Shoppers reevaluating shopping strategies this Thanksgiving weekend

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- As Black Friday approaches, the reaction has become more polar as many merchants have started encroaching on Thanksgiving Day. There are shoppers who hit the stores running in an effort to burn off their Thanksgiving feast, the sooner the better. But in an unusual backlash, many consumers say they’ll be staying home on Thanksgiving, spending the day in the manner for which it was intended.

Bowing to public pressure, many chain stores have decided to close this Thanksgiving, and allow their employees to observe the holidays with their families. Some of the large retailers who will be closed include: American Girl, Barnes & Noble, Burlington, Costco, DSW, Home Depot, HomeGoods, Marshalls, Nordstrom, Pier 1 Imports, Sam’s Club, and T.J. Maxx. Crate and Barrel, and Dillard’s have never been open on Thanksgiving Day.

Stores that will be open on Thanksgiving include: Bealls, Best Buy, Big Lots, CVS, Dollar General, Gander Mountain, J.C. Penney, K-Mart, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Michael’s, Old Navy, Radio Shack, Sears, Staples, Stein Mart, Target, Ulta, Walgreens, and Walmart.

Surprisingly, in an online internet poll, the number who want to get the jump on the other shoppers is second lowest, only to the ‘early birds.’ Those who camp out waiting for the stores to open Thanksgiving Day or at the stroke of midnight on Black Friday, is only four percent; the ‘early birds’ come in lowest at 2.3 percent. Those who ‘make an appearance,’ possibly to pick up one specific item, are 4.1 percent. And those who confess to sometimes going out shopping on Black Friday, equal 16.16 percent.

If you’re doing the math, then you’ve already arrived at the number of people who said, “You couldn’t pay me to go out,”...a whopping 73.1 percent!

According to Decide Inc., a consumer-price research firm, data collected over several years on typical holiday gifts revealed that the best deals almost never require camping out in freezing cold weather waiting for the stores to open for their ‘holiday deals.’ Prices for some gifts items are actually lower early in the holiday season, prior to Black Friday, before retailers begin to gradually raise prices. In fact, it turns out that popular, annual gifts like Barbie dolls, watches, and blenders, are often priced below Black Friday levels at various times throughout the year.

September and October are good shopping months as merchants lower prices on items that are not essential for back-to-school, in order to move inventory. As the demand for items for the holiday season rises, so do the prices, which supports the economic theory of the “Law of Supply and Demand.” The end of the year, after the holidays, is another time when it’s essential for merchants to move inventory. Savvy shoppers can save a lot of money on overstocks by waiting to purchase ‘big-ticket’ items December 26 through the end of the year, realizing additional discounts by parlaying a gift card or gift certificate they received.

Years ago when the Black Friday marketing idea was launched, all the best deals were available on that specific day. Savvy merchants have learned to maximize holiday profits by offering select items at lower pricing, instead of store-wide sales. Any item not listed as a Black Friday ‘special’ should be purchased at a time when that select merchandise is reduced because of low demand. Decide, Inc. cited a KitchenAid mixer, which dropped in price in mid-December by nearly 20 percent, after bakers had typically done all their holiday baking.

Some individuals are reverting back to the time-old tradition of making their holiday gifts. One Woodlands resident reflected on why.

“I want to make gifts out of love,” said Woodlands resident, Annette Neyman. “Something I’ve taken the time to make or bake, includes love.”

Local entrepreneur, Lorraine Richardson, encourages consumers annually to support the locally-owned, small businesses.

“Buy local. Buy homemade,” said Richardson. “Small Business Saturday is the day after Black Friday (November 29). Avoid the crowds and shop the locally-owned shops after Black Friday.”

To Richardson’s dismay, the Fall Panther Creek craft fair is now defunct, partially due to apathy on the part of the Panther Creek Merchant’s Association, and also the community.

“The merchants weren’t interested in having it at Panther Creek anymore, and it seems the community wants to shop the large chain and the big box stores,” added Richardson.

Black Friday may be the best time to find incredibly deep discounts on selected items, but the demand may outstrip the supply, making the odds of getting those items slim. Retailers use the offerings to get customers in their doors, even at the cost of losing money on the sale items, in order to sell other merchandise not discounted.

By the looks of the poll, almost seventy-five percent of the shoppers will be opting to opt out of shopping on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Many may elect to shop online instead, Monday, December 1, which has become known as “Cyber Monday,” when the online merchants offer their ‘best buys.’

The shopping strategies are as varied as the merchandise and the shoppers themselves. As evidenced by the onslaught of holiday catalogs, flyers, and ads, there’s no shortage of merchandise. So make a list and check it twice, then shop for your gifts at the very best price.