Black Friday
I just got back from my first-ever excursion into the early-morning madness of "Black Friday." There were a couple of items I wanted to buy, for myself and others, that were on really good sales, so I braved the lines at Office Depot, CompUSA and Radio Shack. The store employees were pretty harried (especially at Office Depot), but they were doing their best, and my fellow customers were quite friendly. (Hey, it's the South.) A couple of the things I wanted to buy had sold out by the time I got to them, but others weren't. Overall, it was a reasonably successful shopping trip, and in any event, it was kinda fun to participate in the grand insanity that millions indulge in every year on the day after Thanksgiving. Also, because I was up so early (I left the apartment shortly after 5:30 AM), I got to see Venus, Saturn and Mars -- a very bright, very red Mars -- in the early-morning sky, which I don't often have the opportunity to gaze at. Oh, and while waiting in line for a store to open, I ran into a lawyer who works with the ex-clerk who preceded me at my current job! Small world.
Did any of y'all brave the Black Friday crowds?
Umm. No.
I don't know that there's anything that is a good enough deal for me to wait in line overnight for hours and deal with the traffic and hassle associated with Black Friday.
I did see that CompUSA or somewhere had a sale on the old 30GB brown Zune for like $99. I kinda figured that it'd still be available later in the day, though.
Posted by: Jay Johnson | Nov 23, 2007 8:55:55 AM
There is a better time to buy than Black Friday. It is called the week before Christmas. That's when retailers get REALLY desperate and slash prices to unload inventory. I'll wait for that.
Posted by: Mad Max, Esquire | Nov 23, 2007 9:48:55 AM
Brendan,
After your bundle of joy arrives, you'll get to see Mars and Venus every morning. You'll also get to see the newspaper delivery guy, the milkman and all sorts of wonderful sunrises!!!!! :-D
Posted by: JO | Nov 23, 2007 10:49:34 AM
Max is right: this is only the opening salvo in price reductions.
And no, I didn't partake this year. I drove past our local Best Buy just for grins about midnight, and there where in excess of 200 people camped out. I wonder how many where looking for the $299 laptop/printer bundle?
Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie | Nov 23, 2007 10:54:26 AM
I did, for the first time EVER! I worked retail selling jewelry and diamonds for 5 years and swore after working my first black Friday that I'd never shop on that horrible day. Alas, I did today. I was in line at Sam's Club at 2 am this morning for a Wii. We have been looking for months and no one around here has any, so when I saw that they were the only store advertising it, I decided to break my "no black Friday shopping" vow. Brian had tried to get one at K Mart yesterday morning, but he was #13 in line and they only had 7 :(
I was #4 in line this morning and was home and back in bed by 5:30 am! The only problem we had was a woman who ignored the chairs that had been set up in line at 6:30 the night before and stood by the door, thus cutting in line. She refused to get in her proper place in line, which was #5, right behind me, until a poiceman came and made her get in line where she should have been. There were much tears on her part, but the rest of us were happy that she had gotten into her rightful place.
Posted by: Trisha | Nov 23, 2007 11:21:11 AM
Since we're discussing Black Friday sales has anyone seen a Garmin Nuvi 350 anywhere online cheap? I've found a few for around $320 and up but just thought I'd throw that out there. Thanks!!
Posted by: Megan | Nov 23, 2007 1:30:26 PM
No need to brave the wilds, Apple is doing their sales through the online store too!
Posted by: David K. | Nov 23, 2007 2:36:52 PM
Trisha, is Santa bringing your boys a Wii? That's AWESOME! I'm sure they'll love it!
Posted by: Becky | Nov 23, 2007 3:42:54 PM
Yes, Becky. Santa is bringing the boys a Wii ;)
We decided on one big family gift this year, so that's it! I think they will be pleasantly surprised, don't you?
Posted by: Trisha | Nov 23, 2007 4:54:00 PM
Until someone throws a nunchuk through a LCD screen...
Posted by: Jay Johnson | Nov 23, 2007 5:24:32 PM
lol, Jay. No fear of that in our house. No plasma, LCD or otherwise fancy tv in our house. Just a big 'ol honkin 36 inch non-HD normal tv ;)
Posted by: Trisha | Nov 23, 2007 6:21:23 PM
Honestly, the Wii remote into the TV thing is wildly overstated. My friends and I have never had it happen, and for the most part we're large spazes. As for me, I had more important things to do. Football, followed by crying.
Posted by: Mike's brother Matt | Nov 23, 2007 10:33:01 PM
Megan, Circuit City has it for $300 on their website. They're out of stock online, but they might have it at a store near you. I have the 360 and I love it.
Posted by: Lisa | Nov 23, 2007 10:34:18 PM
I didn't brave Black Friday, but I went to the Mall today and found it surprisingly dead. I think it is a bad omen for the holiday shopping season.
Posted by: Mad Max, Esquire | Nov 24, 2007 1:28:18 PM
Bea and I did the Black Friday thing last year and the year before that. I'm not sure I can do it again, it's just a hassle to get up so early, plus all the good stuff that I want is gone with the first ten people to get into the store who've been lined up since midnight. Eh. But it's fun to do once or twice in your life, for sure.
Posted by: Andrew | Nov 25, 2007 5:05:57 AM