Black Friday: What is the best way to shop?

Black Friday season has finally passed, and it got me thinking about the best way to shop during these deals. Is driving to all those stores worth it, or has shopping online become the best way to claim those deals as soon as you see them?

Shopping in person can be tedious, depending on where you plan to shop. Electronics and clothing are typically the most visited stores on Black Friday. Many wait hours before the store opens, but is all that waiting worth it? You may get the item you were looking for, but the time spent isn’t just a few minutes, and even then, you may not get everything you want. Waiting from the beginning also means dealing with a crowd of other customers who are just as desperate as you to get their hands on the item they want.

However, that has changed with the increase of online shoppers. Sitting in the peace of your home and choosing the items you wish to buy takes away the stress of going store to store for the item you want at the lowest price. However, online shopping doesn’t come without disadvantages, with the potential of delayed deliveries or items going out of stock quickly.

I prefer online shopping despite the potential disadvantages because it’s not as stressful. I was surprised that I have not seen many items out of stock and that delivery dates are quicker than expected. Fellow students at HSW say, “I feel that online shopping is better for Black Friday because it’s surprisingly less stressful. Online shopping has been quite peaceful. You get notifications on which products are running out. You don’t have to run two miles to get a single product.”

Between shopping online or in-person shopping for Black Friday, there is no definitive better option; each method has its ups and downs. It comes down to what you are taking Black Friday as an advantage for. If you are shopping for personal items with deals to save money, then online shopping is 100% for you, but if you are buying gifts and presents for the holidays, you might want to think about being the first to get that item in person. That way, you know you have that gift wrapped and ready before the Holidays begin.