Black Friday madness

[Hector]

Waffles? Meh...I prefer pancakes...

[torgospizza]

WalMart just seems to bring out the worst element, the human trash, on Black Friday.

Fact: Not everyone that shops at Wal-Mart is a loser, but every loser shops at Wal-Mart.

[Werewolf]

I wouldn't get too worked up about this sort of thing.

The jerks are always the loudest and get the most attention but most people really aren't like that. The obnoxious, greedy and violent ones are obviously scalpers trying to buy up everything to flip stuff. Not families looking for a few gifts. The holidays didn't bring at the worst of them. They obviously had some screws loose to begin with. Normal people don't behave like that.

The media loves to highlight this sort of crap to put a downer on the holidays and try to make us all feel bad. Showing normal people shopping for gifts doesn't grab headlines. For every jerk fighting for some stupid waffle iron or nutter spraying people with pepper spray there are tons more people that don't act like that. But nice people, don't make headlines.

[jwyblejr]

The funny thing is? Watch how many of those Black Friday deals you'll still be able to find at Wal-Mart later on.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

My wife and I just go out to look at the lines...Kinda like how one would go out driving to look at the neighborhood Xmas lights on the houses. We get my mom to watch the kids and we are on the road. We do go to buy a few things and are tactful and wait for catching the calm in the storm. We did go into the Wal-Mart to see what it was like and the one near us was surprisingly organized and not a circus. They had "tickets" they were handing out for the doorbuster items and folks had to stand in designated lines for each item, once they had a ticket. We didn't stay very long there. The funny one to us was the long line at the Target which stretched approx the length of two football fields. That was at 11:50. At 1 p.m. we drove back that way and saw no line whatsoever, so we parked, went in, and saw that there was pretty much everything advertised still there. Kudos for them having enough stock and Ha Ha for those who stood in line for so long, when they could have relaxed and come in an hour later. It is all about the hype ain't it?

[Random Axe]

That video was amazing. I didn't even know people made homemade waffles anymore. Reminds me of something like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIX0EBurrJg


Humanity is freakin dead

[Duncan]

OR- if I could grab 10 $2 w.m I could have a whole platter full of waffles in a matter of minutes......

mmmmmmm.........waffles.............

I like the cut of your jib.

[Duncan]

The wife's friend called her from TRU at 9:30 and asked if she was joining, so the wife drove over to check it out. She said the line wrapped around the back of the building & there was nowhere to park, so she bagged it. She went back out at midnight to Kohl's, and it was actually worse. Again, didn't even park the car. As an aside - we won't even consider WalMart on Black Fri. Soo not worth it around here. You just can't check out.

I went out at 5:30 on Black Fri, and headed over to Meijer. Their sale had started at 4:00. I got the first space in the pretty much empty lot, got what I was after, and had my choice of empty registers. I then went to another Meijer & repeated the process for an item the 1st store was out of. Next stop at 6:30 was Target - also pretty empty. Got a good space, bought my stuff, and got back out with no problem.

Then I hit TRU around 7:15, which had not yet recovered from the night before. It was kind of crowded (but not crazy crowded), and some shelves were empty. Bagged it. The mall across the street was a zoo, which was OK since I didn't need to go there. Hit McD's for breakfast and went home. The wife went out later to Kohl's and got what she wanted.

So, it looks like the best shopping time going forward will be 5-7, and the strategy is to go after the crowds have moved on. Forget the doorbusters. It's not like you're fighting over a cure for cancer (I stole this line) - it's just a couple of bucks off of a TV, or something.

Also, we did great on-line. Kohl's had their sale prices up on Wed night w/ free shipping; Crocs.com was buy one, get one & free shipping; calendars.com was 1/2 price w/ free shipping; Target, Amazon & BBY had great deals on line. I even found some site that was selling the mini donut & cake pop makers for $9 shipped. Can't beat that. Who needs to fight the crowds?

[TEXASFETT]

I was at Walmart here in town and they had a map where all the products where gonna be at and you had to stay in line. I got there at 6pm it was worth but very under controlled here. The waffle maker and the bloody chopper went quick. There a lot of people that get out of control but lucky us there was a chet load of sheriffs on site.

[Saroyan]

Are you kidding me?!! $2 waffle makers!!! I'd be in there kicking and throwing elbows and barking like a dog to grab as many as I could!!

Who knows when you will ever find waffle makers for $2 (at least now I have a dream worth living life for- the chance I might find a $2 w.m!) !!!

Why just this morning I woke up thinking damn, if I only had a $2 waffle maker I could make some kickin waffles!!!

OR- if I could grab 10 $2 w.m I could have a whole platter full of waffles in a matter of minutes......


mmmmmmm.........waffles.............

[Bizarro Amy]

I've worked enough Black Fridays that I will never go near stores that offer those doorbuster deals. And someone already hit on this, but stores are just baiting already tense customers by making offers that they can't even come close to the demand. I remember a few years back, a store I used to work for advertised a specific GPS for an amazing deal. The thing is, they never announce how many they have in stock. I think there were 2, maybe 3 of that model. The store could have easily been caught doing bait-and-switch tactics, because they just advertised to get the foot traffic in, with the hopes they could sell another model to the customers.
Thanks for posting the waffle maker video. I hadn't seen that one before.
This is the first year since I left retail that I've left the house on Black Friday. But I didn't leave until after nine, and it wasn't to get a doorbuster. It was because I needed new work clothes and my favorite store had everything half off. While I was out I managed to do a little Christmas shopping, but only at smaller stores that don't do those idiotic promos.

[gummi]

Seriously, a waffle maker? What do those run normally, a whopping 20 bucks? I love the people of Walmart.

[megojim]

I'm blown away by this stuff too. Wouldn't touch it with a Ten foot pole. I feel sorry for the parent that is trying to get that gift they wouldn't be able to afford otherwise. They have to deal with these greedy animals that grab 3 or 4 of each and sell them on eBay. Ruthless sob's!

[Nostalgiabuff]

I agree with Kingdom Warrior.

if we put her in jail than the tax payers foot the bill.

I don't have a problem with sales on Black Friday, i mean I picked up an xbox at KMart but the store was under control, it was not in any state of Chaos. I was in and out in less than 15 minutes. it just seems that every year, Walmart is totally out of control. I mean it was just 3 years ago one of their employees was trampled to death in this madness. WalMart just seems to bring out the worst element, the human trash, on Black Friday. it has to stop

[kingdom warrior]

How about that woman who peppered-sprayed all those people just to cut in front of the line?

I think they should give that loon at least five years in the county jail.

I think everyone she sprayed, should be allowed to spray her dumbass back......