Braving Black Friday

[laurence]

So we are donating money to our favorite charity in lieu of meaningless gifts for the extended clan this year, but we've just finished going through the mailers and I've decided to do the early morning black Friday shopping nightmare. I'm only going to Target, though. They have a great little digital camera for stupid cheap (we have a fantastic SLR but it's a little much for lugging around everywhere) and they have a dual headed car DVD player (our single head was stolen). 5 a.m. door buster, here I come! I'll also pick up some 2 for $15 slacks for work while I'm there.

Anybody else going to do it? Anybody else secretly think it's kind of fun?

[FIREd]

I am doing it online, from the comfort of my own home... Plenty of retailers offer great online deals on black Friday.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREdreamer I am doing it online, from the comfort of my own home... Plenty of retailers offer great online deals on black Friday.

I want a Flip Mino camcorder. Any idea where I might look for an online Black Friday special?

[Sue J]

I think I was the first one of anyone that I know who moved to internet shopping as soon as it was available, maybe 1997 or 98. I don't really enjoy shopping the other 11 months and between Thanksgiving and Christmas I basically don't go into stores except grocery stores.

Good luck to all of you who enjoy Black Friday. I know a lot of people see it as a great big fun social event that also includes bargains. Have fun!

[Notmuchlonger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha I want a Flip Mino camcorder. Any idea where I might look for an online Black Friday special?

Ive been looking for camcorder deals for the last week. So far Ive got nothing. Ill check the usual suspects tomorrow. Best Buy,Amazon, New Egg etc. I suspect the particular model I want they wont be cutting much of a deal.

[FIREd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha I want a Flip Mino camcorder. Any idea where I might look for an online Black Friday special?

I know that Target has those Flip camcorders and they are having a big 2-day sale starting tomorrow. I don't know if the Flips will be on sale but I can see a lot of electronics going on salethere.

Last year I found good deals on Circuit City's website (you got to shop early in the day to make sure you get what you want). But they are already out of stock online for the Mino.

Online, you will probably find the best deals at internet-based retailers. For electronics, check out Amazon (they also have the Flip), tigerdirect, etc...

[Purron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by laurence So we are donating money to our favorite charity in lieu of meaningless gifts for the extended clan this year

Good for you! Our family gave up exchanging gifts years ago and we all give money to charities this time of year. Yes, I kinda like the hustle and bustle of Christmastime at the stores. I'm thinking about heading out tomorrow to look for some bargins and appreciate the tip about Target.

[Goonie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by laurence Braving Black Friday Anybody else going to do it? Anybody else secretly think it's kind of fun?

Ain't no way on God's green earth, that I'm dragging my turkey-weighted duff outta bed before sunrise to go push & shove through crowds of rabid bargain shoppers who would trample their own Gramma to grab a sale item before that poor little old lady could even begin to reach for it enjoy such a wonderful shopping experience with many other courteous, like-minded individuals.

I'll crawl outta the sack around 8am or a there abouts, get cleaned up, and head to Hardee's for coffee with the gang. We'll do our part, and stay away from the stores, so it'll be less congested for the bargain shoppers. Besides I have almost all of my Christmas shopping already finished, and only have 1 or 2 items to pick up...and they're not on any of the 'Black Friday' bargain lists....I'll go sometime while school & work are in session, and the parking lots & aisles are empty!

[Khan]

To paraphrase:

Quote:

And it's No, Nay, never, No, nay never no more Will I go Christmas shopping, No never no more

[freebird5825]

Quote:

Originally Posted by laurence ...the early morning black Friday shopping nightmare...Anybody else going to do it? Anybody else secretly think it's kind of fun?

let me be succinct. i would rather chew off my forepaw to get out of the steel spring trap before i would approach a consumer baccanal event like BF.

[laurence]

LOL! You guys crack me up! I was going to skip it this year, really. Last year I went to Fry's electronics and took one look at the checkout line and walked out. They had some special on LCD T.V.'s and just about every cart had one in it. The line stretched throughout their store, blech!

So I'll dart into Target, pick up my three things and get home in time to cook breakfast. Oh, doors open at 6, not 5, yay another hour of sleep!

[Walt34]

The last place in the world that I will be on Black Friday is anywhere near a mall. Besides, except for a motorcycle, we already have all the "stuff" we want.

Later on DW will shop for two nieces, ages 3 and 14, but that's about it.

[frayne]

Nope, and you won't catch me near a mall until after New Years, and maybe not even then.

[OAG]

Going on-line - Don't for get CYBER MONDAY - Starting to get the Ad's for it already.

[Goonie]

Just heard from one of my friends....He had to chauffeur his DW and MIL on their Black Friday excursions. He put the seats down in their SUV, and is laying down back there napping, texting, reading, and listening to tunes. He drops 'em off at the door, then goes to a remote area of the parking lot and does his part.....when they're done at that shopping complex, they call him, and he drives up to pick 'em up. I'm sure he's not too happy about having to be out there today...but I'm sure he's overjoyed that he doesn't have to go in with them!!!

[HFWR]

Since it's rainy here in Stepfordville, I might venture out to the mall later, to check out the "scenery". No way in hell am I going "shopping"...

[TromboneAl]

So, the stores open at 5 AM Friday, and apparently K-Mart had a big sale on Thanksgiving day itself.

I wonder whether this trend will continue until Thanksgiving morphs from a holiday of giving thanks, eating food, being with family, and quiet reflection to a holiday of shopping?

All the local grocery stores were open all day yesterday, and one owner on the news said that he had to be open to get the extra dough.

The difference between eating turkey and going for a walk versus eating turkey and going shopping is huge.

[laurence]

UPDATE: Phew! I made it home, got back through the door and safe by 7:15.

So I got to Target at 5:45, thinking I was savy. Silly Laurence, you rookie! At this point the line stretched from the front door, to the corner of the building (and this was a Target Greatland, their big box version), wrapped around the corner, stretched all the way back and wrapped around that corner, and went half way around the back when I got in line. A hundred more people got in line behind me before the door opened. There was a little ugliness with line cutting, but mostly it felt like standing in line for a Star Wars movie on opening night. Quite festive! Once they let us in it was like the Visigoths sacking Rome. As we all raced to the electronics section carts got abandoned to try and enhance speed and mobility, making congestion much worse. It was like a sci-fi movie where all the cars are jammed up on the freeway with the asteroid plunging to earth in the distance. They had a second line to get into for electronics, and they carried a very limited amount of the door busters, so I knew I was hosed.

But then on an obscure end cap is one of the items I was looking for, the two headed car DVD player! They had about a hundred boxes initially, and there were still a couple dozen left. Snatching one, I quickly headed straight for the door before the checkout lines got stupid. Target did a nice job of queuing up traffic for that, at least.

Having gotten one out of four items, I was tempted to cut my losses. But some part of me said, "Did my forefathers fight and die for this country for me to only spend $90 on electronics and call it quits? NO!" So at the last minute I took the exit for the center with Best Buy, Staples, and GameStop.

First, Best Buy. A much better setup, and much less insane, although it could have been because I was now 30 minutes past opening. One of the things I wanted at Target was the Guitar Hero kit with guitar and game for around $60. Best Buy had a two guitar and game pack for $79, so I snatched it up (4th of last one on the pyramid). Extremely helpful staff that would let you know if you weren't holding the best deal in your hand and point you to the best stuff. Next was Staples, where they had the same 9.2 Mp auto stabilizing Kodak camera they sold out of at Target for the same price of $79. I had to deal with the guy trying to sell me an extended warranty - why would I buy half of the camera again at that price? In two years a better replacement will be cheaper. Last stop, GameStop, where they had the Wii Fit for sale. The pile was down to 5 or 6 when I got mine.

So I got out and got home without too much damage, without spending too much, and with my sanity. It really was a festive atmosphere with people chatting in line about the deals they got at other stores, admiring purchases, etc. I think the mid day black Friday stuff is much more obnoxious than the early riser door buster experience. Glad to be off the streets now.

[chinaco]

Incredible! The OP's name for the thread is appropriate.

The Associated Press: Wal-Mart worker dies after shoppers knock him down

[Notmuchlonger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chinaco Incredible! The OP's name for the thread is appropriate. The Associated Press: Wal-Mart worker dies after shoppers knock him down

Yep disgusting. Nothing like a herd of idiots.