The holidays are serious business for the U.S. economy. With the combination of this year’s extended Black Friday and Cyber Monday blowouts, the Dow Jones jumped up 250 points on Dec. 1. According to USA Today, analysts are hoping that December will continue to be a good month for Wall Street.
Investors can thank the early bird Christmas shoppers, but while they were killing their Christmas lists on Black Friday, I had better things to do, like sleeping in. I admit I am a professional procrastinator like most college students, and there is nothing wrong with that.
With a little expert advice, I present to you the top six tips for last minute Christmas shopping. It may require you to get a little crazy, but we pay the price for procrastination, right?
Make A List
Making a list is handy for situations where you have very little time to shop. If you’re not sure where you can get a certain item, find out. The best list narrows down your shopping by location, saving time and gas.
Arrive Early
Junior broadcasting major Viridiana Diaz advises shoppers to arrive early in the morning. Most shops are fully stocked and faced in the mornings. Arriving early is important especially for items that sell out first, such as electronics and apparel in small sizes.
Employ A Wingman
If you’re a little less assertive than others, it’s best to have a partner in crime. Qualifications for a shopping wingman may vary from person to person. You may need someone who is an expert at haggling for lower prices. You may need someone who can shove people out of the way if the store gets too crazy. While said wingman is scuffling with the security guards, you can slip past other customers and get what you need. Whatever your needs, make sure your wingman is ready for anything.
Be Aggressive With Your Shopping Cart
You can thank Sylvan Goldman for the invention of the shopping cart. It can store a plethora of items and it also doubles as a plowing device. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that 24,000 children are injured in the U.S. each year by a shopping cart. I presume that half of the injuries occur because these children just didn’t get out of the way of Christmas Eve shoppers.
Be Nice to Your Cashiers
Who cares about being nice to your fellow shoppers? You have to butter up your cashier! They ring up your items and check you out. If you were being a little snippy, I wouldn’t put it past any cashier to add an extra $5 to your total.
“The cashier can’t do very much, and odds are they’ve already been swamped with tons of complaints and questions that they couldn’t answer,” Daniel Dewde, junior broadcasting major and employee at Hollister Co, said.
“If people are nice to me I usually give them some type of discount,” Diaz said, an employee at Lady Foot Locker.
If you had a bad experience on the sales floor – or if you were the bad experience – make sure you paste on a smile by the time you get to the register.
If All Else Fails…Gift Cards!
Nothings says “I totally put this together last minute” like a gift card! However, you need to know your gift-receiver. Don’t buy a $50 Cheesecake Factory gift card for someone who is on a diet. Although it may be hilarious, you will never hear the end of it.
