Reporter's Notebook

The Black Friday Strategy

As much as I love shopping, Black Friday seems like a migraine in waiting.

But it’s a great opportunity for shoppers and retailers, said Jan Teague, president and chief executive officer of the Olympia-based Washington Retail Association. The key for both is strategy.

For retailers it means careful merchandising and marketing and specialized customer service. For shoppers, it means making a shopping list, rising early and teamwork. The reward? Saving more than half on holiday gifts, Teague said.

For about five years, she has developed her Black Friday strategy with family members. They make gift lists and compare prices online, then hit the stores at 4:30 a.m., wearing four layers of clothes and waiting an hour before doors open.

Inside, one person grabs a cart while the others spread out. The team fills it while the cart-driver waits in line for the register.

“You’ve got to go with the right spirit,” Teague said. “You have to have patience with the lines.”

Teague recommends starting with toy and electronics stores, since they run out of stock first. Then hit the clothing stores.

“If you’ve missed the discounts and the items are gone, move on,” she said. “You can come back for it with a coupon…You can probably (visit) three stores before everything is picked over by 11 a.m.”

That’s when she finds a grocery store for coffee, donuts and a deal on poinsettias.

Read more about the holiday retail outlook in Friday’s VBJ. Also, Just Business will not be sent out as usual on Friday because of the Thanksgiving holiday. Not to worry, it will resume on Wednesday, Dec. 3.

--Charity Thompson can be reached at cthompson@vbjusa.com