People rushing to the mall at midnight(Stores can’t be open Thanksgiving Day where I live) to fight other idiots to get a discount on inferior goods. Some of those doorbusters are specifically made at a lower quality to be sold at a “discount”. I made the mistake of going to the mall during black friday last year. There were lines out the door at most stores, and the prices weren’t even that great. Quite a few things were still at MSRP. Buying most of this stuff online any day of the year gets you a better price than dealing with the bullshit of black friday.
God yes. If I were poisoned and that was the only way to get the antidote, I’d be like, “eh, I had a good life”.
It is very stupid. We have checked in the past for online sales for Black Friday and they pretty much suck too.
This year we’re going to be signing for a new (rental) house on Black Friday. Much more exciting!
Hate shopping.
Hate crowds.
Nuf said.
Hate it absolutely. Refuse to have anything to do with it. It’s crazy to me that people get all excited about rushing around in huge crowds, standing in line, struggling to find parking, rinse, repeat. There are some demented “traditions” in our society and Black Friday is definitely one of them.
It reminds me that most people aren’t buying “things”. They’re buying “deals”. Look at what stores advertise. They all advertise deals and sales. I don’t even know what most commercials are trying to sell anymore except deals. I feel sad that most people are dumb enough to fall for it. “You buy this overpriced crap and we’ll tell you that you saved a lot of money, win-win!”
I worked in retail during my college years before Black Friday was the utter madhouse that it is today. Even then, working Black Friday and the day after Christmas was enough to drive me from entering a retail establishment on either of those days ever again.
Yes. Hate American-style consumerism, for one thing. Hate Christmas as an exemplar of American-style consumerism. Hate the idea of retail workers yanked away from their families on Thanksgiving, one of the few holidays that most Americans are allowed off. Hate shopping. Hate crowds.
Even if I was on a tight budget, I can’t think of anything I’d want a little cheaper that would motivate me to participate in this craziness. I think, however, many people enjoy the “event.” It’s something to do that’s different. There’s a goal, and some social aspects if you go with family and friends. Like a treasure hunt, perhaps.
It’s not for me, but it’s pretty easy to avoid if you have Tivo and don’t go near the stores between October 31 and Christmas.
my feeling is, what’s not to hate about it?
One time, many years ago, I was crazy enough to venture on with the other crazies, and I came home with a car full of crap. But when I got everything home and looked at it carefully, I wound up taking most of it back within the week. And I never did Black Friday ever again.
This year, I’ll be working that day, since I’m new at my job and I don’t have much vacation time earned yet. But that suits me fine, except my commute passes Target, WalMart, and a bunch of other places. I expect my morning commute will be less than pleasant.
I’ll be working on Black Friday, in a facility miles away from the nearest customer. And that’s the way I like it.
My feelings exactly.
What’s funny, though, is that with everybody in the retail world doing Black Friday sales, some stores get overlooked, and you’ll waltz into them at midmorning on Black Friday, the place will be uncrowded, they’ll still have practically everything that was on sale, and you’ll buy the things you came for and be out the door in 10 minutes.
This happened to me at the local Office Depot 4-5 years back. Can’t remember why I was out and about in the first place, since normally I’d avoid retail in general like the plague on the day after Thanksgiving. But I bought a few cheap digital frames and some other odds and ends, and there were maybe 10 other customers in the store and no line at the register, so it took me less time than on a normal day.
A day off of work?
I used to work on the day after thanksgiving. One year my employees approached me asking if we could try closing that day. There was some item they all wanted a chance at buying. I agreed, but it became permanent, somehow.
I had a total of 20 years between The Emporium and Macy’s as an engineer. Black Friday and the day after Christmas was a zoo at the malls. I have seen lines for the register over 2 hours long so people could save just a few bucks on the trim a home stuff.
Now with the door busters yes they have a great deal on things like a TV, that is stock on hand and the store may have only 2 to 10. I don’t think opening early increases total sales over the season just drives up expences for the stores.
And before anyone tells me that the management of the department companies are smart so they would not add those hours if they couldn’t make more money, If you worked in retail sales you would know they are not smart. I use to say that they gave an IQ test before hiring anyone. If they cored above 50 they got the job and if below 50 they were put in the management program.
I hate going to any mall and avoid them as much as possible. And on Black Friday of the day after Christmas no way.
I put black friday shoppers on the list of “innocent groups that I cannot stand”. I just form, er, irrational opinions about them.
My son was store manager of a staples across the street from a shopping center. His parking lot was full all day. But they were not his customers, the center’s parking lot was overflowing. He had some major sales for that day , computers, electronics, and office supplies. But his sales that day were no higher than a normal day. He did a walk through the center to check the competition. The stores in the center had some of the same brands he had on sale for more. Some stuff as much as $200 more. The stores were out the door with a waiting line. Next Christmas he did not put on extra staff to help with the sales volume.
Again the intelligence of management. He wanted to put up signs in his parking lot and front and side of store listing his sales in big letters. But was told by his district management he could only use the banners supplied by the corporate offices, and they had to go through out the store not in the front windows.
Sure, it’s stupid. I have never gone gift shopping on Black Friday. The crowds are just too big. Also, these days, you can get good deals all throughout the Christmas season, so why bother?
Same thing happened to me. On a Black Friday a few years ago, I saw Walmart was having a really good sale on portable DVD players. I wanted to get one for myself and thought one would be a good gift for my brother. But the local Walmart had an insane crowd and I turned around in the parking lot without trying to go inside. A few hours later I was driving through a small town that also had a Walmart - and this Walmart had no crowd. I was able to easily park and go inside and they had a whole pallet of the DVD players available.
It’s a voluntary infliction of pain. I don’t shop during the holidays. But those that want to, let 'em have at it. It helps the economy for them to take advantage of those deals they can’t afford not to buy.