Wake up like normal and walk away empty handed; wake up early and get a shot at the big time; don’t go to bed…and you have a fighting chance. Black Friday electronics and entertainment shopping isn’t for the faint of heart, and this year was particularly gritty and violent.

If you haven’t ventured out to participate in the mayhem that is Black Friday shopping, you probably feel that you are better off for it. I’d be hard-pressed to disagree with you, though I will say that shopping for heavily discounted electronics on the holy grail of shopping days is something you’ll never forget.

First, you must know that electronics are the items after which consumers lust the most. HDTVs, gaming consoles, cameras, Blu-ray discs, Apple iPods, you name it; if it requires power, you can be sure you aren’t the only one out to purchase it.

That’s exactly why stores like Best Buy and Circuit City are the hotspots for the die-hard shoppers. This year was no exception. As an experienced Black Friday vet, I knew better than to show up to the line a moment later than midnight or 1 a.m, but when I chose to socialize for a bit longer than normal on my Thursday night, I was rewarded with a spot at least 400 people deep in the line at 3 a.m.

Black Friday Rule #1: If you want the best deals, you have to be willing to be the first person in line, no matter what.

That being said, there were some door-buster deals at Best Buy that everyone wanted. Though there weren’t any new and hot items to market this holiday season, large HDTV set prices were reduced significantly, the Playstation 3 was bundled with a Bond Blu-ray and a game, Blu-ray stand-alone players were under $200, GPS systems were available for less than $100, and of course, the Nintendo Wii was drawing a fair crowd of its own.

Of course, by the time doors opened at 5 a.m, all vouchers for the door-buster items had been distributed, and the rest of the luckless hoards were left to pick over the scraps. Discounted DVDs and television series, video games, cds and small-ticket items bins were the sites of feeding frenzies.

Black Friday Rule #2: Everyone, including the soccer moms and little old ladies, become vicious and frenzied beyond comprehension; be prepared to hold your own, and don’t back down.

It’s guaranteed that anyone who wants what you have (especially if it is the last Micro SD card or digital camera) will go as far as to attempt to wheedle it from you. If you say no, they could very well try to snatch it from your person or cart. You can’t take it personally; like a full moon, the early hours of Black Friday shopping turn normal human beings into mindless werewolves, even with six cups of coffee and a powdered doughnut or two.

Black Friday Rule #3: Know what you’re shopping for, get in, get it, and get out.

My colleague Dave wrote about the tragic trampling that occurred at a Wal-Mart yesterday; sadly, this isn’t the first occurrence. People have injured and even killed others to secure a lower price on an any given item; as sad as it may be, the easiest way to avoid being the trampled or the trampler is to have a game plan. Know what you’re looking for. Sites like Black Friday Ads list all the deals going on at all retailers, and you can list out what you’re looking for so you can avoid some havoc, the possibility of being drawn into a physical conflict, and succumbing to the blood-lust of the hunt.

Black Friday Rule #4: List and prioritize the stores you need to hit, and come prepared with fuel.

Getting in and getting out of any given store is really only part of the equation. The true die-hard Black Friday shoppers hit multiple locations throughout the morning; if you want to to get the most of your morning, you need to work out rough probabilities of success at each store and then be swift in your sprints between locations. Part of running the gambit is being all fueled up before you even begin. That means water, coffee, energy drinks, food (preferably that won’t land you an impromptu bathroom emergency), and a full tank of gas. Personally, I take two folding chairs for me and my sister, a laptop (for watching Scrubs or Boston Legal while I wait), a blanket and comforter, an extra jacket and gloves, bottles of water, a couple Vault sodas, and of course, a full tank of gas. Extreme? Not on Black Friday.

Black Friday Rule #5: If you are too weak to step up and fight the real Black Friday battle, be realistic about your time frames and run the gauntlet accordingly.

Some of you might just not have the mustard to fight the masses. It’s OK … I’m familiar with all the excuses. “That’s just insane and not worth the savings anyway,” or, “I get all my shopping done early so I don’t have to fight the crowds.” Say what you like; there are savings and memories to be made.

With that said, there is a very limited block of time in the early morning in which you can sneak in and out without waiting in line. That time is generally 30 minutes after each store opens. By that time, all the lines have made it inside, and if you’re lucky, you can grab the items you want and slide out before the register lines get too long.

That is assuming you made your list and prioritized your locations. For example, if you know that Best Buy opens at five and Target opens at 6, and those are your top two locations, you can make the Best Buy magic window and the Target magic window without staying up all night. It’s tricky and takes some practice, but it can vastly improve your waiting times outside stores or in register lines.

It isn’t glamorous, comfortable or glitzy. Weathering the Black Friday storm takes time and practice. But if you follow these rules, and most importantly, be willing to sacrifice one day (or more importantly, night) to the affair, you can savor the fruits of war … after you sleep away your Friday afternoon.

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Entry was posted on Saturday, November 29th, 2008 at 7:44 pm under LCD, Media players, Opinion, Tips and advice, Tutorials.

Read more entries by Triston McIntyre.
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