For Ann Arbor Black Friday shoppers, it's all about strategy
Black Friday can't come soon enough for (l-r) Shannon Lauer, Kelly Hollins and Jen Duman, pictured outside of Toys 'R' Us at Arborland.
Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com
Hardcore fans of Black Friday have their systems.
They know what to wear: Comfortable clothes. No coat. And a hat that can help hide bed-head while offering a little warmth in a 3 a.m. line.
They mobilize their teams - shoppers, runners, line-standers.
Or they go alone for the most speed.
They spend hours pouring over ads in newspapers and online to chart exactly what fits their gift list, where it’s located and what time they need to be at the store to have a chance at getting their spoils.
And, most importantly, they’re figuring out how much they’ll save.
For serious Black Friday shoppers, the day is about bargains as the nation drops over $10 billion in stores that day.
What’s Shannon Lauer’s reason for shopping?
“Saving money,” she said.
“Because of the economy, this year there’s even more incentive to go out and wait in line at midnight or 1 a.m.,” said Lauer of Superior Township.
Lauer, a teacher at Pittsfield Elementary in Ann Arbor, gets excited about Black Friday for weeks ahead of the big day. And she shares that enthusiasm with two friends, Jen Duman and Kelly Hollins, who also work at the school.
The trio put themselves in the category of Black Friday shoppers who analyze how to maximize the holiday. With 78 million people hitting the stores on Black Friday in 2008 - and more projected for this year - everyone won’t land the doorbuster deals that define the day, starting as early as midnight.
But Lauer and friends think they’ve figured out the best way to score the best deals.
They’ve talked about it for weeks as the deals unfolded online.
They’ll eat Thanksgiving dinner, but wait for the real event: Lining up the Black Friday itinerary.
And they can’t wait to experience the long morning - which could turn into very long if Lauer gives into temptation to try the midnight deals at Toys R Us.
She’s not going to turn down the chance to get a good toy at 75 percent off.
“But then they have a 5 a.m. sale,” she said. “I’m not going to wait four hours in between.”
Lauer shops alone - “no one will go with me” - for her gift list, including two kids ages 3 and 5.
Duman shops alone, too, “but half the time we call each other in the middle of it.”
“We should go together,” Lauer says.
“I don’t like going with someone,” Duman said. “I’m in and out.”
Duman, of Whitmore Lake, stakes out one store, usually Kohl’s, where she’ll scout it out on Wednesday if she has time. And she buys enough that she’ll finish her shopping for about 15 people in those first Black Friday hours.
The first load goes straight to the car. Then she goes back for a second load “because my cart won’t hold everything.”
By the second load, she’ll end up standing in a line that wraps through most of the stores.
“I should bring a book,” she said.
That kind of patience doesn’t work for Hollins. She’s spent several years making Black Friday a social event with her mother, Karen Chisholm of Jackson, planning strategic store stops that included making her mom wait in line and using store’s price-matching policies to keep from having to drive all over.
Still, they’ve managed to hit 9 different stores on a good Black Friday.
“One year I saved at least 50 percent on almost everything,” Hollins said. “If not more.”
The trio gets animated as they talk about their experiences over the years, and how they’ve learned little tricks to make the shopping go more smoothly.
They’re not embarrassed that their clothes may not match because they get dressed so quickly that day.
“I just hope I don’t see anybody,” Duman said.
And they talk about being sure to ask sales associates for guidance if some merchandise isn’t obvious in the store.
“(Looking) wastes time and time is money,” Lauer said.
And they laugh.
The friends know know everyone doesn’t get their passion for the day.
“Some years, I think: Do I really want to do this,” Lauer said.
“Yes,” said Duman. “But it’s the rush.”
The rush comes with a price.
“You get exhausted,” Lauer said.
“I’m usually back in bed by 8 or 9,” says Duman.
Read more AnnArbor.com shopping stories daily in our "Holiday '09" coverage, including items about local stores, national data and how area shoppers are navigating the season through Dec. 25 at www.AnnArbor.com/shopping.
Comments
Paula Gardner
Mon, Nov 30, 2009 : 1:19 p.m.
Gentle thinking, Thanks for your comment. I appreciate your message and agree.
Gentle thinker
Mon, Nov 30, 2009 : 11:58 a.m.
It seems very distressing that many people who are quite proud of their adherence to the real meaning of Christmas, which they seem to define as not shopping on Black Friday, are missing the point of the season. The message of Christmas is one of hope and love, not judgment and feeling superior. Perhaps it would be better to reserve judgment on something you know nothing about and relax. Enjoy the season!
Moose
Fri, Nov 27, 2009 : 12:27 p.m.
Don't people think it's at least a little sad that there seems to be more emphasis on the sport of Black Friday and excessive consumerism than on the actual act of giving or being with family and friends without the need to give gifts? Are we substituting things for real human contact? What's next? Black Friday holiday greeting cards? http://www.zazzle.com/black+friday+cards
interested
Fri, Nov 27, 2009 : 11:15 a.m.
Why are people attacking these women? I am sure you probably do not know them. Stop being so presumptuous in your opinions of these women. They are probably wonderful mothers and family people.
s
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 11:50 p.m.
This needs an edit: You use syrup or gravy to POUR over food. When reading a paper, you PORE over information.
Macabre Sunset
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 4:21 p.m.
OK, Paula, but for those of us who will begin our holiday shopping at midnight Monday, the timing is a little late. I'd love to find some unique gifts at the deep discount prices, though. Don't want to rule anything out yet.
mint20_00
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 3:48 p.m.
So everyone who shops on black friday is greedy and rude and will be trampling over people? Nothing like overgeneralizing. The people who wait in line to get concert tickets - are they greedy and rude as well? What about the people who go to Ceder Point the first day a roller coaster opens to stand in line? So anyone who is in search of good deals and is willing to wait in line is now greedy and rude? I'm guessing that some of the people who are waiting in that line might be unemployed, and might be buying the few presents that they are going to buy at a good price to be frugal. So are black friday shoppers frugal or greedy? Are they mutually exclusive?
bruceae
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 2:52 p.m.
Make sure you wear your cleats. You can get better traction if you have to walk over someone who falls or is knocked down.
Paula Gardner
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 2:36 p.m.
We all have different outlooks on shopping. I do think it's important to point out that Black Friday shopping isn't a niche hobby - about 70 million Americans will be getting out there this year, according to estimates. A couple of other points on recent comments: I didn't include it in the story, but part of the Black Friday outing for many shoppers (including the ones I wrote about here) is to benefit adopt-a-family efforts. Also, for commenters who are discussing online shopping, I just edited three stories for Sunday's edition about how local stores are using their online sites this year to maximize sales and be convenient to customers. Please don't assume that local stores aren't a part of the online shopping world.
roadsidedinerlover
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 2 p.m.
I am not giving traditional Christmas presents to my friends and family. I chose a charity to give money to and that is my present to all of them. No fuss, no muss! Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ, so I think we should give to the needy as a present to Christ. Do this instead of this commerical garbage of these women. Also...be kind to the employees of the stores you shop at...some of us have to show up at 3 am just for you greedy folks.
Macabre Sunset
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 1:18 p.m.
I hope, while these women are out there rushing around for deals, anxious not to lose a precious second of shopping time, they pick something up for the family of the Wal-Mart employee who was crushed to death by desperate shoppers during last year's event. I've decided to keep it online this year. Would be nice if local merchants would join the online fun, but they don't. 'Tis the season to support the massive chain stores.
Moose
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 12:40 p.m.
"Black Friday" is a mindless and sometimes dangerous scheme designed by business to sell us more of what we don't need. It encourages us to shop, shop, shop as if that were the reason we exist.,br> There's nothing wrong with buying and giving gifts, but it's really sad when it becomes sport and gets it's own annual designation, rules and tactics so consumers can get theirs first and cheaper anyone else. Black Friday promotes "me" instead of "we". It tells us that getting the gift is more important than giving it. This faux holiday tells us that in order to get yours, you have to be first in line and step on anyone who gets in your way.
mint20_00
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 11:58 a.m.
I do not find anything wrong with people who participate in black friday. They are just trying to get good deals and save money. As for buying local, many of the things that my family wants can't be bought in a local business, so the larger stores are the ones that I am left to shop at. How can you assume that these people don't make "homemade cards with their kids" or "bake cookies"? You are making assumptions just by the fact that they are excited to get some deals. I'm guessing that they'll have most of their shopping done on Friday and will not be spending hours shopping, waiting in line, and stopped in traffic later in the season. They'll have that time to spend with their family. I'm disgusted that people can accuse them of not spending time with their family, celebrating the season, decorating or enjoying the season just because of their desire to get their shopping out of the way and have a fun time doing it.
TripleVSix
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 11:26 a.m.
The consumer behaviors described in this article just about make me want to skip Christmas altogether.
15crown00
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 10:07 a.m.
I live within a mile and a half of 5-6 large retailers.My strategy on Black Friday is walk about two steps across the hallway to the computer room.Turn it on and shop.Decent prices,no 2am line calls,usually no shipping charges,no cold weather,no obnoxious people,no unreasonable limits on the quantity of the good stuff that a store has,and my shopping will be done by 7am while you're out store hopping until somewhere between 10-noon.Then you will miss some things you want because they sold out in the first 1/2 hour of the sale. TRY IT MY WAY YOU MIGHT LIKE IT.
Moose
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 9:03 a.m.
If you want to really save money stay home and make gifts for family and friends. Bake cookies. Get your kids to make hand made greeting cards. Gather your friends and family together to share your wealth and bounty with each other. The Holiday season, or however you refer to it or however it is important to you, is a season of caring and sharing and not consumption and credit cards. "Black Friday" is little more than another merchant ploy to get us to buy more of what we don't need with money we don't have. If you have to shop or buy gifts, support local merchants and businesses instead of sending more money to big corporations.
A2K
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 9:01 a.m.
We've stopped giving gifts on Christmas for the most part...just a few small things (unless there is a real need or the perfect X,Y,Z comes along.) The focus has been on food, wine, good conversation, decorating, and spending time together. It's taken the "frantic" edge off of the season, and made it really enjoyable.
KJMClark
Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 8:35 a.m.
My strategy is to buy gift cards from companies that aren't likely to go bankrupt soon (watch for a number of bankruptcies in January!), get real presents from local merchants, and avoid this nonsense altogether. There are too many people like those in the story who think this is some kind of sport. It's not much different from going out in the woods the first day of shotgun deer season. I'll save my money for local businesses and the real deals in January.