While Black Friday sales started as an event in the United States, nowadays almost every country around the world has established Black Friday as a day when people go shopping and purchase unnecessary things. After the pandemic quarantine year of 2020, people seem to be excited to physically go on shopping sprees rather than shopping online. However, that doesn’t mean online shopping will decrease. 

Black Friday might be the best day for students to purchase school and tech supplies at low prices. Who would not want to buy an iPad for half price? According to a recent questionnaire I did, 17 out of 20 students would buy an unnecessary product because it is on sale, and 19 out of 20 students will shop for their Christmas gifts on Black Friday. But what happens when there are great deals and not enough products?

If you are shopping online and you notice your Black Friday deal is stuck somewhere overseas, don’t worry; you’re not alone. Supply shortages and higher shipping costs are affecting not only online shoppers but there is already a high shortage in stores, resulting in empty shelves and angry customers.

With this increased scarcity, potentially fueling desperation, it’s important to know how to survive a chaotic event where people are pushing, skipping lines and forgetting their manners.” 

To make it through Black Friday holding bags full of deals, (if the shelves aren’t already empty), you need to be mentally prepared for it, which means you are going to interact with people and situations you probably would not have on any other day.

Second, you must be comfortable and ready to visit multiple stores. Thus, you need to be dressed comfortably and appropriately for the weather. Living in Illinois on a November day means that it may already be snowing.

Last, but not least, you should not go alone. Accompanied by a friend or family member is the best way to start your shopping spree. More hands means more bags, and more bags means more deals. 

Of course, you can avoid all this chaos by simply clicking on the online websites and still get your deals, but that is effective only if you are willing to wait weeks or even months to receive your order, if it doesn’t get lost in the shipping process. 

In the end, we cannot deny that Black Friday is a day when we can find important or (or unimportant) products for lower prices that serve our needs and budgets.