Black Friday scares me
 

It's getting to be that time of year again when we see people punching others in the nose for discounted "doorbuster" electronics. Do you engage in the battle that is BF or do you stay in safety behind your computer to get the very same deals on Cyber Monday?

Do you have a tradition of camping outside of the store with a S'mores kit? do you stare at the lines like a tourist at some zoo? Have you any horror stories about Black Friday? or maybe you have a "war wound"

Personally, Black friday scares me. I am from a family of Retail people but I can't throw a punch to save my life or my Lego sets. I could talk your ear off about how nasty customers can get however.
How cray cray are people going to be this year?

Me? I'll be hiding in my cardboard fort and waiting for Cyber Monday. No video game is worth a black eye.

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vQ9Q...eature=related

I went once with my sister and said never again, I enjoy sleep too much to deal with it.

My mother (Who is all most 50) went for the first time in her life last year and This happened. She was in the same wing as the original shots fired and was rushed to the back of the store with my older sister and had to deal with a bunch of Crazies shoving there way through the side employee's corridor. Needless to say she doesn't want to do it again....

Holy crap, I'm really hoping your mom was ok but I am sure she was scared. I would have been if I was in the same situation.

Deals are great but not at the cost of a broken arm or worst case, a life.

No one was actually hurt in the shooting but several people suffered bruised limbs from trying to rush through the corridor and my sister who had a 2 month old at home was freaking out and screaming that she couldn't die.... My Mom on the other hand was extremely calm apparently. Because they wouldn't state why they were being herded to the back of the store my mother and Sister walked out with over $100 of unpaid merchandise, along with several other shoppers. The report makes it look a lot better than it was, the mall was closed til 4 am so they could be sure that the 2 shooters were gone.

Personally, I think it was better than the 2 women trampled to death in myrtle beach on black friday several years back.

I also read a news report where a pregnant women lost her baby in a stampede as well as a guy who tried to help her, died.

While it is horrific to know that happens, why would you go to a BF sale, pregnant, knowing you will see the worst in people?

Because the deals are 'crazy' and you think it wont be that bad. I personally think that Black friday shouldn't happen.

I never joined them in the stampede...only once with my male friend that always shop on black friday and I came along I was miserable, tired, hungry, and it felt like an eternity because he doesn't know his way around MY super target.

He bought 2 2TB external hard drives for about $80 each and I didn't get anything since i was poor.

Last year I had to work on Black Friday (I'm a pawnbroker);I was scared out of my minds about the hoard of people breaking our stuff. But when opened the doors; it was dead not many people came by

*shudders* I stay in on that day or only venture out in the afternoon. I don't like crowds too much.

it's for me a day of fear of work, not knowing if I would get killed there

i've worked black friday but other than bitchy customers and too many bodies it has never been so bad XD got used to carrying a telzon and not even using it, just reading the bars so it beeped then saying we were out XD dude if it is all-on-floor and says as much then it is all out, we are /not/ hiding it X''D

I went out once just because I never had before and I wanted to see what it was like. Didn't bother trying to get anywhere right when the stores open, and I didn't want anything in particular, so it was just unpleasant and busy and insane. And I worked it a couple of times at Target, which was also kind of crappy, but I worked in Fashions which people weren't generally rushing to buy so mostly I had to deal with picking up the incredibly random merchandise people were leaving all over the place (I found a guitar in the middle of Shoes... wtf?) and cleaning up spilled coffee, since I swear every two minutes somebody would spill more coffee.

I'm INCREDIBLY thankful I'm not working retail this year, and I don't plan on going out on Black Friday at all. I really hate how hysterical people get over just buying stuff. I'm pretty poor this Christmas, so I'm making some of my presents and just in general not going very overboard with it, and it continues to astonish me how many people feel like they have to put themselves into debt for Christmas. If your loved ones really love you they won't care that you didn't spend thousands of dollars buying them shiny electronics.

Honestly? I've never been out for Black Friday.
Not until way later in the evening after things have died down.
Also, everything that was on sale is gone by that point.
& I really have no desire to try it.
I agree with you! Nothing is worth a black eye.
Nor being trampled to death, for that matter.

I'll hide out and wait for Cyber Monday.
Online shopping is not quite so life-threatening.

I'm only vaguely aware of what Black Friday is. Isn't it the last day of sales before the Christmas stock moves in? Or something like that?

Black Friday is when the stores have their best sales. Thus you should go out and purchase things for the holidays, and get beat up and maybe run over doing it.

And then the following Monday, called Cyber Monday, people get the same/similar deals online if not better with no bodily harm at all.

lol

I tend to stray away from the huge sales, I probably miss opportunities, but I know i'll find them at another time. :3

I worked in a fabric store for about 6 years, and while I don't have a "camp out" story I have stories of fun and laughter on the other side as the employees >.>;;

When I first started I had many sensei ^^;; so.. a couple tips from them were "bring an extra pair of socks, and if you have them bring an extra pair of shoes, too. You'll be surprised how much just a quick sock change helps in the middle of the day."

"take a break, don't worry about the line. That's why there's so many people on that day."


Learning to say "no, i'm sorry we do not offer rain checks on black friday sales" was one of the happiest moments of my life :)!


My mother used to go out with my aunt and do all their xmas shopping black friday (before people killed eachother over tickle me elmo). They'd shop, have lunch somewhere, and shop and then come home and hide the evidence <.<;;

So I have an aunt that would do the early over night shopping for her kids. Me I would never go outside. Honestly I do my best christmas shopping in january and most of my friends I make them gifts. Last year I worked on Black Friday. I work in a craft store so it was not open as early but still being up at the ass crack of dawn is annoying. No one was in the store before our normal time anyways except for a customer that bought 600 dollars worth of stuff for a birthday party and another one that bought 200 dollars for a church. Because of our door busters people try to rush in before 12 because unlike most stores we stop extreme couponers by putting time limits on our coupons. So then all hell breaks loose, and well Murphys law tends to happen. It gets ugly. I don't understand why people get rabid over fucking glitter picks or if something didn't ring up correctly. or god forbid what they are buying is printed in the coupon exceptions. (which I have memorized) I hate working black friday and wished we got time and half for it.

I heard of Cyber Monday up here. I don't think we have "Black Friday" up here, or at least not nearly at that scale. Our big sales day is Boxing Day. Still, it's normal practice apparently for stores to stop letting people in when it gets too crowded, so people have to line up and wait for others to leave before they can get in.

Black Friday's timing is morally wrong to me. Right after Thanksgiving people are willing to beat the crap out of someone else over a materialistic item, right after being "thankful" for what they have. I've only gone once and I vaguely remember it, but I do remember feeling tired and groggy, and since I had no money at all to buy anything it was pointless for me to go. I remember feeling left out because everyone else was buying things left and right and I was left to wander around. I felt ashamed because I had nothing to give to anyone for Christmas the next month, not even on the day of the year with the best prices to buy at. I'm going this year but I at least have $60 to spend on gifts this year which is far better than nothing.

I think of people who shop black Friday to be hypocritical and immoral. I know, I just said I'm doing it this year, but I really have no other choice unless I want to give something to only 3 people out of the many who have gone out of their way for me. Honestly I feel like I believe the way I do because of the way I was raised. I had no idea at all about black Friday until I pretty much left the family home. I don't feel like any item is worth a rampage of selfishness that can and has killed people. I'm really hoping I don't have a panic attack when the doors open and people start inconsiderately pushing everyone else out of the way. I'm just going to try really hard to stay out of people's way so I don't get trampled over. Being small as I am that is definitely a possibility. Being trampled over is what scares me the most.

I suppose you could try going in the afternoon? Maybe some of the madness would have worn off by then as the hardcore shoppers would have already been at it for a while. I imagine it depends on what items you are looking for, for whether or not they would still be available.

It's partly that and the group I'm going with wants to be there early to get what they've been wanting. That and they're also my ride lol. Without them I'm kinda SOL in terms of holiday shopping. My boyfriend is pretty big though so he can stand behind me so that I don't get pushed down from some jackass behind me. I'm not completely sure of what to get people for Christmas yet so I can't do much planning ahead. I'll be thinking hard though P: I was thinking Bed Bath & Beyond for the ladies and maybe a sporting goods store for the guys, and something special for my guy :)

Oh I can see that being a rush! We have a local Bed, Bath, and Beyond that my sister in law loves but it seems every other step costs $100.

Wow, really? Yikes. I'll have to check their deals online before I choose to go there. Can never go wrong with hygiene products to keep the peoples smelling nice :) Something people always need no matter who it is.

I'm working on Black Friday.... not looking forward to it as I'm really new to this job. But we shall see how it turns out.

I've never gone shopping on Black Friday. My main goal for this day is to sit down, drink some tea, and wait for Cyber Monday. :D

Well, I participated this year. I was at GameStop at like 11:30 to wait for them to open at 12:01. They let us in early but couldn't ring up until 12:01. The store is small so there was too many people in it for a small store, but no one was crazy or anything like that. No violence or anything.

BUT I DID GET THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY FOR HALF PRICE!

Happy happy happy

i was sleeping and working, it was dead until i passed out flyers to the cars then it became busy. but not crowded/slammed

Oh my word, I just saw this on another site.
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...eature=mh_lolz

And I ended up getting all my deals online. I wanted to get AC3 for $25 at the Microsoft store but they sold out within seconds.

Not much fanfare up here but not really surprised. Went out for bloodwork in the morning, had a late lunch at a very uncrowded restaurant, then crashed at home when mom went grocery shopping. We didn't even know what day it was. When mom got home she was commenting on all the good deals at the grocery store. At some point I clued in on the day. That explains the deals. :)

Me and my friend went to Wal-Mart at almost midnight yesterday. Bought a ton of 2 dollar DVDs XD Got the last 4 of the Harry Potter dvds for 2 apiece <3 I NOW HAVE THEM ALL!

It's not a thing here in the UK, so i've never had the choice if joining in or hiding.. but all i can say is it amuses the hell out of me that people spend money on tents and supplies to camp outside stores. tents and food cost money.. probably more than you end up saving.

Well, it depends on what they're buying. My brother got a 250 gig ps3 and 5 games for 200 dollars plus tax. Those, just the system without the games, cost that normally if not more.

Of course we didn't camp out or any of that stupid stuff. But depending on what they buy, they save more. Especially if they're going after big ticket items...but I don't do that. I GOT FOUR HARRY POTTER MOVIES FOR 8 DOLLARS ALTOGETHER! That is very cheap (including pt 2 of Hallows) So yeah anyway.

Yoku, you are SUCH a bargain hunter.

So far I nabbed

Xcom Enemy unknown - $25
Dishonored - $25
To the moon - $2.50
Limbo - $2.50
Towns - free
Witcher - $2.50
DOTA 2 - free
Garrys Mod - $2.50
Halo reach - $16
Wanted to get AC3 but that sold out in seconds - $25
2 poinsettia plants - $2

So far I think I have a pretty good haul for my gaming obsession. I love online shopping.

I don't know any of those games .-.

And is that sarcasm? .-.

Why do hey call it Black Friday anyways? sorry for the stupid question, we don't have thanksgiving here in the Philippines.

No, my post was not intended to be mean spirited. I can edit it if it offends you.

@Sin, they call it black friday because, as the story goes, Stores want to be "In the black" financially as opposed to "In the red" which means they aren't doing so well.

No. I was just asking .-.

Because a lot of people are sarcastic to me about things .-. And I couldn't tell if it was sarcasm or not on a website .-.

They tend to get sarcastic when I get excited about things that aren't a big deal to them...but I like coupons and saving money because I'll use it someday D: Or give it to someone as a present :3

No, I actually like you.
And your cosplay, too bad we don't have those ruffled legwarmers for you. . . .