The trick is to eat normally the week before, but to consume a lot of water, so you’ll remain hungry but your stomach will also stretch out. Sorry, I got off track – those are tips for prepping to eat an obscene amount come this Thursday. But let’s talk about what’s really important: Black Friday.
If you’re one of the determined souls brave enough to brace those crowds, give up third helpings of dinner, and football on Friday, we applaud you. Hopefully you’ve done your homework and have your strategy set and locations all mapped out – but as one last piece of prep, you should get your mobile game together. In addition to all the apps that can help you navigate the madness, there are a few Twitter accounts that can act as guides during your day out, or even help you find online deals so you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your couch.
Black Friday-specific handles
If you’re going to attempt the slay the beast of Black Friday, you’d better be familiar with the sites behind the Twitter handles listed below. If not … well, you’ve got a really busy 48 hours ahead of you. Either way, these are absolutely going to keep you in the know for weekend shopping; expect updates on everything from store news, to fight outbreaks, to line insanity, to camping-out tips. Seriously, these sites will cut through the PR crap and let you know what’s up. There are many, many more beyond these, but if you start following these accounts, you’ll likely start getting suggestions for more in the same vein.
We’ve started a running list of stores that have online Black Friday sales! http://t.co/T0o0a2BAga
— Brad’s Black Friday (@blackfridayfans) November 26, 2013
Big box stores
An obvious but necessary piece of advice: Follow the retailers you’re interested in buying from on Friday or over the weekend. While you’ll probably find out all of the doorbuster details in advance, the Twitter accounts can help you know if any items run out or if any blue-light specials (or something?) suddenly hit the store.
There’s a better way to #BlackFriday @BestBuy and the secret is out! See the #DealReveal now: http://t.co/Q1E2zBKfPp pic.twitter.com/WmnoqejOMQ
— Best Buy (@BestBuy) November 12, 2013
Analytics
If you’re interested in taking some cues from Twitter to help out with your purchasing decisions, these handles will be looking into what stores, deal, and hashtags are taking off.
- @Wayin
- @Tweetreachapp
- Best Buy’s trending page (This landing page will track all of the Twitter trending Best Buy deals.)
What #BlackFriday sales is Twitter most excited about this year? http://t.co/vyIbQIRpzb #measure
— TweetReach (@tweetreachapp) November 25, 2013
Flash sales and local discount accounts
Just because Black Friday is big box stores’ favorite day of the year doesn’t mean that online and flash sales sites like Groupon, Fab, and others aren’t getting in on the madness. Expect to see these accounts tweeting out flash sales and local deals all day (and weekend … and holiday season … and forever). When it comes to the local-based accounts, follow the one in the town you live in and/or are shopping in as well.
#CheckGrouponFirst on Black Friday! We’re putting $100 million in Groupon bucks in accounts of tens of millions of subscribers that day!
— Groupon (@Groupon) November 26, 2013
Search and discovery
In order to really organize your Black Friday Twitter time, you might think its new custom timelines feature could be a huge asset – but you’d be wrong, because they don’t keep updating with relevant information, instead just sitting there static. They’re better for after-the-fact aggregation. However, a Twitter list is a useful feature – so we went ahead and made one. Here you go.
Tweets from https://twitter.com/iammollymchugh/black-friday
Hashtag contests
In addition to the various discounts at your disposal, there are plenty of hashtag contests to be had. Here are a handful of Twitter accounts that are asking for nothing but your entry via hashtag. And giving you stuff in return for it.
- @DunkinDonuts – Throughout the weekend (except for Thursday), Dunkin Donuts will be running a content where you can answer questions from the handle using the #DDLatteLove hashtag and be entered to win a $50 gift card – three will be given out every day. And the randomly-chosen grance prize winner will take home $1,000 for themselves, and another $1,000 to share with friends and family.
- @PromoCodesSave – This popular deals Twitter account is running a hashtag campaign asking users to tweet #FoundMeADeal at them when they’ve … no need to explain the rest of this. So if you keep an eye on this feed, you might get a few tips off of other savvy shoppers.
- @JackDaniels_US – We all need a little booze this time of year, right? No? Just me? Liar. Well if you share my point of view, then you can enter this Jack Daniel’s contest asking you to post a Twitter or Instagram photo of the worst gift you’ve ever gotten with the hashtag #ItsTheThoughtThatCounts.
- @TJMaxx – The retailer is holding a contest asking you to contribute your Black Friday shopping strategy with the #TheGifter hashtag – you could win a $500 gift card.
What’s your #BlackFriday strategy? Reply with #TheGifter for a chance to win a $500 GC @marshalls @homegoods http://t.co/T8QJxxnG9V
— T.J.Maxx (@tjmaxx) November 25, 2013
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