Are Doorbusters Worth It?

The holiday season and Black Friday in particular are great times to shop for deals on appliances,
electronics, clothes, and gifts. To boost sales and draw more customers in, thousands of retailers offer
doorbusters. With Walmart Black Friday doorbusters, for example, certain items in the store are deeply
discounted and promoted to attract customers. When people visit to capture these great deals, they
are likely to look around at all of the other products, too. Doorbusters generally lead to purchasing
multiple items, some of which are not discounted at all. This marketing strategy can be very beneficial
for businesses and for you, but you should be cautious before spending any amount of money for a
doorbuster.

What’s the deal?
Some doorbusters, like deals on televisions and other electronics, are often too good to be true. Off-
brand and no-name products may be offered at extremely low prices, but the quality or ratings may
be low, too. Some apps for iPhone and Android make it easy to compare products and view customer
reviews while you are in the store. If you do not have access to these apps, your best option is to stick to
high-quality items and well-known brands like Samsung, Sony, and Panasonic.

It is difficult to research every item you are going to buy on Black Friday. To get the best deals this
holiday season, make a list of your most wanted items. Then you can find the stores with doorbusters
or Black Friday deals for those particular products. This will save you time and money when you hit the
mall and shopping centers. Planning ahead also prevents impulse buying and returns later.

Beware: many doorbusters only apply with a mail-in rebate. This means you must pay the full ticket
price in the store! Be prepared to spend a lot of cash at first. Companies earn all of this money when
customers forget or are too lazy to mail in their rebates. Keep a reminder to send your rebates in order
to truly obtain doorbuster deals.

Time is of the essence.
Doorbusters, aptly named, are deals so good that customers will rush through the doors to get
great savings. The catch is that stores only offer doorbusters early in the morning. On Black Friday,
doorbusters commonly start at 4 am and end at noon. This gets customers in the door early in the
morning so they spend their money in that store first.

Millions of customers brave the traffic and crowds on Black Friday because the clock doesn’t stop! Many
stores have long lines before they open; some even have people waiting outside for several hours. To
make the most of a doorbuster, be sure to use your time wisely. It helps to know exactly what you are
looking for and getting those items before anything else.

So tell us what you think – are doorbuster deals worth your time and money this holiday season?

bio – Elissa Schwetz is a financial analyst who loves to look for a great deal in her spare time. She is
constantly searching for savings on clothing, books, and household items.