Black Friday and Beyond: Holiday Shopping 2008 Deals and Steals

There is an entire slew of websites devoted to the main event that is Black Friday (a.k.a. After Thanksgiving Day Sales). Pretty much every store has sales this day and is open for ultra-extended hours. These sites have lists and lists of the sales and steals for 2008.

http://bfads.net/

http://blackfridayads.com/

http://www.mahalo.com/Best_Day_After_Thanksgiving_Sale

http://blackfriday.dealsofamerica.com/

http://www.theblackfriday.com/

http://www.walletpop.com/specials/black-friday-deals?icid=100214839x1214099612x1200890479

And you know what?! Something else I figured out is that stores now have sales because of sales. For instance, there's tons of stores having Pre-Thanksgiving Sales to usher in the Day After Thanksgiving Sales. Let's hope the economy doesn't put too much on a damper on your holiday shopping plans or wishlists. Bargain shopping is tres chic.

(Above: An example of the mayhem on Black Friday at what looks like a Target store or Circuit City)

Print out coupons before you go out to the stores on Friday and Saturday. Printable Coupons is a blogspot blog I subscribe to (see right-hand sidebar). I always get great money-savers on there. Also, check the paper, check the paper, check the paper. Wednesday's edition will have all the booklets of coupons for the great sales to come.

(Or you can skip the sales as Forbes magazine suggests and shop online, because remember, all the sales, and then some, apply to online shopping, so you can accomplish holiday shopping leaps and bounds from the comfort of your own couch)

http://www.forbes.com/style/2008/11/24/shopping-holiday-sales-forbeslife-cx_ls_1124cyber.html

Here's some good things to remember on this day:

http://www.wisebread.com/share-your-black-friday-stories-thoughts-and-strategies

Brave the masses! Just arm yourself with a plan of what store's you're hitting up before Friday.

In this economy, I seriously don't mind waiting in long lines, camping out or even throwing a few 'bows so that I can get the items I need to get at a price I'm willing to pay (which is a small price). So, to me, the time spent waiting is worth the money I will be able to save. Back in the 1990s, lots of us would have said hell-no to the lines out the door and around the corner, because we could just go somewhere where the lines were shorter but the prices were a bit higher and it was no big deal. Back then, people used to avoid sales like this for the reasons of crowds and battles over toys. But now, everyone's looking to save some dough so people are going to go that extra mile so they won't have to sacrafice quality or getting the perfect gift but at a much nicer price.

Stores that I'll be hitting up for some of the best deals are:

Victoria's Secret

Kohls - markdowns from 40% to 75%! 50% off on toys and 60% on fine jewelry; they're giving $10 for every $50 spent in the store/online

WalMart-$10 toys and $200 X Box consoles, LeapFrog Leapster kids learning toys for $30

Best Buy - $60 digital cameras, $300 laptops and $900 LCD 50'' flat screen TVs, all in one Brothers printer for $40!

Macy's- for things like 5-piece luggage sets for $50, Men's sweaters for $20, 3-stone white gold and diamond ring for $400, 50% off home decor, get $10 to spend on a $25 purchase. Printable coupon for this store. Extra 20% off pretty much all merchandise

Circuit City-$2 DVDs and CDs, perfect stocking stuffers, and there's $700 Samsung LCD flat screen 42'' for sale!

Toys r Us-BOGOs and tons of other deals are already in effect, you get a $10 gift card for spending $75 or more.

Sears-in an effort to boost their performance, is pulling out the stops. 40 to 60% off on most of their merch, $10 off for every $50 spent on top of that, they'res 0% financing and price guarantees.

Ikea-since their prices are always great, they don't do too many major sales. But they are for BF, with bed frames for $99 instead of $199 and comforters/comforter covers for only $40

Old Navy-I guess it's 50% off everything on Friday only, with other deals specific to Saturday or Sunday as well. Plus they're giving away Samsung mp3 players for spending a certain amount.

Sam's Club-Samsung video camera for $180, Philips 42'' LCD HDtv (1080p) for only $798! $200 for Nintendo DS package and $425 for Wii package they're offering.

P.S. 30 days 'til Christmas...

Bendel is Back!

The legendary Henri Bendel store is back with a bang at Easton Town Centre after months of renovations.

The store has been remodeled to look like the New York City flagship store (seen above on 5th Ave), it's one of Limited Brands' concepts, and it has changed it's stripes. Literally and figuratively.

The Easton store went from being a type of upscale Barneys/Neiman Marcus/Bergdorf Goodman-competition department store, like the flagship store is, to centering itself on the legacy of the Henri Bendel brand. The brand has been in existence and has been a mainstay in Manhattan since 1895! Lex Wexner and his company took the store back to basics and made this Columbus location store all about HB. Now, instead of carrying make-up and small leather goods and purses of other high-end companies like Kooba and Chanel, the store is all about Henri Bendel.

Though it looks like a multi-story building on the outside, the store is actually quite small, but it's just right for this Ohio market. And I believe that's one of the key reasons why Limited changed things within Henri Bendel. The Columbus/Midwest market is very unique and different from the East-Coast, New York market, so by making the store soley about the HB brand, it brought Bendel back to its roots, its authentic concept and it honors the 100+ year company. Henri Bendel is know for showcasing leather products with its signature brown and beige stripe pattern. They did a Bendel stripe redeaux, to make their purses, luggage, wallets and passport holders. It's newer and appeals to a younger group of consumers, as well as competes with the hundreds of other companies that are creating and mass-producing their own signature patterns a la the great fashion house of Louis Vuitton.

In the store there were fun things like:

silk scarves

suitcases

 

purses and totes

dog leashes, colors and sweaters

wallets

makeup bags

jewelry

 

candles

teapots and cookie jars

keychains

travel items like passport holders, luggage and luggage tags

leather journals

rubber rain boots (Wellies)

 

gourmet chocolates and other sweets

even matches and Swarovski-crystal encrusted Zippo lighters and other items

...basically lots of gifty items. On my wish list:

I REALLY want this dog carrier....so chic in the signature Bendel stripe. It's only about $400 (rolls eyes). Ahhhh wishful thinking. And that snazzy tote-handbag....LOVES. It's also a pretty penny. Maybe once this economy turns around, I'll be able to save up some money and buy one of these guys.

So be sure to stop by the store next time you're at Easton, it's right next to the Tiffany's they are building. And believe me, I will blog about Tiffany's the day it opens at Easton. It's about time we got the luxury jeweler over here!