Black Friday is the most popular shopping day in America. It is the day after Thanksgiving and the stores are filled with people trying to get the best deals for Holiday gift shopping. Some people even camp out overnight so they can be one of the first through the doors to score some of the best door buster sales. As a retail worker myself, about to work my 6th Black Friday in the same mall, I have seen some pretty crazy things. Each year my mall opens earlier and earlier to give customers more time to shop. As retail employees, we know it comes with the territory and we all expect to work on Thanksgiving but it never really get easier. Here are some things to remember while you're out doing your shopping.
1) You are not the only customer in the store.
In fact the the customer to employee ration is probably something crazy. So remember if its crowded and frustrating for you trying to navigate through a messy store looking for one specific item, imagine how frustrated they are being pulled in 30 different directions. Be patient with the employees.
2) Leave Your Kids at Home.
If your kid needs a stroller and you have someone who is able to watch them, leave them at home. I've seen way too many parents freak out over their kid wandering away and not being able to find them. It's probably 1am and they should be in bed anyways. Also, can you imagine 150 people shopping in an American Eagle store with about 30 of them pushing strollers and another 50 or so with shopping carts...
3) The "amazing deals" you're getting are probably available online.
Yes, cyber Monday is a few days later but usually most stores have the same deals available throughout the entire weekend online and in store. Not to mention that the same sale usually comes back around each weekend and the entire week leading up to Christmas.
4) The Employees are probably exhausted.
I cannot stress how important it is to just be patient. The employees are there to help in the best way they can. They can only move so fast. The registers sometimes freeze up, they run out of receipt paper or change in their registers. The might run out of bags or maybe their feet hurt from working a possible 10 hour shift. For the employees, it isn't just one day. Black Friday weekend is Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Some stores stay open over night and on the nights that they don't stay open the employees are probably still there until 2 or 3am. Cut them some slack.
5) Do as much as you can to speed up the process on your own.
Come into the store a few days before and figure out what you want to buy. Try stuff on then so you're not sitting in a line of 20 people for the dressing room. Make a list of what you need and who you're shopping for. The registers are probably all tied up so bring a calculator or use your phone to try and figure out prices so you don't have to interrupt a transaction to figure it out. Have your card, and ID or cash ready to go as you walk up to the register.
6) Make your final decisions while standing in line.
Lets be honest, you're gonna be standing in line for at least 20 minutes at minimum. When trying to ring up customers while theres a line wrapped around the store, the last thing anyone needs (employees or other customers) is you being indecisive at the register. You have all the time while standing in line to decide what exactly you're buying so the cashier doesn't have to add or removes the items multiple times.
7) Be Polite.
Don't fight over a sweater or a TV. No material item is that important that you need to be rude or fight with someone about. There will be more TV's and more sweaters. It's not the end of the world if you miss out on that sale.
8) ENJOY YOUR THANKSGIVING!
One thing us retail workers hate about Black Friday is missing out on our family time. We don't really have the choice to work or not for that weekend. We wish we could be home eating pumpkin pie and watching Football but we'll be working. You, as a customer have the option to come out. Enjoy your holiday with your family while you can. Shopping can always wait.
With all of the being said, I actually don't mind working black Friday too much, other than missing my Thanksgiving. The store is a mess for about a week and it takes some time to clean up, but it is part of the job. Just remember to make it easy for everyone involved, to be safe, and try to be nice to everyone.
Have a safe and happy holiday!