Black Friday 2011: Popular Black Friday Myths Dispelled
With the buzz surrounding Black Friday, it is important to be aware of common myths about the post-Thanksgiving Day sale frenzy.
One major myth of Black Friday is that doorbusters are free. It is apparent that some holiday shoppers think they can score freebies on the day after Thanksgiving. In reality, most sales labeled as doorbusters are either low-priced items or brand gifts that come with select purchases.
Another misconception is that Black Friday prices are the best around. However, that’s not the case. Prices on that day are often beat out by store closings, standard store released coupons or online offerings. While low prices or notable deals are released for the special shopping day, the best prices can pop up unexpectedly at various retailers when an item goes on clearance for discontinuation, for instance.
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Arguably one of the biggest commonly held beliefs about Black Friday is that it is the busiest shopping day of the year. However according to the International Council of Shopping Centers, the Saturday before Dec. 25 is actually when stores receive the most traffic.
In general, some shoppers are under the impression that Black Friday is the best time to do all of one’s holiday shopping. However, it may be best to only shop for a few unique items. Popular deal website DealNews.com suggests holding off on items like toys, winter apparel, and brand name TVs. According to the shopping site, those items listed above are eventually lower in price after the overhyped shopping day.
With the hectic nature of Black Friday, it is not out of the ordinary for shoppers to buy items on impulse with the assumption that they can return it without running into a problem. Because of the adjusted prices on Black Friday, some retailers will only give store credit even if customers have a receipt.
If any deal hunters decide to skip the crowds and wait until Cyber Monday to knock out some of their holiday lists, they will still reap most of the post-Thanksgiving sale benefits as many Black Friday offerings are available online.
