Why is it Better to Shop Online on Black Friday?

As someone that works online, I’m sure you wouldn’t be too surprised to learn that I have a slight bias towards shopping online on Black Friday as opposed to heading in-store and having to deal with the crowds. Turns out I’m not the only one, popular sites such as BuzzFeed and GQ have expressed a similar opinion.

As usual, BuzzFeed is walking the thin line between politically correct and incorrect in this article about Black Friday As Told By Someone Who’s Never Taken Part. Even though the author of this article is bending the truth a little bit, there are still some elements in this article that are spot on. For example, are the (unsociable) hours at which shoppers need to show up at the store to score loss leaders really necessary? Also, is having to deal with an over-excited crowd a requirement when there are awesome deals available online? All this from the comfort of your own home and far away from errant elbows.

If for some reason you do decide to head in-store, here is GQ’s guide about the type of people should watch out for while you’re out bargain hunting on Black Friday. Noteworthy examples include the angry little fellow pictured above who’s frustrated about “Number of items per customer” restrictions. Another one is their illustration of the person who got in line 72 hours before Thanksgiving — something that BuzzFeed also made reference to. I’m not too sure I get that one about the Sad Grandma though. Can anyone explain it to me?

Anyway, hopefully you enjoyed these articles as much as I did and that I have managed to convince you to shop online on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you want some expert tips on how to score the best deals, read Stephen’s post about How to plan your Black Friday Shopping. Although it was written for Black Friday, most tips are applicable for Cyber Monday/Week as well as Boxing Week.

Thanks techspot for the image.