How Well Did You Fare on "Black Friday"? 93
Quixote asks: "''Black Friday' is about over now. Though I wasn't among the faithful
who queued up to get into the stores, I could see massive traffic jams in the local Best Buy, Target, etc. on my drive in to work. But it looks like the online offerings of some of the retailers are also pretty much slashdotted (I'm downloading a 500KB rebate form from CompUSA rebate center at the blazing speed of 800bytes/sec as I submit this story). So, how many of you avoided the long checkout lines and used the 'net instead? What are your experiences? What 'killer' deals did you get online, that you wouldn't have gotten in the store? And what are your thoughts on this whole phenomenon: why shouldn't the stores just get rid of this 'lets open the store at an unearthly hour' practice, and just move all of the 'Black Friday' sales online?"
I was wondering... (Score:4, Interesting)
I think the kind of shopper who gets an adrenaline rush from this kind of shopping -- and if they do, fine, so long as they don't blow apart their credit rating -- likes to touch the merchandise, and likes the shopping experience. It's entertaining. Hey, I still go to bookstores even though I can get most things cheaper at home. There's the power to browse, and the opportunity to impulse buy; the sharpest discount and greatest convenience aren't the whole thing.
Now, the whole holiday going down the materialism tube, that's a whole 'nuther debate.
Re:I was wondering... (Score:5, Interesting)
I had to return something that I purchased a few days earlier on Friday, and I was stuck behind a couple who were purchasing decent matching PCs with 17" flat panel monitors and a laptop. Oh yeah, and a VCR (which oddly seemed the man's primary concern). The total that I saw was somewhere in the area of $6,000.
I'm not sure how I felt after seeing that as I returned some washer hoses to get my 30 bucks back, but I'm sure it wasn't good...
The most interesting thing I saw out of the whole day was a pair of police officers putting big bright orange warnings on cars telling the owners that they were likely candidates to be broken in to. I asked one officer about it and he said, "If we see anything in plain site - electronics, purses, movies or CDs - we put this note on the car to alert them to the fact they could be a target for a car break-in." When I pointed out to him that putting big bright orange notes on windshields might make the cars slightly bigger targets, he scratched his head and just stood there, silent.
Re:I was wondering... (Score:4, Interesting)
Actually, police officers do the same things sometimes where I live. Only, they're a bit smarter about it and leave notes on all cars. Good cars get a note saying "Nothing in sight" and targets get a note saying "Next time, you may just want to cover up that cellphone of yours!"
Re:I was wondering... (Score:1)
I don't mind a plain site, as long as the content is good and easy to find. How were the cops marking web sites, anyway?
racist! (Score:1, Funny)
For Shame, Slashdot!
Jamal 'X' Kwiefieme
Re:racist! (Score:1, Funny)
Re:racist! (Score:1, Interesting)
I'm not laughing (Score:1)
I faired pretty well (Score:1)
Busy, busy (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Busy, busy (Score:1)
Shopping!
Never left the house (Score:3, Insightful)
No change (Score:3, Funny)
In Soviet Russia.... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:In Soviet Russia.... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:In Soviet Russia.... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:In Soviet Russia.... (Score:1)
Re:In Soviet Russia.... (Score:1)
Buy Nothing (Score:2)
I went to Radio Shack ... (Score:4, Funny)
Actually, I got stocking stuffers -- "safety hammers." These are the orange, weighted hammers for smashing auto glass, with a notch protecting a blade for slicing seatbelts etc. They were on sale for $5 apiece, so I bought out the store (they only had 6 left).
However, what I *wish* I had gotten is about 20 of those stupid remote control cars, and put them all on eBay. Then I could have bought some real presents.
timothy
duh (Score:1)
timothy
OT: ebay hoarders (Score:1)
Re:I went to Radio Shack ... (Score:2, Funny)
Various household items later, you would have a shoddy, fragile TrainCam! And then you could write an incredibly long story about it like so:
"...and then I suddenly realized, after copious amounts of caffeinated beverages, my bladder was indeed reaching maximum capacity. I therefore headed to the restroom, where I relieved myself, with the aid of some blue-tack in massive quantities, of course."
I'll wait on the train ... (Score:1)
timothy
Re:I went to Radio Shack ... (Score:1)
Are these for breaking into cars or out of them?
breaking in or breaking out (Score:1)
I hope never to be in an accident where it will be really important that I be able to reach my little orange handled window smasher, but I don't plan to go around randomly breaking windows with it
timothy
Re:I went to Radio Shack ... (Score:5, Funny)
CmdrTaco excitedly grabs a large, hastily-wrapped box. He reads the tag aloud to all those nearby:
"From Timothy. Hi Rob, sorry I couldn't make it to the party. Here's something to take with you on the go; these can be really handy at times. I bought the last one the store had. Open the box to find out. Enjoy!"
CmdrTaco tries to guess what it is.
"Maybe it's a new Jornada! Or, one of those slick CD/MP3 players, or even an Archos!"
*shakes box vigorously*
"I bet it could be a new handheld GPS! Or maybe just a really good travel mug, I'd be happy with that!"
CmdrTaco rips into the box, unraveling layer after layer of bubble wrap and tissue paper. Finally he grabs something heavy, and plastic, and...orange. Pulling it out of the box, CmdrTaco sits staring at the "Safe-T-Hammer" in his hands, turning it over and over, reading the poorly translated description of its life-saving abilities.
CmdrTaco then remembers the last time he clicked on a Timothy article.
CmdrTaco lays the outrageously orange hammer on the couch next to him, places his head in his hands, and weeps silently.
The Psychology of Crowding (Score:5, Interesting)
Not only that, but the crowds in the stores make customers fall for their gimmicks (buy one, get one free; buy one, get a free silver platter). They also subject the customer to huge amounts of other kinds of marketing.
Crowds HELP stores, not hurt customers.
Uh, kind of late, Taco... [1] (Score:3, Informative)
So, uh, yeah.
Robert.
[1] (Yes, every editor is Taco -- esp. the ones who go by Ed.)
Didn't go out. Didn't shop online. Played games. (Score:2)
Yay for me.
No shopping gene? (Score:2)
Believe it or not -- people enjoy shoving through crowds of fellow shoppers on the ordained "buy something" day.
I mean, you couldn't pay me to set foot in a mall on that day and I've been wondering if I can put off buying some desperately needed new socks until the holidays end, but everyone isn't like that. (Although, don't people have jobs to go to on the day after Thanksgiving? Do most people really get 4 day weekends?)
No, I'm not quite ready to buy my socks online...
Re:No shopping gene? (Score:2)
--
shopping online (Score:2, Interesting)
yes, let's move everything online. never mind the fact that on that one friday morning my net connection is actually fast (or something approaching fast anyway) because everyone is at the mall.
in all honesty, i suspect most people take one of two positions on the event: 1) they enjoy going out with the masses. 2) they enjoy making fun of everyone who goes out. i suspect most of the /. crowd falls in the latter.
fatwallet strikes back (Score:1, Informative)
got stonered played EQ (Score:2)
I'm gonna dig myself a hole
Gonna lay down in it 'til
I satisfy my soul
attachment sales (Score:4, Informative)
That's the truth in retail, anyway. Often things are sold at deep discounts, knowing the add-on sales will bring in the bucks. That cheap digital camera? Let me sell you some batteries and photo paper and an additional memory card. A free-after-rebate printer? Cable and ink and paper.
This is true, for retailers like mine, ESPECIALLY on a day like black Friday. We wouldn't have gotten our bonuses if we hadn't gotten those attachments... and people are going to need them anyway, aren't they?
(for the record: I would never suggestion an add-on sale that was pointless, or continue to push if the customer said no)
Do accessories cost more on Black Friday? (Score:2)
Sounds like a good way to wring a few bucks out of the simpleminder. Hey, this printer is only $45, oh, but don't forget you'll need this USB cable (at $25), and maybe some extra ink (at $30)...
Re:Do accessories cost more on Black Friday? (Score:1)
No way (Score:2)
I now work the day after Thanksgiving (the fed doesn't sleep) and completely skip the crowds. Online, however, buy early and ignore the hype.
uhhh (Score:2)
Actually I didnt buy anything: (Score:1)
It was BUY NOTHING DAY, you fools!!
My Killer Deal (Score:1)
And today, 4 business days later, they're still "researching" the charge (aka. I haven't gotten my money back yet!)
Re:My Killer Deal (Score:1)
Re:My Killer Deal (Score:2)
I was WORKING retail.... (Score:1)
It was as bad as it has been in the past, nor as bad as I suspect Christmas Eve will be when I'm moving pianos. ~Donald
"Black Friday" will never be exclusively online. (Score:2)
Buy Nothing Day (Score:3, Insightful)
I spent friday in a lovely little town in Canada, sitting by a roaring fire with friends and family, eating a modest homecooked meal.
I read a book (Stanislaw Lem's, "The Futurological Congress), went out for a walk in the snow with my wife.
Did you enjoy your shopping?
the store i work at (Score:1)
Re:the store i work at (Score:2)
Re:the store i work at (Score:1)
the thing i find funny is that if you do an exchange of an item with no upc the stores will make sure you keep the old box however most items like printers are were customers can access them and just simply gain themselves another barcode... all i know is retail is very touchy against fraud yet they dont try hard to protect themselves from it
I got a very EXPENSIVE package (Score:2)
My wife had planned to go out on Black Friday and spend somewhere in the ballpark of $400-500 all said and done. I wasn't pleased. I know that she's saving lots and lots of money--but I just can't afford to save any more! We've been living off my grad-student's income and her unemployment since her layoff a couple months back.
Anyway, she ended up not going (thankfully); but she instead blessed me with our first child being born. Now--don't get me wrong... I love this little guy and I'm incredibly happy he's finally here. I'm just starting to think that a few hundred dollars and coping with insane crowds was getting off easy ;)
Re:I got a very EXPENSIVE package (Score:1)
Re:I got a very EXPENSIVE package (Score:2)
A Travisty (Score:1)
Did it, was sort of fun. (Score:2)
First we had to stop at the bank, though, for Mom to get money. The ATM was broken so she had to go use a teller. She came back to the car chuckling. The teller had asked Mom if she was going shopping, so Mom said, "Yep, just me and my girls!" The teller told her that it was going to be really crowded out, so my mom really ought to think about getting some of those "straps" for us.
We enjoyed the image of the three of us straining against our toddler leashes.
So anyway, the mall was in fact insanely crowded, but it was sort of fun anyway. I mean, I love Christmas so it was cool to get into the spirit a little. But one day of it was plenty. I can guarantee you that the rest of my shopping will be online!
Sarah
I played Animal Crossing all day (Score:1)
CompUSA... (Score:1)
ATI AIW 7500 for $100 after rebates
150 CD-R's free after rebates
Asylum Geforce2 for $30 after rebates
I bought this Imation mini CD-R burner/player ($30), but returned it the next day because it seemed kinda useless, it couldn't do CD-RW. I also picked up the rebate forms the next day because their website was soooo slow I couldn't get anything off of it. Also picked up a can of compressed air free after rebates the next day.
Personally I love "Black Friday" I got even better deals last year. CompUSA isn't too crowded and a lot of their sales you can go later in the week and they'll still have it. I also went to Circuit City, Staples, and Best Buy but was way too late for any of the free stuff and didn't buy anything at those stores.
I don't particularly like online shopping all that much. I hate having to wait for my stuff to arrive. If I can get it local, I'd rather do that. With online shopping sometimes you have to wait longer because they didn't bother to tell you they don't have it in stock and other times you get the product (say a hard drive) and you find they did an absolute horrible job of packaging it and the thing must've bounced around the entire time. And then shipping costs on top of it all. Not to mention if you're not home you have to go drive somewhere to pick it up anyways (or risk having it stolen).
Drove there and went home (Score:1)
Went back later in the day, all the "good" stuff was gone. Then I went to Circuit City and picked up a 256MB stick of PC133 for free after rebate. Had the rebate in the mail on Saturday.
Bought a new parka online from REI Outlet on Sunday, using a 20% off coupon I found at FatWallet. I had been shopping for one for a few weeks and really couldn't find anything locally that I really liked.
That's Buy Nothing Day (Score:2)
I don't see this mania for shopping. I buy stuff in bulk, and when it runs out, I order some more. Shopping occupies a few hours a month, tops. Life is too short to be wasted in retail outlets.
"Black Friday" (Score:1)
But I digress... my first reaction to this Ask Slashdot is, "What's the big draw of consumerism?"
I mean... seriously. Why? Why do people care about stuff like this? I don't. I don't think that material wealth is all that interesting, actually. Most Slashdot readers are American, and most Americans are greedy little capitalists. Why? What's the draw?
I mean, I like computers and everything... it's fun to buy a new tech-toy. But why make such a big deal about MONEY? It's just money, after all. I understand why people like it... but still. What's the point? Shit like this appearing on slashdot... ach... I just wish people would wake up and get a clue.
Life has a lot of amazing things in it, besides stores. Discover some of them, won't you?
BrodeCo International: WE OWN YOU!
Personally, I'm disgusted... (Score:2)
This day is about nothing more than spending money. Blatent consumerism at its worst. It's a shame there isn't a universally recognised day of the year in which people strive to help someone in need, or do their part to reduce pollution (walk or ride with someone else). If there was, we would certainly be better off.
FWIW, I didn't spend a dime on black friday.
Just because you got to choose... (Score:1)
(BTW, employees of course were not allowed access to the free stuff. I've heard a lot of other stores allow the employees to grab stuff first. That's probably why '18 minimum per store' actually ends up being more like 6. We had at least 60 of each free item, over a hundred of most, and over a hundred of each sale item less than $300, and that's just my {low volume} store. That's because Circuit City RULES!