The prospect of grabbing a lawn chair and camping out with a mug of hot coffee in long lines on Black Friday may have lost its appeal in the digital age when a doorbuster is only a click away.
But veteran and die-hard shoppers still make the annual pilgrimage, convinced that the only way to guarantee they'll score the best deals – and the freebies – is by showing up.
What do they have that you may not? A plan, a strategy.
Their goals may vary from snagging a once-a-shopping-season opportunity like a 58-inch Smart TV with free Amazon Echo Dot for $199.99 at Best Buy to a $49 Instant Pot at Walmart, which are expected to sell out almost immediately online.
And they're right that stores will run out of heavily discounted items quickly, says Kimberly Palmer, a personal finance expert at NerdWallet.
“Stores offer only limited quantities of their doorbusters, so if you want one of those items, you’ll need to buy it as soon as the deal becomes available,” Palmer said.
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Then there are the limited freebies like coupon giveaways at J.C. Penney and free items after mail-in rebate at Macy's, both only offered in-store and expected to go just as fast.
“Retailers want to entice shoppers into stores in the hopes they will purchase more – so that is why for some of the best deals you do have to go in person,” Palmer said.
Here's how to get everything on your list on Thanksgiving night and Black Friday and get your share of Freebie Friday.
Mapping out a plan
Black Friday isn't just on the Friday after Thanksgiving anymore. For nearly a decade, that official kickoff has been creeping ever closer to Thanksgiving, eating into time people used to spend around the holiday table.
Retailers are pushing promotions earlier and earlier, especially this year when the number of shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas is so few.
“One common misconception is that the big deals don’t start until Thanksgiving night or Black Friday,” Sara Skirboll, RetailMeNot shopping and trends expert, told USA TODAY. “But many retailers are starting their Black Friday sales earlier and earlier with some offering steep discounts as soon as Wednesday.”
The shift has been accompanied by controversy. Despite public outcry and shoppers' threats to boycott, stores are still turning on the lights and flashing deals.
No matter when you’re planning to shop – after an early turkey dinner or the wee hours of Black Friday morning – being prepared can help save you time, money and your sanity.
While some of the big-ticket doorbusters will be at the lowest prices of the year, not everything is worth picking up in that first sweep.
Scour the Thanksgiving Day ad previews online: Make your wish list and devise a budget using the rundowns of the best deals in USA TODAY’s Black Friday coverage.
Try online first: What is on your shopping list? If it's an iPad, PlayStation, television, try online first. Plus, a big holiday season perk is free shipping. Major retailers offering free shipping on all orders include Amazon, Best Buy and Target. Other stores will lower free shipping thresholds as we get closer to Christmas, but to save money, you should consider choosing in-store pickup when it's available.
Shop early: Pre-sales kick off with many of Black Friday doorbusters Wednesday and, in cases, some before. Kohl's rolls out some of its deals Monday, and Target starts select deals early for RedCard holders and Target Circle members Wednesday. Not all stores give exact start times, but midnight Eastern Time and 3 a.m. ET are popular times.
Do your homework: Read reviews, know whether the item you want is a good deal by checking with reliable experts. Check out Reviewed.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, or other trusted sites for reviews on top gifts and more.
Keep checking prices: Do this throughout the week, especially Wednesday and Thursday.
"Track prices of the big-ticket items you want to buy using tools like (free Amazon price tracker) CamelCamelCamel or the Honey browser extension so you know when to buy," Palmer said. "With so many sales, Black Friday itself isn’t the best day to purchase everything."
Skirboll advises holding off on toy purchases as many items are expected to be at their lowest price in the two weeks leading up to Christmas. She also recommends waiting to purchase furniture until January.
"Stores don't want to be left with a surplus of (toy) inventory post-holiday, so the closer to Christmas, the deeper the savings,” she said.
However, if you're afraid the toy or any item will sell out, buy it and make sure to hold on to the receipt.
Shopping and saving
Here are some additional tips to save:
Earn cash back: Whether shopping in-store or online, look to cash back through websites including RetailMeNot.com, Rakuten.com (formerly Ebates.com), TopCashback.com or apps such as Ibotta and Shopkick. You can even check your banking app or digital wallet apps like Samsung Pay for possible cash-back offers as well. Some exclusions apply.
Use coupons and rewards programs: You can find coupons on store websites, mobile apps and in Thanksgiving Day sales circulars. Earn points and rewards with store loyalty programs which equate to money off a future purchase.
Don't forget to actually mail in your rebates: Black Friday sales include some of the lowest prices of the year on small appliances, such as coffeemakers, slow cookers and KitchenAid mixers, but many of the best deals only are bargains because they include mail-in rebates. (If giving a rebate item as a gift, something to consider is whether you feel comfortable cutting off the UPC from a package.)
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Thanksgiving/Black Friday freebie fest
Full disclosure: As a retail reporter, I live for this time of year. This is my Super Bowl. Even if I had the day off – I don't – you’d still find me in many of the same places. Here are the kinds of freebies and deals you'll find me next to you in line for.
Find a full roundup of freebies and store hours at www.usatoday.com/money Monday morning.
Thanksgiving Day
1 p.m.: The first 75 people at Stage Stores, which also includes Bealls, Goody’s, Palais Royal and Peebles, get a scratch-off card and chance to win up to $250 gift cards. Most will get $10 off coupons and all can enter a drawing to win a giant FAO Schwarz teddy bear.
2 p.m.: J.C. Penney has its traditional coupon giveaway for a chance to win $500 off. Most of the early shoppers will get $10 off a $10 or more purchase. Exclusions apply.
3 p.m.: Gordmans welcomes its first 75 shoppers with a scratch-off card with 74 getting $5 off and one shopper per location getting a $100 gift card. The early shoppers also can enter a drawing for a chance to win a giant FAO Schwarz bear.
4 p.m.: Belk’s first 200 shoppers get a mystery gift card worth $5 to $500. Also at 4 p.m., Walmart stores will have free coffee, hot cocoa and snacks.
5 p.m.: Macy's has 13 in-store-only/free-after-rebate items, including Bella 1.5-quart slow cooker, select freshwater pearl studs, Isaac Mizrahi Loves Sesame Street plush, select plush throws, and Sedona frying pans.
Other deals: Old Navy has $1 cozy socks Thursday and Friday along with 50% off almost everything in stores. Bed Bath & Beyond, which is opening for the first time on Thanksgiving, is giving out 25% coupons from 5 p.m. to midnight Nov. 28 and then through noon Black Friday.
Black Friday
5 a.m: The first 100 at Fred Meyer get a free gift card. Plus, there's free coffee, juice and doughnuts.
6 a.m.: The first 300 Lowe's shoppers get a $10 off $50 coupon to use in-store Friday and the chance to win a $500 gift card. Also Belk, Stage Stores and Gordmans reopen at 6 a.m. and will have more mystery coupons. The first 500 customers at Fleet Farm get a free plush toy.
9 a.m.: The first 100 shoppers at Half Price Books get a free tote and $5 gift card. One person per store gets a $100 gift card.
Members-only freebies: Office Depot has Duracell batteries and K-Cup coffee pods that are free after rewards from Thanksgiving through Nov. 30, while supplies last. There's a limit of four of each item per rewards member, and stores are closed Thanksgiving.
Other deals: Spend $50 at Target in store or online Nov. 29 to get a 20% off coupon to redeem online or in stores Dec. 3-14. Kohl's is bringing back its $15 Kohl's Cash for its Black Friday sale starting on Nov. 25 and continuing through Black Friday.
Follow USA TODAY reporter Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko
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