Is it worth it? That’s a great question. Black Friday is a competition for some people. They get a rush out of getting up hours before dawn, loading up on caffeine and crashing the doors of their local mall to try and find what they hope will be the best deals of the season. And we’ll have an open thread for you guys to post your black Friday observations coming up on that very day.
I’ve done the Black Friday thing twice. Neither time would I say it was worth it. The lines were too long, and the selection in store was too picked over. But who knows how it’ll go this year. The Black Friday 2010 promotions that have leaked up to this point are so-so at best. Here’s a few that could be worth your attention.
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This year has marked Tommy Hilfiger’s 25th anniversary and the brand has stepped it up big time. The new arrivals just look different. Still plenty of nostalgia worked in, but they’re not as boring as the plain stuff you see at Macy’s. The Sweater usually runs $79 and the watch $115. Both are pretty tempting with the Black Friday discount.
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The key to this one is whether or not their blazers will be considered outerwear. Seems like we all got a preview of a 1/2 of blazer sale earlier in the week when their wool mix herringbone was found in stores for $25. Still haven’t seen their Wool Mix Topcoat in person (I’ve checked something like four times) but at $39.75, that’s pretty low risk for a plain black cold weather coat. Old Navy on Black Friday will be a madhouse. If you don’t want to fight through an army of Moms and their charming snot nosed kids, might be worth it to pay shipping.
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Macy’s has already posted a preview of their Black Friday specials online with an interactive feature allowing you to make a shopping list via Macys.com. The problem is, none of their specials are really all that appealing. You will get free shipping on orders over $99 with the code GOBBLE. So if you know your sizes and are ready to make a bigger purchase, skip the crush of people and order online come Friday.
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Paying full retail at Express isn’t the best idea since they’re always running sales and offering up coupon codes to their mailing list members. But usually they limit their discounts to around 25 – 30%. And even then they make you hit certain price points to see the savings. So a blanket 40% off is truly a solid deal. Their peak lapel “flannel” suit (haven’t felt the fabric in person yet) has been reduced by 25% already to a total of $259.50. If that current discount sticks until black Friday, you could get this thing for $150. Not bad when you consider the regular price is $346.
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UPDATE: Looks like Banana Republic, GAP, and Old Navy are “celebrating” Cyber Monday one week early with 40% off everything online. Here’s a screenshot, and the code you need is MONDAY40
UPDATE II: Some of the MONDAY40 codes are working, some are not. Maybe you have to be on their email list? If you just go direct to BananaRerpublic.com it says 25% off. Sneaky.
UPDATE III: Tis the season for… confusion? Thanks to Russell and Frank for mentioning in the comments section that some Banana Republic stores are doing a 40% off before Noon on Black Friday. Maybe the Chicago Tribune is misinformed, or B.R.’s publicity department wanted a little extra pub for an after Black Friday sale…
That’s right, Old Navy and Gap’s big brother is boycotting Black Friday and will be offering no Black Friday specials. Their theory (and it’s a good one) is their target demos don’t do a lot of Black Friday shopping because they don’t want to fight the crowds. So how will they capitalize on the day? By holding a “Not Black Friday” sale the Friday after on December 3rd. Watch for some picks on that day.
That’s really all the early stuff that’s worthwhile. Got any leads or seen any leaks? Post them in the comments section below. Also know that we’re working on lining up a Black Friday promotion of our own to help you stay warm and get suited up this winter. More on that (if it happens) on Friday.
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