How Do You Participate In Black Friday?
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I work retail (Score:3, Insightful)
As one who works at a retail store I absolutely hate that this day even exists and ironically enough it exists the day after we give thanks for everything we already have.
Re:I work retail (Score:3, Funny)
What's the problem? Don't you receive an appropriate increase in your compensation due to the additional workload?
Re:I work retail (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:I work retail (Score:3)
Re:I work retail (Score:5, Interesting)
I straightened one local store manager out about that. I tipped the bag boy and he jumped his ass about it. When I found out I jumped his ass. I told him it was between me and the kid and if I wanted to tip him it wasn't any of his business. If he didn't like it I'd be glad to go to another store and call his district manager and tell him that he was a fool who thought his stupid "please no tipping" was enforceable on his customers. He apologized and I continue to tip the baggers there.
Re:I work retail (Score:2)
What's a "bagger"?
Re:I work retail (Score:4, Informative)
No, no we dont. As someone who spent almost every black friday since 2000 working retail, I will tell you that it really sucks. No additional pay. Its a mandatory work day. Since most places like to limit overtime, you get fewer hours for the rest of the week so you can be scheduled for 8-14hrs on black friday and not go over 40. (in most cases, there are exceptions of course).
The only good part is if you work somewhere that gives you a commission and you get stuck behind a register. My paycheck was usually doubled. The bad part is that most people are waiting for those sales, so the paycheck before and after that tend to be a little bit lower.
Although, on a masochistic side, it can be kind of a rush as long as nothing catastrophic happens.
I'm not in the US, you insensitive clod! (Score:3, Informative)
'nuff said
Re:I'm not in the US, you insensitive clod! (Score:5, Interesting)
Just you wait it will come there as well. Up here in Canada for the last couple years we have started to see Black Friday deals. Of course the reasoning I get is that shoppers in Canada go down to the states to get Black Friday deals so retailers up here were doing the same thing to drive up customers. Something that has been trending since the dollar became close to even across the boarder.
I hope you don't see it. It's like a disease every year it spreads further.
Boxing Day (Score:2)
Up here in Canada for the last couple years we have started to see Black Friday deals.
Currency movements notwithstanding, in Canada, Boxing Day is still the big one for retailers.
Re:I'm not in the US, you insensitive clod! (Score:3)
Just you wait it will come there as well. Up here in Canada for the last couple years we have started to see Black Friday deals.
Up here? You are not one penny better than your southern neighbours. The rest of the world doesn't celebrate thanksgiving, so there is no black Friday here! We - down here in the Netherlands - have two free Christmas days however, so that does compensate a little. Our black Friday is a Saturday and we have two of them, the first is the last Saturday before Sinterklaas (who is not Santa), and the second the last Saturday before Christmas.
Re:I'm not in the US, you insensitive clod! (Score:2)
You can't have a black Friday without large chain stores that are willing to discount.
The Netherlands is a shopping wasteland with appalling customer service almost everywhere. I know, I lived there for years.
Re:I'm not in the US, you insensitive clod! (Score:2)
It's like a disease every year it spreads further.
I stopped in at a store this morning and saw a sign on the door saying the returns/warranty department would be closed all Black Friday because those people would be manning the extra cashes.
If it's that bad as far from the border as Edmonton is there's not much hope of it ever going away now.
White Friday (Score:4, Funny)
Up here in Canada for the last couple years we have started to see Black Friday deals.
True only this time of year it's a white friday, followed by a white saturday, white sunday etc. ...until May....if we are lucky.
Re:I'm not in the US, you insensitive clod! (Score:2)
We get retailers jumping on the bandwagon in the UK. Mostly online ones with a US base, of course. It amuses me that Steam is running an "Autumn Sale" right now.
Re:I'm not in the US, you insensitive clod! (Score:5, Funny)
Nor am I, but I am still going to trample kids and elderly
Re:I'm not in the US, you insensitive clod! (Score:4, Informative)
That's a very common marketing trick used everywhere and it often works on those who don't check prices.
It's not a Brazil only thing.
Re:I'm not in the US, you insensitive clod! (Score:2)
Funny thing is that around march, when the prices really go down, there is no anouncement, and people don't go shopping. That used to happen at january too, but then people learned the trick, and started to shop at that time. So the stores learned about that, started to announce january discounts, and raised their price.
As a rule, when somebody is anouncing loud that "We lowered our prices", it's because they didn't. When they do lower their prices, they are usualy quiet about it.
I'll be working... (Score:3, Funny)
But I'm sending my wife out shopping on 5th Avenue in Manhattan...
Re:I'll be working... (Score:2, Funny)
I'm so sorry for your loss
Re:I'll be working... (Score:2, Funny)
i am truley sorry for your lots
FTFY
Re:I'll be working... (Score:3)
Brilliant! I've heard of all kinds of schemes to avoid a divorce; murder, suicide, both.. but this one takes the cake.
Re:I'll be working... (Score:4, Informative)
wiki (Score:5, Informative)
I am not from the US, so :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Friday_(shopping) [wikipedia.org]
apparantly, this is some sort of feast to appease the god of materialism.
Re:wiki (Score:2)
Basically, yeah. Wal*Mart, in a fit of holiday spirit, decided to start it Thursday evening this year, during the one fucking day per year that people working shit jobs in retail used to get to spend with their families.
I make my best effort not to leave the house.
Comment removed (Score:4, Funny)
Re:wiki (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:wiki (Score:2)
Wow, gold overvalued, unpossible, how could this ever happen?
Whether the current bubble bursts on a friday again is still open, but the fallout may cover one.
Then again looking at the following:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_gold [wikipedia.org]
one might wonder whether it is that big a bubble.
Re:wiki (Score:4, Informative)
Re:wiki (Score:2)
Black Friday is also gradually invading Canada, at least where I am, though it may have something to do with the border being less than 2 hours from where I sit.
Re:wiki (Score:2)
Boxing Day in the UK is being made into Black Friday, but it actually wasn't at least a decade ago. I tried to shop on Dec 26th in two large English cities on 2001 and 2002. Only Mickey D's was open in both. Now, there's more and more pressure from some nebulous force to open up shops, and even the media are briefed and run pieces on 'Boxing Day sales', when in fact, most start on Dec 27th (not a holiday).
Re:wiki (Score:2)
Oh and Australia - Boxing Day sales are the big ones here.
Re:wiki (Score:2)
Re:wiki (Score:2)
Then there's this [wikipedia.org] one...
Re:wiki (Score:2)
"this is some sort of feast to appease the god of materialism."
Just like Christmas, sans the evergreen phallic symbol.
Day before Black Saturday (Score:2)
I already thought it was a bit funny to talk about the day before Black Saturday, seeing it is still so long away:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Saturday_(France) [wikipedia.org]
Re:wiki (Score:2)
Re:wiki (Score:2, Informative)
No.
Re:oh well in that case (Score:4, Funny)
Yeah, GP should have said person of color.
Re:Yes, our real God. (Score:2)
"Jesus never existed[citation required]"
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus [wikipedia.org]
Of course, whether what the bible says he did is true or not is a separate issue, but scientifically it is believed that he did exist.
Canadians have it now too (Score:2)
It seems a lot of retailers here are having their own Black Friday specials. Although they're doing it for a different reason: they're trying to keep people in the country instead of going across the border to shop. I know in downtown Vancouver they're advertising a weekend sale starting Friday (it's not limited to one day.)
Still not participating in it, though. I've already done my limited Xmas shopping.
Re:Canadians have it now too (Score:2)
Planning on buying a house with better transportation options, so not spending any money right now. (Two hour commutes suck.)
Re:Canadians have it now too (Score:4, Funny)
"Two hour commutes suck."
I used to think that. After I had kids it was called 'me time'~
I'm sorry (Score:3)
The subject says it all. It's really sad that so much "cultural imperialism" consists of exporting the worst aspects of a culture.
Cheers,
Dave
Re:I'm sorry (Score:2)
There are US soldiers forcing you to shop at bayonet point?
I don't (Score:4, Informative)
Fortunately, I don't belong to the "Wait girl! Are those shoes on SALE?" category. I buy stuff when I need it and don't risk being crushed by crazy shopper mobs or yelling at the monitor because the overloaded online store webpage doesn't refresh fast enough. Have friends who participated to both occurrences and man, it ain't funny. Not to mention incorrect marketing practices, for example raise the price by 25% a week before and then write "30% OFF" during Black Friday (or sometimes only "20% OFF" for extra trolling).
Yes, I'm not from the US but this psychosis caught wings here in Romania as well. And it works; last year, one of our major online IT retailers sold practically EVERYTHING they had, all stock, from voltage converters to 100K USD plasma screens. All was gone in a matter of hours. I know because I incidentally tried to buy a PC component later on that Friday last year and there was nothing in stock. Then I realized why.
Honestly, I think those shoppers are a bit crazy.
Re:I don't (Score:2)
Fortunately, I don't belong to the "Wait girl! Are those shoes on SALE?" category. I buy stuff when I need it
You're silly. Buy stuff you need, don't buy it WHEN you need it. Check out Lands' End, business casual outfitters, nice stuff, good quality and I like the visual style better than Polo or Doc Martin. Which is good for me, because Lands' End frequently has stupid sales like $40 off orders over $100 with free shipping, or straight 30% off, or whatnot. So you know what I do? I check the site sometimes. I check overstock (now "Sale") to see if they're getting rid of stuff I want in my size. Sometimes, when they're giving $40 off, I'll make 3-4 $100 orders and take the coupon, including stuff from the Sale section. I wind up with $70 pants and $50 shirts and such that were $40 or $25 in Overstock, with some 30%-40% discounted from that.
I spent $24 each on really nice $70 pants last time.. bought $600 of clothes in about $230. I don't need a vast array of new pants right now, but I could top up on shirts, socks, and t-shirts. Looks like they're having 30% off, but nothing I want in Sale so no combos. Still a good opportunity to nab some socks and a decent shirt or two to top up.
They have promotions like this 3-5 times a year. I'm in no rush. Not today, maybe later in December.
Re:I don't (Score:4, Insightful)
You're silly. Buy stuff you need, don't buy it WHEN you need it.
Read this again.
"Buy stuff you need" - clearly implied I do need it, and clearly I'm going to buy it when I need it, because the need is present.
To be more clear: If I need something, I'll buy it then, rather than wait for whatever time comes when it's 20% off or whatever. As far as clothing goes, I only buy it from overstock stores we have here, where everything is on sale anyway, with as much as 80% off. I need a pair of jeans? I go to those cheap stores and just get it.
Also, you clearly missed my country of origin. It is NOT the US. And Lands' End, for example, charges to ship overseas add at least 10% cost (for above 4500 USD orders!), which makes it "unfeasible" for me. Prices here are already way lower than what I see there anyway. So thanks for the detailed, yet useless answer. Keep trying though :)
Re:I don't (Score:3)
I think GP meant: buy stuff when it is cheap as soon as you are convinced you WILL need it. In context: if you see shoes that you like and that are cheap. You do not need shoes, but at some point, probably in the next 6 month, you will. If the shoes is half price today, you'd better buy it now, despite you do not need it yet.
Re:I don't (Score:2)
Oh, to that I agree. Planning in advance makes sense. However, buying during FIXED dates is not my thing.
Re:I don't (Score:2)
True.
(apprehensive) Was that a troll?
(horrified) Did I just feed him?
Not exactly trample kids but a knee to the face (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Not exactly trample kids but a knee to the face (Score:5, Insightful)
Yeah I don't shop like the plague either. the plague isn't choosy and thrives on ignorance.
Setting traps for children, what an ass.
I don't really, but... (Score:4, Funny)
I do kinda like going to Target Friday evening. It looks like it's been through a war. Everything's picked over, there's stuff all over the floors, the employees look like they've been ducking live ammunition all day... it's great.
I should mention I usually go to Target on Friday evenings.
I rarely shop in stores anymore (Score:3)
With the exception of grocery shopping, I do pretty much all of my shopping online. Christmas shopping is a lot more fun now that I don't have to fight the crowds! And I can easily get the nieces and nephews exactly what they want.
Oh, excepting car shopping as well... that's done in person, but it only happens once a decade or thereabouts (I really do still have - and use - a 93 Escort Wagon!).
I would be out trampling, but...... (Score:5, Funny)
No arrow to the knee choice???
By participating in Buy Nothing Day.... (Score:5, Interesting)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buy_Nothing_Day [wikipedia.org]
http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd [adbusters.org]
Re:By participating in Buy Nothing Day.... (Score:2)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buy_Nothing_Day
Very accurate -- " ... critics of the day charge that Buy Nothing Day simply causes participants to buy the next day ..."
Unless you specifically oppose Black Friday, this is one of the most pointless movements ever.
Re:By participating in Buy Nothing Day.... (Score:2)
Unless you specifically oppose Black Friday, this is one of the most pointless movements ever.
I specifically oppose Black Friday. Encouraging a mob to be present at one location, fighting for limited quantities of a product, is simply irresponsible. People get trampled every year, and then you get the nuts [cbsnews.com] who will pepper spray or even shoot their competitors.
I don't think it should be illegal or anything, but I do my part by not participating in it.
Re:By participating in Buy Nothing Day.... (Score:2)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buy_Nothing_Day [wikipedia.org]
http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd [adbusters.org]
Good links.
I'm a guy. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I'm a guy. (Score:2)
Re:I'm a guy. (Score:2)
Christmas shopping is performed on Dec. 24th, after dinner.
No, it is done on December 24 before dinner. Costco closes at 5pm on the 24th.
Re:I'm a guy. (Score:2)
Christmas shopping is performed on Dec. 24th, after dinner.
I hereby revoke your guy card. All guys know that Christmas shopping is done on the 26th, after spending the night locked out of the house, with things found at the local convenience store.
I'll be there (Score:2)
And expect to drop about half the amount I spend on the laptop for first-born on dental work this afternoon - unfortunately not at 15% off...
I'll be "working" (Score:2)
I chose "I'm employed at a store, please don't yell at me", although I don't work at a retail store.
I run a coupon site for hosting and domain names, and Black Friday / Cyber Monday are very busy days for me. I'll be pretty much working those 2 days around the clock updating coupons and sales deals.
Last year I snuck out for a couple hours to Best Buy and got a great deal on a TV, but we don't need anything this year so I'll be doing my own shopping online.
Like every Friday (Score:4, Informative)
I go to the pub.
Re:Like every Friday (Score:2)
I will... (Score:5, Funny)
And then maybe go shopping.
Gifts? No. (Score:3)
If I want something, I'll buy it. If I don't own something, that means I don't want it.
Holidays are for visiting friends and family, getting together and having fun.
Giving other adults gifts? Fuhgeddaboudit. Buy your own damn junk - then you get exactly what you want - and undoubtedly spend less money.
No more "I don't know what Uncle Fred would like. What do you think?" Bah!
Re:Gifts? No. (Score:5, Insightful)
Becasue all gifts are just things you buy.
Seriously dude, you might want to think again.
I have a one of a kind glass ornament, hand made and its beautiful.
It was s great gift.
My kids make my things. one year my someone made me a little minecraft game where I though levers in a sequence and then a huge explosion happen revealing the words 'Happy Birthday, Dad" underneath it.
Good luck buying that.
One year, a friend gave me a hand made and painted papper lanterns from overseas. It's really cool and nice. I never would have bought that for myself.
I don't give, 'junk'.
Re:Gifts? No. (Score:2)
I don't give, 'junk'.
Amen to that. If I don't know someone well enough to know that they would enjoy a particular something and wouldn't get it for themselves, I'd rather not give them anything.
Gifts shouldn't be about a tit-for-tat exchange; they should really be about "hey, you're my friend, and it will bring me joy to see your life improve because you have this".
Re:Gifts? No. (Score:2)
Instead of limiting gift giving to one or two fixed days per year, I prefer to implement what I call "No Reason Whatsoever Day". That can happen any day of the year. You come into possession of something that someone you know may like and you may not need, you hand it over to them for no reason whatsoever.
Got someone dear to you in your thoughts? Treat them to a nice surprise lunch for no reason whatsoever.
Know someone who is overwhelmed with life and feels like they are being pulled in 20 directions at once with no time to step back and take care of little neglected day to day tasks? Pay them a visit and lend a hand around their home with little chores here and there for no reason whatsoever.
Re:Gifts? No. (Score:2)
But I stand by my contention that adults giving gifts to other adults is, for the most part, just wrong.
When you are close to another adult and wish to give them something special, that's great but, in my opinion, that's what birthdays are for -- a time for a special gift to someone special. (Although, why wait for some arbitrary day? Just give a friend a gift if you want to, any time).
Chirstmas has become too commercial where you go deeply into debt, buying unwanted things for other adults you don't even know very well -- just because "it's expected". Now that's wrong.
Where there may be exceptions, there is nothing wrong with simply banning adult to adult gifting on Christmas. Trust me, pretty much every adult involved will be grateful. Instead, let it be a time of getting together for family and friends.
Re:Gifts? No. (Score:2)
I fully agree. If I want something I buy it. I do buy my wife jewelry and perfume and such but it's because I want her to have it not because she buys me something. I tell everyone every Christmas not to buy me a gift. I give my Grandchildren gifts and I invite family over to eat and to me that's more fun than getting junk from people.
Re:Gifts? No. (Score:2)
Giving other adults gifts? Fuhgeddaboudit. Buy your own damn junk - then you get exactly what you want - and undoubtedly spend less money.
The best thing is when someone else gets you a present you needed but hadn't realized you needed, or when you managed to do the same in reverse for someone. Yes, it takes thought and really knowing what someone wants and needs, and no, it doesn't have to cost a lot; it's the fact that you appreciate someone enough to think that much about them that really counts.
Re:The spontaneous unexpected gift is great (Score:2)
Where I used to work we got together and had fundraisers during the year to raise money to buy bikes and coats for under privileged children. I really enjoyed that a lot more than swapping gifts with coworkers. The happy smiles on those children's faces made Christmas for us.
I usually stay FAR away, but . . . (Score:2)
I'm about to buy a house, and there are a few things I actually need. Laundry appliances, a refrigerator, a step ladder, maybe a space heater.
If the prices are right -- that is, if the items are actually on sale -- I'll make a few highly selective forays.
I have no need or desire to compete for limited-quantity "doorbuster" items.
Going into hiding (Score:2)
I've worked more than a few holiday seasons in retail; now that I no longer have to, I'm not going into a store until January.
other options: giving Thanks for Leftovers Day! (Score:2)
.
Then we've got the family tradition of Turkey-day leftovers on Friday with all the friends who come back to town but ate with their own families on Thursday: my sister and her friends are back from college, my brother's back from work with girlfriend in tow; so we have a motley cru(mlaut)e of kids and adults gathering Friday evening followed by going off to the beach or the movie theater in the evening/night. It's effectively giving Thanks for the left-overs day. Happy gut-busting Turkey day to all who feast today!
Missing Option (Score:2)
You forgot the option (Score:2)
Re:You forgot the option (Score:2)
Boxing Day! (Score:3)
Why does anyone wait in line (Score:2)
Skydiving (Score:2)
I always shop at online-only stores (Score:2)
Except for food and clothing - who wants to pay 7% extra
Also I will be working tonight - its just an ordinary 2nd thursday of the fortnight for me.
I don't drive
and its now winter - Looks like black friday will be white friday and wind chill of 0F right now
My sanity is worth more than "saving" (Score:2)
I will gladly spend a little bit more to not have to put up with the stress and hostility.
I was listening to the police scanner earlier tonight, and a good 25% of the calls were to various Best Buys and other stores. People threatening each other with knives. Disturbing the peace. Drunk in public. All to "save" a few hundred dollars.
Maybe I am jaded, but I want to shake some sense into those people. If a few hundred dollars is going to push people to those extremes, they probably cannot really afford whatever they are buying in the first place.
Me vs Spouse (Score:2)
Misssing option (Score:2)
Watch the news and laugh at the stampedes.
Better things to do (Score:2)
If I wanted something, I'd already have it. I don't go to feeding frenzies to compete with humanity just to save a few bucks. My time is worth more to me.
I also really dislike crowds and queues etc. I can control it (I'm not going to flip out) but I do get angry and something like (but not the same as) claustrophobic when in crowds.
Socialize Costs, Privatize Profits (Score:3)
Walmart is one of the most financially successful companies in the world. Yet, Walmart pays its employees so little that many Walmart employees need government assistance for basic necessities ( health care, food stamps, etc ). In other words, the private profits of Walmart are being subsidized by the public funds from American taxpayers.
Op-ed: Consider retail workersâ(TM) pay on Black Friday
http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2019735257_leeannhallwillpittzopedxml.html [seattletimes.com]
On top of all of this many stores are now forcing employees to work on Thanksgiving, the only day they can be with their famlies.
Americans, please don't shop on Thanksgiving or Black Friday.
Re:my TV just broke (Score:2)
Bad timing. The best deals on TVs are always the day before Superbowl Sunday (at least in the U.S.).
Re:my TV just broke (Score:5, Interesting)
With the flexible return policies of the big box stores there are often open box returns that are then priced below the sales price they were purchased for pre-game.
Re:my TV just broke (Score:3, Funny)
I'm in Germany.
What is Schwarzer Freitag?
Is it a special day for darker color people?
mod parent up (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:mod parent up (Score:2)
I'm glad for your success. I truly love to hear stories like yours and I'm proud for you. Having said that you sound like you have above average intelligence and lots of initiative and that's good. Not everyone has what you have. Some people are going to end up working at Walmart because it's the best that they are capable of. Just because people aren't capable of doing high skill work doesn't mean it's okay to treat them shitty. This constant greedy drive to snatch every single penny out there no matter what it does to people is wrong.
Re:Surprise, 'I don't' is winning. (Score:2)
http://slashdot.org/poll/2471/the-last-thing-you-read-was [slashdot.org] on November 11th, 2012
they did, now shut the fuck up
Re:Surprise, 'I don't' is winning. (Score:2)
Re:Surprise, 'I don't' is winning. (Score:2)
I guess the "I don't" option is the default for "Not everyone lives in the USA, Slashdot. Can we at least get ONE poll this month that's not centered directly over the USA?
If you restricted the poll to US only, "I don't" would still dominate. Black Friday shopping isn't exactly popular among US geeks either. Also, you're whiny.