stationchief

Don't cross the boss!

So sorry to hear about the hubby losing his job. Start planning ahead now just in case. I can never figure out what to get anyone in my family either, except my wife who usually tells me exactly what she wants. I usually just buy a gift box for everyone. Food for the men and bath products for the women.

Most of the press I've seen has been positive towards BF, but I've also seen the media warning about BF and the images they play of those poor grannies getting stampeded. Don't think that happens much anymore since most places now have plenty of security. Far as offering doorbusters online, Best Buy did that last year with most of their doorbusters. If I recall correctly, the items went from offline to IN STOCK at midnite or something and you had to be pretty quick on the click. I got the 250GB external hard drive online. Not a doorbuster, but a sale item. Did notice they had the cheap desktop and laptop from the doorbusters, but they went very fast and was out of stock real quick.

Honestly, that wouldn't surprise me one bit. Few years back a brand new Kohl's, a mega-huge furniture store, opened up just outside Tempe on the I-10 freeway. They offered a prize to the first 100 or so people in the doors. Don't remember what it was exactly, but the bid deal was the rumor that Kolh's ws giving the very first person in the door a new complete home furniture set. The dude that won it got in line a FULL WEEK before they opened. The lady that came in second got in line a few days later. Now that is what I call dedication.

Honestly, many years from now, as I've noticed people tend to get in line earlier every year, that really wouldn't surprise me one little bit. Just bring lots of waterless shampoo, plenty of deoderant, a large suitcase, mini fridge, grill, and maybe a portable generator for your laptop so you don't have to call in to work for a month. Just set up a tent and you're guaranteed one of those plasma-screen hdtv's. Isn't it sad that people like me actually think up ways to pull off this stuff?

But wouldn't that be the fun of it all. When someone gets on everyone's nerves with too much spam, Brad can just 'kill' em off. And it's a great way to relieve stress. Imagine the chaos! But a few down sides of this: It encourages spam badly. People will spam hundreds of topics every day just to get their stats up before they go on a fragging spree. Also, people start 'gang clans' to attack in groups. I think they get waaaaaaay too involved in it.

That's OK. I was just curious if anyone had ever seen this sorta thing before.

There's always all the great deals the major chains have online. I think last year Best Buy even offered the cheap desktops and laptops online. However, waiting in front of your computer for that 'OUT OF STOCK' button to change to 'BUY NOW' just isn't the same as the experience of actually being there.

Yeah, all those stories about the cheaters thinking they've got the scam of the year and suddenly coming up empty handed just makes me feel soo good inside. I love it when hard work gets rewarded well! Keep the stories commin'!

Just wondering if anyone knows of a way to post our own pics here on these boards, like a JPG we have on our hard drive, other than having to sign up for web space. Was thinking about starting a thread about showing what your desktop looks like, like your wallpaper, icons, and such. Then I realized that might be a bit difficult.

Wouldn't you need thanksgiving off as well? Those lines might be a bit long by the time you get off work.

I'll most likely be at one of the only two Fry's Electronics in the state (the one in Phoenix, other one is 30 minutes away in Tempe). I plan on doing drive-bys now and then from noon onward and wait 'till I start to see a line forming. Even though most people will be gettin the laptops and desktops, I'll be aiming for the cheap computer parts. Not gonna take any chances. That's only a temporary plan, of course. Not really thought out or anything, just the current rough draft.

My bad, then. Guess it all really depends on the location and store you go to. Just kinda surprised me that she managed to get that. So anyhoo ...

Just wondering what people think about this idea, or if anyone else has even heard or seen of it before. A vidogame-ish style system in the forums where you can 'attack' other users and earn hit points and experience. See, me being an avid classic gamer I've been a regular at the ArcadeAtHome.com forums for some time. They use an attack system for their registered users to play with other registered users. Most people say it's rather addicting. And fun to 'kill' other users. Glance over and take a look. Whaddaya think? And have a look HERE in case you're curious as to how it all works.

Two years ago, perhaps. From what I've noticed, people have been starting our lines alot sooner and lines get much longer every year. And it all depends on which camera you want. They usually have a few dirt cheap ones that everyone wants and goes to the first few dozen people in line who ask for it, and a few that's probably more expensive and/or not as popular or more in stock. We'll have to see.

Just a lil' word of advice for all you folks planning on hopping in line: On thanksgiving day before BF, if you do show up at a store and the line is waaaaaaaaay too long to have any shot at that doorbuster, don't get too discouraged. Drive around and look at another store's line. Lines may be shorter at less popular areas than in others. For example, if your local Best Buy closest to 'ya has about 100 people in line by the time you get there, drive to the next nearest Best Buy and look at that one. Still too long? Drive to the next closest until you find one that's just right. Perhap bring a phone book with you as you go around to look up all the different locations. Just F.Y.I.

Uh oh. Those are the two hottest items on anyone's doorbuster list. Better not plan on bein' hungry for thanksgiving.

Usually people before the fifty-ish in line get prety much what they want. But be careful. If you're #31 in line and they only have thirty laptops, everyone in front of you better not want a laptop. Fortunately people want different things on the doorbusters list, so long as you hit that mark in line you should, and I emphasize should, be ok depending on what'cha want. Aren't we all!

Ah. In that case, I'll be there about 11:59am. If you bring the grill , I'll bring the steaks. Seriously, we'll chat later. I'll be hitting either that Best Buy or the Fry's Electronics right next door for the doorbusters this year.

That's the store I hit! Since you were there soo early you didn't geta chance to see what happened to the line. You probably passed me up somewhere in the store, though. Maybe I even bumped into your cart. So what time you goin' this year? I think I remmeber you, EliteABomb. Spoke with 'ya on line a bit before BF last year. Hope to yap with 'ya a lil' more this year.

Since there's some newbies this year here at GottaDeal, let's reminisce and give 'em an idea of what BF is all about. For those of us who took part in BF lasy year, tell the tales of what happened to you taking part in BF '06. Anything interesting happen you'd like to share with the class? It's late, so I'll tell the tale of my adventure at Best Buy a lil' later.

Just to give you an idea ... The only line I really took part in last year was the local Best Buy. Fortunately for me I had no interest in doorbusters, so I came in about an hour before opening. I went to the front of the line just to take a lookie and talked to a couple people who were first to go in. One guy said he was there at 2 in the afternoon and set up a tent to camp out for about 15hours. About an hour to opening I took my place in line ... starting at the front door I followed the line ... going completely around the store ... all the way to the back parking lot ... completely AROUND the parking lot ... zig zagging around some markers they had positioned up, and finally after quite some walking I found my place. I'd guess at about a thousand people in line in front of me easy, give or take. There were even people coming in line behind me after I was there. It was a pretty impressive sight to see word getting out and all these people taking part in BF. The adventure inside the BB store was equally exciting as well, but I'll save that story for another thread. So, I hope that puts it into perspective. The time you should get in line basically all depends on where you plan on going and what you plan on getting. If you're headed to any of the major electronics chains (Best Buy, CompUSA, Circuit City, Fry's Electronics, or even Wal-Mart) for one of their limited wuantity doorbusters (cheap desktop, laptop, TV, camera) plan on being there VERY early thanksgiving day. Perhaps some drive-by's on a regular basis if you can, and once you start to see people lining up you better hop in. On a side note, I really think word about BF is getting around more and more as the years go by. I've taken part in BF for just the last four years or so, and every year there seems to me more people. I really think a big part of that is due to GottaDeal and it's community, not to mention more and more publicity that the folks at GottaDeal ('sup, Brad! Yap wit'cha soon, Ross!) get each year, as we get closer to that infamous day. And it's rather warm here in Phoenix. Thought you folks expecting snow on thanksgiving might wanna know.

You can check Wal-Mart Online on a regular basis and hope to get lucky. Also regularly check Best Buy and Target online. As I type this, Wal-Mart has the Customer Choice bundle and Target has the Chicken Shoot bunble in-stock.

The bare Nintendo DS Lite with minimal accesories is about $120-130 now. If you can wait a few more months (black friday is-a commin' ) and make it a christmas present, it'll probably be available for a $100 or less price tag. I say 'available' because you'll have to fight for it if you want one that cheap.

Hotels.com Expedia Orbitz Those sites might give you a slightly cheaper hotel deal than going directly through the hotel companies themselves. And, just to remind you in case you're not in Sacramento for friends/family or whatnot, Disneyland is in Anaheim which is about a six hour drive from there. You can stay in a nice place a lil' closer for about $100 a night.