There will be more people standing in your checkout lines on Black Friday (and the Black Friday weekend) than there are normally, and these lines will take up more of your floor space.  How will you handle this?

You may need to do some physical reconfiguration to open up space.  And you may need to implement a different checkout line system than you normally use.

If you don’t already have a single line queuing system, consider going that route for the Black Friday weekend.  Statistics show that single line queuing systems reduce customer wait times, when compared to multiple lines.  Having a single line removes pressure on the customers to choose the “right” line or to attempt to jockey between lines depending on how quickly they perceive any given line is moving.  A single line system is objectively fairer, and psychologically easier on customers who may already be tired or frustrated.

Wherever it is physically possible, it is best to set up your line in a serpentine formation.  Make sure your lines have breaks and turns to keep the line flowing smoothly.

If you are expecting massive (and potentially unruly) crowds, consider an upgrade from your normal line management stanchions.  Big crowds could (unintentionally or intentionally) knock over or move standard stanchions.  Many stanchion models can be drilled into the floor, while others have heavier magnetic bases.

And even when your customers have successfully acquired their desired products and navigated their way through your check out system, your work is not done.  Don’t forget to give them an orderly path out of your store.  Try to arrange paths so that your exiting customers don’t bump into entering customers.  Continue to guide customers with line management products as they leave.