Reader F.C. Farwell advises bringing a stickynote and a pen. Arrive at the store a few minutes after the doors open. Find your item(s) of choice. Place a note on it that says, "hold for" and write your name and phone number. Hand the item to a clerk. Come back to the store 5 hours later and retrieve your item and pay for it when there's only 1-5 people in line.

F.C. swears that this has worked every time she used it.

Of course, we've never even been to a Black Friday event and have no idea if this will work for you. Who knows, he could be hyper-competitive buyer trying to sow losing strategies. — BEN POPKEN