Black Friday sales

[marie3]

I think we discussed this before, but I am now seeing commercials for stores that are opening at 4 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving. Even one of the malls here on Long Island is opening at 4 a.m.
Can you imagine being an employee of one of these stores, getting a crappy salary and now have to be to work at that ungodly hour the day after Thanksgiving? The sad thing is people will be there shopping.

[MARV]

Not me. No thanks. Just about anything is better than being shifted around with the hordes like cattle from the farm to the slaughterhouse.

<a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/cetaceans/index.cfm">Own. Rule. All.</a>

[scramjet]

I did the early morning sales once and decided never agian. It's just too degrading and depressing. All those people shoving, elbowing and grabbing just to save a few bucks. Not worth it to me.

<IMG SRC="http://www.geocities.com/cjmratings/stuff/in_action_small.jpg">

[randy]

Keep in mind..the customer is always right.......is a load of bullshit. 9 out of 10 customers haven't got a clue, and the ones that think they have a clue are actually worse. They start quoting.."I know the law and you HAVE to do this...blah,blah,blah"--sorry--you don't know the law--you think you know the law or you try to intimidate a clerk into caving in to your bitching.Keep in mind that retail is a thankless job--these folks don't get tips when they give you great service-but--you tip a girl that gives you a cup of coffee in the morning? Nothing is more obnoxious than dealing with one bitch customer after another--thinking that your sole purpose is to clean up after them.--Yeah--I have retail in my past so I can feel for retail folks. Give em a break. Sure--some are real winners--but you can find them in any job.

[shovelbum]

As an ex-retail slave, I must say, "Thanks, Randy!"

"Man is not a rational animal, he is a rationalizing animal." ~Robert Heinlein

[WolverineSyr]

I was an ex-retail slave too. I always worked the day after Thanksgiving at the biggest mall in town. I recall my last year there, the credit card reader went down for about 30 minutes. Some guy, who was buying a Celine Dion cassette got really irate with me, like I had some control over this. He got really snippy & said "Well! You just lost a sale! What do you think of that!" I laughed, honestly, I could really give a shit if this store lost a $7 sale, and I'm sure Celine could give a crap too.\
I always treat sales people well - even sometimes when they're rude. I know what it's like & how bad it sucks.

[coop41]

I'm one of the sheep that seems to go every year, rarely for Christmas gifts, more out of sense of adventure and fun and to pick up some great deals on (usually) computer gear. My teenage boys got me to go last year, they had fun (Best Buy) but we didn't get a ton of stuff. I don't camp out or anything like that, I'll usually show up an hour or so before opening max. Usually excellent weather also is a factor because I hate lines and I hate being cold.
(Some great deals this year bfads.net)

[schwenko]

You do realize that Friday is "Buy Nothing Day"?

http://www.revbilly.com/

[birdmadgirl]

I'll go shopping for sure, but I won't be one of those people who arrive at Target at 4 a.m. Any potential savings would be tainted by having to deal with people that early in the morning.

[harleytexas]

In Canada, I never experienced this until moving to America. I've only got up a bit earlier for boxing day sales at record stores, but would not go to the 4am sales here.....ever! I worked at Hasings for 1 1/2 years and was lucky to not work it and would not want to do it. Thank goodness I don't work in retail anymore.

[shovelbum]

They want me in their store at 4 am then they'd better pay ME to be there. I am NOT getting up to be somewhere at 4 am for anybody. That's just unnatural. Blech.

"Man is not a rational animal, he is a rationalizing animal." ~Robert Heinlein

[Frau_Blucher]

I just about killed myself but fought like hell and got one of the nationally advertised Sharp Aquos 46" 1080p LCDs for nearly half off. This thing is amazing...but the ordeal was a bone-chilling, patience-testing, ass-kicking, and I am freakin' fried.

[i]And you tell yourself never, never again...well, not until next week anyway[/i] - It's a Mugs Game

[waldnorm]

These days, it's a curse on both sides--even more after the Holidays. I once went into a Macy's to exchange pants that did not fit me--with the virtual receipt in the box I was told those pants were purchased on sale, so if I wanted the same pants but at a different size, I had to pay the difference. I gave the pants back to the purchased and told her to go ahead and regift it to someone who had the size, and cut up my Macy's card, and have not shopped at one ever again.

The person at the counter was very apologetic and obviously did not want to be there--that he's dealt with hostility all day--but he thought the rule was petty--the manager defended it, however--going into how exchanging for the same item cuts into the profits, and the store owes so much to the companies, etc (I've read the Wal-Mart Effect and have just a little idea about this vicious cycle--but why should I spend money on a gift I received?! It went against all logic) I did send a complaint to Macy's--they never answered it.

I also had an issue last year when I purchased (that's what I get for not downloading free application to do the same thing) an accessory program for my Ipod--it turns out it didn't work with video IPods--but there was nothing on the wrapper--neither Office Depot or the company would accept it because it was an opened exchanged item. I threw my $20 in the trash and vowed to never buy any software at a store again (only online and with inquiries to the company, first). Office Depot pleaded how if they refunded or exchanged for different items open software they would lose lots of money and could go bankrupt, etc. The software company gave me a similar line at how often they are taken advantaged of.

It's that type of nonsense that makes me have done certain things such as home made presents or home made CD's, etc. After all, why I should I "take advantage" of the retailers?

And this is coming from someone who worked at a video rental/record store for four years--back then store policy may not always have made sense, but it did most of the time and treated the customer's word, first--or often had store managers at least make efforts.

[British]

Yesterday, I wanted an LCD monitor. 2 stores didn't have what I wanted(outta stock).

Picked up a monitor today at Microcenter for $200(but I get a $30 rebate). Nice 17 incher. It's a widescreen, but it's better than my old CRT monitor. Wasn't too terribly busy. Missed out on some better deal for a monitor, but I'm okay with this one.

[phillyidol]

I was a retail slave too. Actually in the same store as Marv. He will agree that some people come out6 just to treat the workers badly. I used to get so pissed when I would open up on a sunday and there were people waiting in front of the store. Most people there that early were jerks. I'm always cool with the good workers but I can't tolerate the ignorant ones. Nuff said.

<a href="http://img106.imageshack.us/my.php?image=phillyidoltd5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/2668/phillyidoltd5.th.jpg" border="0"/></a>