How to Throw an Online Black Friday Zoom Party
In many friend groups, Black Friday Christmas shopping is just as big of a cause for celebration as Christmas itself. After all, what’s more fun than getting up at the crack of dawn, grabbing a cold brew with the rest of the girls, then plunging into the shopping madness that is Black Friday. It’s a great opportunity to spend a day with the ladies while also stocking up on everything you need for Christmas at crazy low prices. Unfortunately, with a global pandemic still going strong, this outing probably won’t be able to take place like every other year. That doesn’t mean that you can’t still Black Friday shop with your friends, though. Black Friday is by no means cancelled, so don’t write the day off just yet. Here’s how you and your friends can stay safe while also keeping up the tradition by throwing a Zoom Black Friday shopping party!
Pick a Time, Any Time
One of the great things about online Black Friday shopping is that you don’t have to get up before the sun rises to do it, nor will you have to wait in endless lines in front of your favorite stores to get a glimpse of the deals inside. In the weeks leading up to your party, pick a time for everyone to hop on a Zoom call and start surfing online deals together. It doesn’t have to be super early, as online retailers don’t sell out quite as quickly as brick and mortar stores, but if you are trying to get a popular item or something from a small business, it doesn’t hurt to log on sooner than later. Share a coffee with your crew like you would on any other Black Friday but enjoy it from the comfort and safety of a cozy fleece throw blanket in your own living room. Feel like doing something a bit bigger? Add brunch to your Black Friday Zoom party!
Dress for Black Friday Success
Any other year you’d be head to toe warmth, ready to take on the cold of the coming winter as you wait outside of stores for up to hours at a time. Ditch the layers this year, but don’t give up the warmth! You’ll be able to shop with confidence knowing that the comfy new flannel pajamas you and your friends bought for the occasion will keep you cozy even after hours of browsing the web. Matching Christmas pajamas are also a great way to make your friends across the internet feel a little bit closer. Who says you all have to be in one place to make a matching outfit work? Take a group screenshot of everyone in their matching jammies before the shopping extravaganza begins. That counts as a Christmas group photo, right?
Share Your Shopping List (If You Can)
The best thing about having an online Zoom Black Friday party is that your squad isn’t limited to one store at a time anymore. Make a list of what everyone hopes to buy that day then scatter to the winds, combing different websites for deals and letting your friends know when you find what they’re looking for at a great price. You’ll be able to compare prices in real time without flipping back and forth between twenty internet tabs and cover much more ground than if you were checking all of these websites on your own. You can also alert each other to coupons sent via email or through loyalty accounts only one of you might have access to. Be careful if you are shopping for any of your friends at the party, though. You might find yourself faced with an impossible choice: would you rather have the best price or the surprised expression on their face when they open it Christmas day?
Save on Shipping with Group Orders
One of the downsides of online shopping as opposed to in person is that you might find yourself paying shipping and handling fees. These can be annoying if it costs almost as much to ship as it does to purchase the item in the first place, so work with your Black Friday crew to make the most of shipping costs. Many stores offer reduced or free shipping if you spend a certain amount or more, so, if you and your friend are both planning on buying something from that website, put them on the same order so that you can reach that amount and get the more affordable shipping option. Go ahead and grab that winter scarf you’ve been eyeing for the past twenty minutes, your shipping reward has already been reached after all. If everything is shipped to a single person’s house, you also now have an excuse to go visit them, socially distanced of course!
Don’t let the pandemic put a damper on your Black Friday excitement! The deals are still out there for you to snatch up, and your friends can still help you do it. And who knows, you might like this version of Black Friday more than the usual shopping rush. Welcome to your new favorite holiday tradition!