Strategizing key to sales shopping

I skipped church to go to a big sale at my favorite shoe store. There, I confessed. I had already missed the sermon on Super Bowl Sunday, which apparently was about having too much stuff; being happy with what you have; cleaning and organizing so we can have more stuff .

It was the big one — the Red Dot Sale — and I wasn’t going to miss it. I wasn’t as interested in the shoes as I was the clothing, which I’d scoped out the day before. And, no, I didn’t hide anything in children’s shoes, as my husband asked.

It happened to be raining, so I figured it would keep some people away. I drove into the parking lot one hour and 20 minutes before the store opened, and two other people were waiting in their cars. See, I’m not the only crazy person.

Within 10 minutes, a couple of girls got out and went to the door, so we all went to the door. Usually, I am the first to get out of my car and stake the No. 1 position, but it was cold. (Starbucks missed a great opportunity to sell some coffee.) Several of us huddled under an awning, bonding and sharing stories about our sons who like to hunt, their pickiness about clothes, what we were looking for that day and our strategies. Good strategies — not Pete Carroll strategies.

My new friend Jennifer and I realized we had similar tastes and sizes, so our plan was that we would both grab both smalls and mediums in the things we liked and share.

By opening time, the line stretched down the front of the building. Two young male employees came out to unlock the doors from outside, afraid they’d get trampled if they opened the doors from the inside.

We were a calm group, really. I ran — just to play the stereotypical crazy shopper, not because I really thought I needed to. An employee had a cellphone pointed right at me, either videoing or taking a photo, and I thought, “Oh, no — my craziness will be documented on the store’s Facebook page.” (Instead, I am admitting it in the newspaper.)

I went straight to the polar fleeces that I wanted and picked the ones I wanted, then found the sweater I’d decided to get my husband, although the racks had

been rearranged, and I was momentarily off my game.

I could have checked out in 10 minutes and gone home. But part of a big sale like that is the experience. I stood in front of a mirror in the shoe department — and Jennifer came over with her pile. I went through my stack and started trying on clothes. I had already made up my mind about a size, but in the heat of the moment, I became indecisive. I tried things on multiple times and asked the opinion of everyone in the store except one 10-yearold boy.

My pile was heavy — a workout for my biceps without going to the gym (note to self: Produce shopping-workout video).

I had a couple of things for my daughter-in-law, who tends to have panic attacks in packed stores with bargain-hungry women. I texted pictures to her and to my sister-in-law — did my brother need this? I found hunting clothes and texted photos to my son. I called, and he actually answered. Yes, he liked the camo pants. They didn’t have a price, and a nice employee took them off to the back to find out, while I chatted with the friendly owner.

The checkout lines snaked through the store. I chose the line that my favorite sweet employee was taking care of, but I ended up being a problem customer. The sandals I was buying for my daughter-in-law were two different sizes, and a sweater for my husband didn’t have a price.

Almost three hours after I had started, I dragged a huge sack to the car.

The owner said the sale will be the same date every year. It’s already on my calendar, and next time, I’m going to be first in line.

Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 3270370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.