Black Friday Etiquette: Do's and Don'ts

The time of year has arrived! The madness of Black Friday is coming up and this means that many of you are preparing for the ultimate struggle: shopping for some of the best deals of the year without being injured, yelled at, or just severely annoyed in the process of doing so.

There is something about Black Friday that makes many shoppers seem to forget general rules of common etiquette. While there may be some great deals you simply MUST get your hands on this holiday season, it is important to remember that material items aren’t really worth possibly losing a limb, or your sense of common courtesy.

Here are a few tips that can help you get through Black Friday in one piece and also allow you to have a more pleasant experience.

DON’T: It is important to remember that you are shopping, not participating in a rough game of football. While it may seem like a good idea at the time, pushing, elbowing, kicking, and shoving people to get to where you want to go isn’t very nice or smart. The only thing that’ll come out of resorting to pushing and shoving is a lot of angry people who will make it even more difficult for you to pass because you’re being rude.

DO: Aim to pass through the middle of a sales floor and not through the crowded aisles. If this is not possible due to too much crowding, a little politeness may go a long way. Simply saying ‘Excuse me’ may get you somewhere a lot faster than forcing your way through a mass of people. Remember, just because they’re rude to you doesn’t mean you have to be as rude in return.

DON’T: No matter how frustrating it may be to wait in line for over an hour or to struggle to find out if there are any items you desire left in the store, don’t yell at the store associates. Yelling at associates is a terrible way to go about getting what you want and it only makes the experience awful for both of you.  

DO: Remember, all associates who work on black friday are there to help you buy what you need. They’re on your side and aim to provide you with the best service possible, so it is not necessary to yell at them to get them to help you out.  

DON’T: It is understandable that you desperately want to get out of a store with your purchases as quickly as possible, but cutting others in line at the registers will only cause unnecessary unpleasantries.

DO: Take a tip from your years as a kindergartener and remember to stay in your place in line. Everyone wants to get out of there as much as you do, it is better to just wait your turn so things go over as smoothly as possible.

DON’T: Don’t be that person who makes it to the front of the line at the cash register and changes their mind on the color or size of something and then holds the line up even more because of it.

DO: Try to have your mind made up on all of the items you’re intending to purchase in order to keep the line moving. Remember that if you should change your mind about an item and want to exchange it on a later date, a lot of stores will do an exchange for the same price they sold it to you on Black Friday. 

DON’T: Don’t let your desperation for a material item make you go to the extreme of fighting for it. Resorting to verbal or physical argument for something just because it’s at the cheapest price ever isn’t really worth hurting others or the possibly of getting arrested.

DO: Keep in mind that a lot of people are after the same exact deals you’re after. Go into Black Friday shopping with many options so you don’t feel the need to fight for anything.

There you have it! Some simple Do’s and Don’ts for making your Black Friday shopping experience a little smoother. Overall, it is important to remember that shopping on Black Friday shouldn’t be different than any other shopping trip. Just because there are great deals doesn’t mean people need to let go of their sense of civility.