

#11: Pick the item you REALLY WANT instead of being a blitz buyer. When the store opens, get in the doors. Don't worry about where you were in line, it won't likely matter. Just make your way inside and BYPASS THE MESS OF PEOPLE GETTING CARTS. Now that you're in, cart free, and can maneuver around abd between them all, you will quickly be able to reach whatever it is you wanted before most of them do, and odds are, you will get it. Remember, without a cart, you can slip between carts and get through gaps they leave trying to get past each other. And you don't even have to be rude or unpleasant to beat them to the item.

To me, I think I've more or less reached critical mass, where the amount of stuff my apartment will hold has matched up with all the things I wanted to have anyway. It also seems like the BF deals overall are getting worse by the year. Also, Black Friday shopping... it's just not the same anymore. Even just five years ago, it wasn't the super unbelievably crowded event where everyone plus their sister and their cousin came, at least in my neighborhood anyway.

"Have one team member in each store when it opens, each with a list of what everyone wants to buy. Use Joopz.com to set up broadcast SMS. Each team member finds every product on the list, then broadcasts pricing. The person at the store with the lowest price for each item buys it."

Teams, huh? Who can find the most things wrong with this tip? I'll start: first person to get thrown out for using your cameraphone (or looking like you might possibly think about using it at some point in the near or far future) wins a cookie.

Only in America would we have to have a cheat sheet to shop.

Thank you all you gadget hungry people.

Haha I think I'm the only one who actually likes the experience of Black Friday. The whole shopping with tons of other people. Also waking up at the crack of dawn even though I usually sleep in until noon-2ish.

Black Friday is an effective way for retail corporations to increase revenue, though what does this say about the prices of said goods from January-October? Is this a way to closeout goods that retailers bought too much of? (I may have answered this myself) :(

After working multiple black fridays in retail I know better to try to shop on one of them. Just not worth being pushed around in a store that is so packed you really can't move around. To me the 100 bucks I might save is not worth the trouble. That article wasn't that well written either. Seemed to negitive.

Well, I can only get the job done if the signs come from Shanghai in time... So let's remain hopeful.

@everclear75: Yeah, that 60 degree weather can be pretty tough.

I just tell everyone I observe the Puerto Rican tradition of giving gifts on Three Kings Day in January and then wait till the after Xmas sales.

Thank you Joshua.

How about a nice game of chess?

That being said, I try to get things done early, when I can. I hate doing gift cards, but sometimes it's the best, especially when I can not think of what to get someone. That way it's whatever the person wants it to be, either now, or in the future. And wine always makes a great gift. Even people who don't drink can always cook with it.

I do go for the after Christmas rush on stuff. That's when you get some great deals on everything.

Who knew?

"Thank you for buying our cheap, Chinese crap. Please come again".

I was coming home from Thanksgiving last year, and it was pretty late, and there was literally no one on the highway. Until we reached the exit that let off near our local outlet. Cars were backed up for MILES waiting to get to the stores. It was so depressing that people would spend that much time just to save a few dollars.

@etinterrapax:

Amen. You couldn't PAY me to shop on Black Friday.

@everclear75: 60 degree weather! My goodness! :)

I hate humanity during the holiday season. Hence, no black friday for me.

Much less stress not having to worry about the whole "Black Friday" thing. It has been fun in the past, but I have gotten over it.

Good tips in this article though. If I were going to gear-up for it this year, this sounds like good advice.

I love staying home on Black Friday and having leftover-turkey sandwiches for lunch. Wait until the week before Christmas for even better bargains.

To clarify, I meant email mailing lists, for online stores.

Signing up for mailing lists for stores you like often gets you special deals, discounts or free shipping, on things you'd be buying in the store anyway. I can't stand regular shopping when there's so much more variety, speed and better pricing online. And hell, they'll wrap it and ship it directly to the person as well! Every day can be Black Friday if you know where to surf.

I like to make a list of items from different stores and compare and contrast, noting opening times and locations, to make the best of my most limited resource, time.

I'd rather just start shopping earlier in the year even if it costs a little more. I rarely go out on black friday and if I do I go around dinner time when the crowds have thinned.

It's just not worth the aggravation. Maybe if I was going to get a big ticket item for a big discount, but....I'm not.

That said, last year's Black Friday was a HUGE disappointment and I don't think I'm going again.

disclaimer: I'm not a hardcore black friday shopper or hardcore reseller. It's getting to the point, though, where my time is worth more to me.

Meijer has their black Friday weekend ads posted on their website.

He forgot #11: Bring riot gear.