For many Auburn stores and residents, Nov. 29, 2013 will be more than just the day before the Iron Bowl. Millions of shoppers wake up early Friday morning to take advantage of the discounts offered on Black Friday.
Taylor McCormick, junior in public relations, said she is one of the many shoppers who brave the crowds.
"I started shopping on Black Friday when I graduated from high school," McCormick said. "I really loved it. When I was younger, I wasn't allowed because that's when my mom bought all our Christmas presents. But now, I go with her."
Brody Betz, junior in environmental science, said he also started shopping on Black Friday at the end of high school.
"I went with a friend my senior year," Betz said. "She was a huge shopper, and she loved to spend money. She dropped hundreds at every store."
According to McCormick, the amount of money she saves every year is worth getting up early and dealing with big crowds.
"You save so much money," McCormick said. "You can get a lot of good deals, especially if you're smart about where you go and what you do. You save on those big-ticket items."
McCormick and Betz both said they prefer shopping at large stores such as Target and Best Buy for good deals on more expensive items.
Therapy manager Ashley Bynom said she agrees the holiday is different for smaller stores and boutiques.
"We don't have the big door-buster sales that have people lining up outside, but we definitely offer deals you normally wouldn't get. I think that gets people excited."
Bynom said she expects the home-game location of the Iron Bowl to bring in a larger crowd than last year, when the game was played in Tuscaloosa.
"Last year, since the Iron Bowl was away, we did a little pre-Black Friday sale the weekend everyone got out of school and went home," Bynom said. "Home game Fridays are always kind of crazy, and then you combine it with Black Friday. We're expecting a big day."
Betz said he said he thinks the image of Black Friday as crazy and dangerous is a misconception.
For McCormick, Black Friday isn't just about sales.
"It's also a really fun time for my mom and I to go together," McCormick said. "I remember when I was little, after we'd cleaned everything up from Thanksgiving, my mom would take all the catalogues with the Black Friday deals and cut them out. I wanted so badly to go with her, but I was too young. Now I get to be a part of that with her."
Betz said he agrees the day is about more than saving money.
"It's the experience for me," Betz said. "That first time I went with my friend, I didn't even spend that much money, but I just love going out at that time. That's really when Christmas season starts for me."
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