3 Reasons to Shop Before Black Friday -- Not During It

Black Friday is often hailed as the biggest shopping event of the year. As such, consumers routinely wait until Black Friday to make the bulk of their holiday purchases.

That's a strategy you may have employed in the past, and understandably so. But you may want to do things differently this year.

Sitecore reports that 28% of consumers started spending and shopping for the holidays earlier this year. You may want to tackle your holiday list ahead of Black Friday for these key reasons.

1. You might be a lot less stressed

Sometimes, when there's a gap of time following a stressful event, we forget just how harrowing it was. It's for this reason that mothers are able to birth multiple children despite the trauma of each delivery.

Shopping on Black Friday may not be quite as painful as giving birth to a child. But it can be a very daunting experience nonetheless. And that's why it pays to get your shopping done before Black Friday this year.

One thing you don't want to do is close out the 2023 holiday season with a whopping pile of credit card debt. If you're able to shop calmly and take your time to look at different items, you may be more apt to make savvy decisions. If you're feeling cramped because it's Black Friday and there are so many people in the store you can't even breathe, then you might just randomly grab things off the shelf, assume you're getting a good deal, and dash over to the checkout aisle as soon as you can.

2. You might enjoy better deals

You'll often hear that Black Friday is when you'll find the lowest prices of the year. But many retailers have gotten into the practice of releasing deals ahead of Black Friday. And you may find that you're able to save more cash on some of the items on your list if you do your shopping ahead of time.

At the very least, commit to scoping out deals available in the days leading up to Black Friday. You may be surprised at the prices you see.

3. You can always do a Black Friday run if you don't get everything you need beforehand

Shopping before Black Friday could make the process less stressful on you and even result in some savings. But another good reason to do your shopping beforehand is that you'll get a chance to tackle your list and whittle it down. If you don't succeed in buying everything you need, though, then you can always do a supplemental Black Friday run to finish your list off.

You'll still be dealing with the crowds Black Friday is known for. But you may be a lot less stressed knowing you only have four gifts to purchase that day, instead of 15.

Many people look forward to Black Friday sales every year. But getting as much of your shopping done as you can before Black Friday might really work to your benefit.