Shopping on Black Friday? Tips for Surviving the Mall

For many people the day after Thanksgiving (otherwise known as Black Friday) is the perfect time to begin (or even complete) their Christmas shopping. Stores typically consider this the busiest shopping day of the entire year. They greet shoppers with lots of discounts and markdowns and specials. And the shoppers do come – they come in droves.

If it is your plan to do your shopping on Black Friday, here are some tips that will help you survive the hustle and the bustle of the mall.

1. Try to arrive early. As a former retail employee I can share with you that the stores are usually quieter in the morning. The idea of Christmas shopping at eight in the morning may not thrill you – but does shopping at eight in the morning without any lines at the register sound like fun? You bet it does! There will be plenty of merchandise and lots of sales help available to help you at this time, and fewer people up doing their shopping. So go as early as you can stand it.

2. Create a plan of attack. If you need to visit several stores in the mall, check out their map (you can find a lot of them online at this point) and see where the stores are. You may realize that the majority of them are on one floor and then notice where the others happen to be. This can help you plan where you are going to shop first. Now if you are like most shoppers, not all of your shopping is planned out to every detail – and there are probably people on your list where you haven’t even figured out what you are going to get them. But for those where you have a good idea that you are going to the toy store for your children – that’s an easy stop to make.

3. Dress comfortably. Wear sensible shoes. Remember that you are going to be inside and that they are going to be pumping the place full of heat, you probably do not have to wear your warmest sweater. You might even want to leave your coat inside the car in the parking garage, so you don’t have to lug it around with you all over the mall.