Black Friday 2009 Deals versus Cyber Monday 2009 Specials
Posted on 13. Nov, 2009 by shopzilla in Cyber Monday
It’s the ultimate showdown. Black Friday, the day when stores practically give away their inventory on a first-come first-serve basis, pitted against the online deals of Cyber Monday. For the savvy shopper, which will come out on top?
Black Friday Pros
The sales are easy to find. This year, several of the big-name stores are announcimg or leaking their sale information well in advance of Black Friday. Setting up an itinerary of who is going to which store and when has never been easier.
The deals are good. There is no doubt about it. They are really, really good. From the looks of it, the large-scale one-stop-shopping stores (think Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Target) are slashing prices and adding free goodies (of equal or lesser value) every chance they can. Black-Friday.net confirms that Kohl’s and Sears have, combined, a total of 1,405 different deals. You are going to save, and save big.
The thrill of the thing. Have you ever single-handedly hoofed a 52-inch plasma HDTV through swarming crowds to your car? If not, then get ready. You haven’t lived.
Black Friday Cons
Waking up at the crack of dawn. It’s probably a good thing that all the wine and tryptophan from Thanksgiving knocks you out while it’s still light out. Because waking up at 4:00am to get in a line of deal-craving shoppers out in a drizzly, cold November morning is a struggle. You might want to set two alarms, just in case.
The people. Black Friday shoppers are insane. The same women who yelled at your six-year-old daughter for missing a wide-open goal at last week’s soccer game are out and about, hunting down the same deals on the Barbie Glamour Camper you are. You have been warned.
Death. The Wal-Mart employee who was crushed to death in the 2008’s Black Friday rush has, according to an article by The New York Times, necessitated the security and crowd-management consulting generally reserved for the Super Bowl and the Olympics. So hopefully no one else will die. While shopping.
Cyber Monday Pros
It’s leisurely. Cyber Monday specials happens for the whole Monday (and sometimes for the week leading up to it). This means you can surf the web at your convenience. Go ahead and sleep in if you don’t have a pressing meeting to get to. Check out the deals during your lunch break. Relax after dinner with your laptop and a nice cup of tea. Supplies aren’t going to run out as you stand in line and watch, so this can be an anxiety-free shopping occasion!
You can fly solo. There is no need to harass harried employees or deal with aggressive shoppers. You don’t need to set up meeting times in designated location with your family members who are out hunting down their own goodies. Shop from anywhere with an internet connection – Starbucks anyone?
Can you say “Free Shipping?” Maybe it’s not as noticeable as a billboard saying “Our Lowest Prices of All Time,” but those charges add up. Those poor shoppers who drive from Toy-R-Us to Toys-R-Us seeking that sold-out the hottest video games and Disney Princess collectables will be crying as they count the gallons of gas their Chevy Blazers eat up.
Cyber Monday Cons
The deals might not seem as astounding. Compared to Black Friday’s blow-out sales, Cyber Monday can seem a little bit like old Black’s lesser-known cousin. But keep in mind that Black Friday is designed for the big, crowd-pleasing items: electronics, toys, DVDs. A more discerning shopper will want to check out any promotions or deals at their favorite boutiques or e-commerce websites.
Specials are harder to spot. Let’s face it; there are quite a few of us who still haven’t even heard of Cyber Monday. In comparison, if you are a stranger to Black Friday you either aren’t from around here, or don’t like saving money. Black Friday has a bigger and stronger tradition backing it, and as a result it takes a little more patience and finesse to nose out some of those great Cyber Monday finds. Practice now, though, and you’ll be an expert by the time everyone else catches on.
It behooves you to research beforehand. Online shopping means no trying clothes on or comparing the quality of two different digital cameras. Knowing exactly what you want before Cyber Monday hits mean an easy, stress-free shopping experience. And you won’t have to deal with tricky online returns!
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