Big Bad Wolf 2019 - Are You Ready For VIP Day?

The Big Bad Wolf has once again decided to visit Manila and we are so excited! He is again giving away VIP Day tickets. We were there on VIP Day last year and it was amazing to say the least. We are big book lovers. My grandpa had tons of books in different genres and topics. Mom inherited that love for reading. As for me, my grandpa instilled a love of reading when I was still a young child so naturally, I am in love with books as well. Now that I'm a mom, I expose my 5-year old to as many books as I can. He already has a collection that can rival the city library. 😁

So, it is no surprise that we get all hyped up and giddy when an international book event comes to town...especially Big Bad Wolf! They offer so many amazing titles that are not available here at highly discounted prices!

 A big thank you to my son as he was the reason we won VIP tickets last year. He was so ecstatic when I gave him the ticket.  

If you're one of the winners of VIP tickets, lucky you! If it's your first time to attend VIP Day, here are some tips to make your day of shopping a truly fantastic and sulit (worth it) one.

Here's last year's VIP ticket

 Your tickets will be given at the venue

This is actually good because there is no risk of forgetting the tickets at home because of your excitement!

Bring a tote/backpack/trolley/luggage

Our purchases were placed in plastic bags but since we bought a ton of books, they were very heavy to carry out and I was with my senior citizen mom and 4-year old back then. If you plan to buy a lot of books, bring something that has wheels so you'll have an easier time bringing your new books home. 

Aside from that, the exit is too far from the entrance so if you forgot something, you would have to lug all those books from one side of WTC to the other. So, bring some "wheels". 

Food and Drinks are not allowed in World Trade

Skip the baon. There are vending machines inside and a food concessionaire. If you have food restrictions like allergies or have a condition such as diabetes, you can talk to the guard or whoever is in charge and just ask politely that you be allowed to bring in your baon.

Wear comfy clothes

Just like in any other sale event, wear comfy clothes and shoes. If you are commuting, you might want to bring some extra clothes in case your clothes get dirty/sweaty. Some books are a bit dusty. WTC is air conditioned but you might get sweaty lugging around all those books. 

Senior Citizens, PWDs, Pregnant Women get special treatment

If you are any of the above, don't worry about long lines. They have a special queue and entrance for senior citizens, people with disabilities and pregnant women. 

There's also ample parking in World Trade so no need to worry about that unless of course, you come during peak days/hours. 

Plan Ahead

List down all the books that you want to buy. The layout inside is pretty organized. There's a section for kids, non-fiction and fiction books. They are also broken down into categories further. For example, in the children's section, one area is reserved for toddler books. Another is for older kids and so on. It's the same with the grown-up books. 

Budget Accordingly (or at least try to!) 

If you're saving up for a Valentine's date, you might wanna skip that. Spend your money on books instead! Haha! But seriously, if you love books as much as we do, #BigBadWolfBooksManila is going to give your wallet a serious dent. Most of the books we've seen there are not available in the local bookstores. Add the fact that they are on sale! Such a delicious combo!

So, plan your budget but leave room (more like a suite) for those extra purchases. Trust me, there will be extra purchases. 

"I will stick to my budget on BBW VIP Day", said no one..ever.

Get all the books you want when you see them 

Some titles have limited stocks so if you want something, grab it and put it in your cart. Don't think about your budget at this point. Just keep getting all the books you want. You can think about your budget later at the...

Sorting area

There is a huge space reserved for sorting. After you've gotten all the books you want, head on over to the sorting area to pick out the books that you really, really like. I thank whoever thought of putting up this area. It's a really great way to help people stick to their budgets and really think about the books that they want/need.  

When sorting books, be neat and tidy. Don't just leave the books you don't like anywhere. Place them neatly on the table/shelf. If you can, group them according to genre so the staff won't have a hard time sorting through them. Remember, the staff on VIP Day have probably been up the whole night setting up the place for you, the customer. A little help (and decency) will be much appreciated. Make it easier for them to put the books back to their proper places. 

Also, some customers (like me) like leafing through the stuff that other people leave in the sorting area. Make it easier for them to pick out the books they like from your pile of rejects. Less work for the staff. Again, let's be thankful that these people brought this event to our shores. Let's show them some Filipino love and hospitality.

Storage area  

If you need to run back to the office, eat or take a break, you can leave your unpaid books in the storage area. This is very useful if you want more time to browse and shop. 

Payment

Don't worry about payment queues. There are lots of cashiers available to check your purchases out quickly. They also accept all major credit cards, debit cards and cash. 

Are you a member of the pack?

The wolf pack accepts membership and members get extra privileges such as extra discounts. Score! Be sure to register in their website. Show your ID to the cashier to avail of your discounts. 

If you want a relaxed shopping time...

Come at non-peak hours. BBW is open 24/7 from Feb 22 to March 4. Avoid the traffic and the crowds by going super early or super late at night. (Although, my friend said that there was still a crowd at 2 am!)

There are two more days before #TakeMe2VIPDay contest ends. We didn't win in the first round so fingers crossed we will win a pair again this year! It will be a great birthday gift for moi as I will be celebrating my birthday on the 27th! 😄😄😄 

Congratulations to the winners of the VIP Day tickets! With these tips, you will surely enjoy your special shopping day at  #BigBadWolfBooksManila 

Don't forget to take photos of your haul and share them with me through the comments below or in my Ig - lifebyladye. I'd love to hear from you!