Expert: Emmet Smith Date: 11/8/2007 Subject: Hi, I'm a reporter of Jayplay. I'd like to ask you few questions.
Question QUESTION: Hi, my name is Seong Cheon and I'm a reporter of a magazine called Jayplay. (www.kansan.com/jayplay)
I'm currently working on an article about tips on Thanksgiving shopping.
I'd like to ask you few questions about tips on Thanksgiving days shopping (Black Friday).
Could you give me some tips on shopping on Black Friday? You seem like a perfect expert on shopping. I would really appreciate if you could provide me valuable shopping tips for the holiday.
Thank you very much and I really hope to hear from you!
Sincerely,
Seong Cheon
Reporter of Jayplay at the University of Kansas
sbcheon@ku.edu
ANSWER: Shopping on Black Friday is something I have done over the years as a result of providing support and assistance to my partner including carrying, holding doors, offering diplomatic opinions, protection from agitated shoppers, finding things, and keeping a level head when all of the traffic around me goes crazy. It is not something that I would choose to do if my services and capabilities were not required.
I have learned a few things as a result of my support role that will make the experience a little easier.
First, you have to have a plan. Your plan will be developed from perusing ads for sale items and store hours prior to the day of the excursion. You also need to visit the malls you plan to visit before the day and note the locations of the stores. This will allow you to actually develop a rough sequence of events and map to try to follow, including the locations that you will attempt to park in. Try to agree to go to two malls but never more than three and to be home in time for a foot rub (your favorite sporting event on TV).
On the day of the event, go early. This means that you should be parked in your first spot by 06:30. You do not have to get involved with the crowd that will form outside waiting for the doors to open. After the initial onrush, there will be a lull when you can pass through the doors without being elbowed out of the way. Keep in mind that this lull can be deceiving and only lasts for about 15 minutes so don't make the mistake of thinking that you can go later.
Once inside, very gently prod your partner along your planned sequence of events making allowances for distractions and minor excursions. Say things when your, hopefully to remain, partner gets too far off the track like, "Oh yeah. We were going to go to Macy's and look for that pewter waste paper basket. Look Macys is right over there!"
Try to be parked at the second mall before 10:00. 10:00 is when the atmosphere begins its transition from polite tolerance to "No one's gonna push me around". Try to be pulling out of this parking lot by 12:30. 13:00 is when your entire city and closest neighboring city will visit the mall you happen to be at. Every street leading up to the location will become part of the parking lot.
If you failed in the negotiations prior to the event and you are not on your way home at this time, be resolute in keeping your communications to pleasant, interested, one word sentences. These would normally include:"OK." "Yes!" "Beautiful!" "Great!" "Terrific!" Never use the word "no" and never ever say, "Whatever." This will get you through.
If you really, really can't negotiate and you are still at the stores after 18:00, you can at least amuse and distract yourself by noting and studying the general population that has morphed into something out of a SciFi thriller. You will also notice that the mall seems to have an eerie, post-nuclear ambiance.
I hope that these pointers will help your day go a little smoother. Of course, you could do all of your shopping online.
QUESTION: Thank you very much for these tips you provided. It was really helpful to me. I can tell you are such an expert in this issue! I am also writing about Christmas shopping tips. I think these tips you provided me could also apply to most Christmas shopping tips. But I'd like to ask you few more tips about Christmas shopping tips. Do you have Could you provide maybe one or two important thing about Christmas shopping tips as an expert? This is the last question I will ask you.
Thank you again for the awesome tips you provided!!
Sincerely,
Seong Cheon
Answer Black Friday is the first day of shopping for Christmas. It is the busiest day by far so, the other experiences you have will not be as challenging.
Perhaps the following warning about credit card fraud that picks up this time of the year would be of more use:
This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information, except the one piece they want. Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it. This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA & MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself.
The scam works like this: Person calling says, "This is (name), and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by ( name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing company based in Arizona ?" When you say "No", the caller continues with, "Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?"
You say "yes". The caller continues - "I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask for Security.
You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to read it again?"
Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The caller then says, "I need to verify you are in possession of your card." He'll ask you to "turn your card over and look for some numbers." There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security Numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say, "That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have you rcard. Do you have any other questions?" After you say, no, the caller then thanks you and states, "Don't hesitate to call back if you do", and hangs up.
You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the Card number. Shortly after you give the caller your security numbers, charges will be made on your credit card.
Never give anyone who calls you, your credit card security number. Instead, inform the caller that you will be calling the credit card company directly to verify the credit card activity or better yet, realize you are talking to a crminal and just hang up. Then call the credit card company.
