Seriously. After all these years I still cannot comprehend why someone would risk health, life, limb and precious sleepy time just to throw money at retailers for deals that really are not all that amazing.
I doubt there is a Black Friday deal that you couldn't come close to from the comfort of your trusty PC in your warm Jammies and a cup of coffee, after leisurely waking up at the crack of 10:00am.
For me, it's worth whatever money I supposedly "save" to have the shit delivered to my door and never have to stand in a line, or deal with any self-righteous clowns trying to shove me out of the way to save $50 on a crappy Blu-Ray Player. For me, there's nothing worth doing at 3:00am that involves my eyes being open.
It used to be that retailers had to work to sell you something, now we just line up in the cold to throw money at them. What in the world happened.
@Jafro: I think that "doorbuster" may be jargon from the source over at blackfriday.info, but can't fight you on Walmart needing to better handle things this time around.
I like how the 42" plasma seems to have been made specifically for Wal-Mart's Black Friday. Google search results for Emerson PL-P42W-10A is only two pages, all related to this ad.
Dear corporate america. I know you must laugh your asses off watching the security footage of people going nuts over these deals in the store. but come on can we change it from
"Black Friday"
to,
"Happy friday with stock and deals lasting until sunday so don't come in trampling children"
@oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...: If you don't toss the children in first, how else will you create human speed bumps to get in front of the other shoppers and get the best deals? Clearly you do not understand how holiday shopping works - the first casualty is always the children.
@Darascon: Please enlighten us non-american-born commenters... why "Black Friday"? Did the Pilgrims butcher all the indians the very next day after saying thanks?
@dambo29: Rosa kicks butt!: Black Friday: The day companies sell so much crap they move from being "in the red" (negative balance sheets) to being "in the black" (positive balance sheets).
Not to be confused with Black tuesday and the stock market crash.
You guys did want the definition right? (has no sense of humor)
Wal-Mart....guys. You're already having to hire crowd control and security because of your reputation for people being trampled on Black Friday. Maybe the term "door buster" is a little bad for your image.
Then again, you tried that by internally changing the name from Black Friday to "Blitz Day" (no joke). All it really did was put a less negative spin on the trampling. So maybe the solution is less rebranding and more not sucking. Cool? Cool.
@MrFresh: The. Heck. They must've changed it recently. And "Event Friday" is even more retarded.
And yes, I can blame Wal-Mart. People are idiots. People who shop at Wal-Mart need to be frugal. They chain up a hungry dog and dangle steak just out of reach. Do you not expect the dog to jump at the steak as soon as the leash is cut?
If you think Wal-Mart's just innocently offering limited deals and hey? How were they supposed to know folks wouldn't go nuts over an Xbox Elite for $150? Dude....no.
Yes, crazed morons who feel it's ok to beat the crap out of someone for a toy are idiots and morally reprehensible. But stores manage incredible sales all year 'round without people getting injured. Once a year, they want a beast of demand. And once a year, they get it.
@OCEntertainment: I still don't see how Walmart is morally responsible for its customers killing other people to get into the store. They are just offering sale items once a year. If I have a garage sale and sell my stuff for very low prices, I won't get blamed if two people kill each other trying to get to my house. Like me, Walmart is not responsible for dictating behavior of people in society.
@Hello Mister Walrus: I won't say they're entirely responsible. Like I said, the actual customers who do this crap are idiots. I mean, seriously? Beating someone else up so you can give a gift to your child? It's idiotic.
However, Wal-Mart is not innocent in this. They are very aware of the difference between lowering the price of an item an generating hype for said item. Like Apple, Wal-Mart is very good at putting on a show and getting people emotional over their product. It's not a direct influence, but they know what they're doing, and it is intentional.
Thing is, if one instance of injury happened at a Black Friday event and that was enough to convince Wal-Mart (or other stores) to tone it down or improve security I'd be less bothered. However, this is a long-standing tradition. When you first put on a sale and people go so crazy over your prices they start injuring each other, you can stand back and look shocked. How were you to know people were that crazy?
Do it a second time, though (and many more times after that), you're no longer just a bystander.
No Wal-Mart isn't directly responsible for their customers actions. But they are responsible for continuing their own actions after multiple years in a row of seeing the same side effects.
@Hello Mister Walrus: To perfectly honest, Mister Walrus, it's because after years of working at the store, my hope is all but lost. Perhaps I am being a bit unfair to Wal-Mart as a company because I don't like how the many managers I worked with treated their employees. And maybe there will finally be enough security and provisions this year to minimize the craziness. Maybe.
After working there, though, it seemed too often the corporate mentality was not "How can we do the best for everyone?" but "How much can we get away with?" If you can consistently work someone a 2-11 shift and then get them up bright and early the next day for a 7-4 shift without complaints, then do it. In my own very biased, unfair experience, that's how they think. So I'm less than convinced they'll do anything beyond the minimum necessary to keep good PR.
But if the headlining triumph at the end of this Black Friday is "No One Died!"...I don't consider that a victory. That's what I expect when going to a store.
Like I said, I'm being unfair to Wal-Mart. I know it. As Mr. Fresh pointed out, there are other stores that do this, too. And yes, it's largely the consumers fault. But the lack of standards for decency, the "whatever we can get away with" mentality bothers me for very personal reasons. For coworkers and friends that I've seen exploited time and again. Honestly, it's hard to walk away from that.
@Hello Mister Walrus: Where have you been? It's always the "big corporation's" fault. Never blame the person for his/her actions. I mean, it's not like they can control themselves...
@OCEntertainment: I agree that Wal*Mart should try to be careful about the safety of their patrons. I also think that not offering crazy deals on "event Friday" is retail suicide. Especially for the low price king of the universe.
I wonder what the Sony & Samsung BluRay Players have that the Magnavox doesn't? Its half the price so I'm guessing it is missing features?
I know with DVD players nowadays a cheap one will pretty much do the same as a more expensive one.
This shit is ridiculous. I bargain hunt all year long to feed my consumerist desires in order that I should avoid this kind of nonsense. Nobody's life is worth the $50 I can save on some gadget that, in the grand scheme of things, isn't really worth anything.
@ThePaul: Even if nobody loses their lives, it's not worth that $50 for me to deal with the crowds and the lines when I could be spending that day with my family. I've done all my holiday shopping online for years. I don't get near a mall after Thanksgiving.
@FigNinja: Ditto. I hit up all the deal a day websites like it's going out of style. I've found some killer gifts at these sites, and for stupid cheap. Also, like you said, there are no lines or rude shoppers to deal with. Frak that noise, man.
My favorites are the Woot! sites, steepandcheap.com, and goingtoday.com. Anybody else want to contribute to this list?
@FigNinja: You guys are looking at this all wrong...
I go for the entertainment value. There's nothing like watching people yell, scream, and trample each other while you hear "'Tis the Season" on the loudspeaker! That and the once-a-year chance for "full contact" shopping gets my blood pumping. Nothing like body checking an old lady into an end-cap to get a cheap Blu-Ray player.
That PS3 bundle is a pretty nice deal, if only I didn't already buy all three separately. What? I'm supposed to be shopping for OTHER people? Nonsense!
@Knowitallguytherevenge: i don't know a single person with one. just go look at them ahead of time and see if you like their picture. if you do -- then go back when they are on sale.
@Knowitallguytherevenge: They've been around forever. We had an Emerson CRT that was fine from what I can remember.
The biggest thing about LCDs for me ATM is the picture quality and price ... I have a Dynex from Best Buy (350 for a 32 incher on sale when I purchased it) that's been mighty fantastic with my XBox 360.
@emorottie: I'm looking forward to bargain priced LED screens eventually. But I suppose that is a ways off. The other thing is that Walmart will have very limited supplies of the good cheapo stuff. I'd say avoid the front of the line.
@emorottie: I dont think emerson technically even exists anymore. Their name may of been bought off by a Chinese company. The same has seemed to be true with Magnavox.
I always thought that guy had a heart attack or something because of being knocked down. I didn't think he literally got trampled TO DEATH. #blackfriday2009
11/18/09
I doubt there is a Black Friday deal that you couldn't come close to from the comfort of your trusty PC in your warm Jammies and a cup of coffee, after leisurely waking up at the crack of 10:00am.
For me, it's worth whatever money I supposedly "save" to have the shit delivered to my door and never have to stand in a line, or deal with any self-righteous clowns trying to shove me out of the way to save $50 on a crappy Blu-Ray Player. For me, there's nothing worth doing at 3:00am that involves my eyes being open.
It used to be that retailers had to work to sell you something, now we just line up in the cold to throw money at them. What in the world happened.
11/19/09
11/18/09
Call it "early-bird specials", not "doorbuster specials". Try at least, to save your employee's lives this season.
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
"Black Friday"
to,
"Happy friday with stock and deals lasting until sunday so don't come in trampling children"
11/18/09
So then why does it have to change???
But I am glad someone is thinking of the children!
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
I think I might love you.
11/18/09
Not to be confused with Black tuesday and the stock market crash.
You guys did want the definition right? (has no sense of humor)
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/20/09
11/18/09
Then again, you tried that by internally changing the name from Black Friday to "Blitz Day" (no joke). All it really did was put a less negative spin on the trampling. So maybe the solution is less rebranding and more not sucking. Cool? Cool.
11/18/09
But Can you really blame Wal-Mart? I would blame the actual crazy people who did the trampling.
11/18/09
And yes, I can blame Wal-Mart. People are idiots. People who shop at Wal-Mart need to be frugal. They chain up a hungry dog and dangle steak just out of reach. Do you not expect the dog to jump at the steak as soon as the leash is cut?
If you think Wal-Mart's just innocently offering limited deals and hey? How were they supposed to know folks wouldn't go nuts over an Xbox Elite for $150? Dude....no.
Yes, crazed morons who feel it's ok to beat the crap out of someone for a toy are idiots and morally reprehensible. But stores manage incredible sales all year 'round without people getting injured. Once a year, they want a beast of demand. And once a year, they get it.
11/18/09
11/18/09
However, Wal-Mart is not innocent in this. They are very aware of the difference between lowering the price of an item an generating hype for said item. Like Apple, Wal-Mart is very good at putting on a show and getting people emotional over their product. It's not a direct influence, but they know what they're doing, and it is intentional.
Thing is, if one instance of injury happened at a Black Friday event and that was enough to convince Wal-Mart (or other stores) to tone it down or improve security I'd be less bothered. However, this is a long-standing tradition. When you first put on a sale and people go so crazy over your prices they start injuring each other, you can stand back and look shocked. How were you to know people were that crazy?
Do it a second time, though (and many more times after that), you're no longer just a bystander.
No Wal-Mart isn't directly responsible for their customers actions. But they are responsible for continuing their own actions after multiple years in a row of seeing the same side effects.
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
After working there, though, it seemed too often the corporate mentality was not "How can we do the best for everyone?" but "How much can we get away with?" If you can consistently work someone a 2-11 shift and then get them up bright and early the next day for a 7-4 shift without complaints, then do it. In my own very biased, unfair experience, that's how they think. So I'm less than convinced they'll do anything beyond the minimum necessary to keep good PR.
But if the headlining triumph at the end of this Black Friday is "No One Died!"...I don't consider that a victory. That's what I expect when going to a store.
Like I said, I'm being unfair to Wal-Mart. I know it. As Mr. Fresh pointed out, there are other stores that do this, too. And yes, it's largely the consumers fault. But the lack of standards for decency, the "whatever we can get away with" mentality bothers me for very personal reasons. For coworkers and friends that I've seen exploited time and again. Honestly, it's hard to walk away from that.
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
I know with DVD players nowadays a cheap one will pretty much do the same as a more expensive one.
11/18/09
11/18/09
I wonder what the catch is with that deal. Hopefully it's not a player that takes 30 seconds to power up.
11/19/09
#tips
11/18/09
[www.nytimes.com]
This shit is ridiculous. I bargain hunt all year long to feed my consumerist desires in order that I should avoid this kind of nonsense. Nobody's life is worth the $50 I can save on some gadget that, in the grand scheme of things, isn't really worth anything.
11/18/09
11/18/09
My favorites are the Woot! sites, steepandcheap.com, and goingtoday.com. Anybody else want to contribute to this list?
#tips
11/18/09
You know what I'm thankful for this year? That sentence. +1 to you, sir.
11/18/09
I go for the entertainment value. There's nothing like watching people yell, scream, and trample each other while you hear "'Tis the Season" on the loudspeaker! That and the once-a-year chance for "full contact" shopping gets my blood pumping. Nothing like body checking an old lady into an end-cap to get a cheap Blu-Ray player.
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
The biggest thing about LCDs for me ATM is the picture quality and price ... I have a Dynex from Best Buy (350 for a 32 incher on sale when I purchased it) that's been mighty fantastic with my XBox 360.
11/18/09
#tips
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/12/09
11/11/09
11/11/09