zim05

A variety of good, lower priced TVs, with the digital switch my parents need to upgrade! Also cheaper Wii games, a Blu-ray player and a wide selection of good DVD titles.

How are items, such as TVs, Computers, other electronics, from last year or previous BFs working? Are there any problems with them or do they run so smoothly that you love it? The reason I ask is that I've been debating on what to get this BF, but we for sure need a TV and been going back and forth on whether to get a new computer. So I thought this might be helpful to others in the same boat on what brands/types to look for and what to stay away from!

That really sucks!! The idea of people getting a whole bunch of stuff and reselling is a touchy topic on the BF boards (or at least on the one I frequent). It seems that people on the boards are, as a whole, divided on it, personally I don't like it and it is a pet peeve of mine as well, expecially on BF.

LOL:yup: I do the same with my poor mom! She grabs a cart and goes to pre-decided area (out of the way of course) and grabs anything and everything on the way! I wrote about my wrost expeirence in the "BF Past Stories" thread. But last year we had one of our exchange students come down from college to go with us again (she gone for the last 4 years). We were at Target and we really wanted the Guitar Hero for the PS3, the one with two guitars. Once the doors opened she ran to it and got the one of the last ones but someone pushed her down (not sure if it was on purpose) and anothe person took it from her. She was sooo mad but laughed it off because it turned out my sister, who went through a different door, got the last one. Oh that leads me to another pet peeve: - People who either take stuff out of carts or from someone else's hands

Yeah I agree, I understand pushing and shoving is bound to happen in some cases but if you see someone down why not stop and help them up? Like in some of those videos in the BF video thread, when people fall down everyone keeps going and steps on them! I've never actually seen people getting into a brawl on BF over anything, just pushing and shoving.

Well I guess we can agree to disagree on this one People are (for the most part) pleasant in the lines and will hold places but once those doors open its every person for themselves. I just don't like to see kids waiting in lines in 10 degree weather, but since your in the south you probably have more mild weather! I'm not saying your a bad parent or anything its just that I've seen kids go through it just fine but then there are some kids who are so freaked out that they are screaming at the top of their lungs. In the end it's the parents who decide whether they need to/want to bring the kid but not everybody on BF will on the lookout for them or will be less 'intense' because of them! So thats way I say, as my (personal) pet peeve, not to bring kids just because you don't know how the kid or other BFs will respond or react to BF! Back on topic: When the stores split things up, like movies, in two different places. At Target in the previous years all their BF movies have always been in the movies section. Last year they decided to split them up, boxed movies and tv shows were in the usual spot but the new releases/cheap dvds were in the girls clothes area, which just happens to be next to the checkouts! Which, if you don't get it right away, can be a pain in the bottom because of the lines for checkout!

Oh Ok Thanks, that makes sense!!

This may be a stupid question but I've always wanted to know! How do you get internet access waiting in line on BF?? Do you just pick up surrounding wireless signals?

I still disagree strongly with bring children for the mere fact of the aggressive crowds. When you get that many over-anxious BFers (some who will stop at nothing to get what they set out to get) in small areas, pushing and shoving WILL happen! Not only that but at that time in the morning in such a loud and combative environment it would, in my opinion, scare the crap out of some kids. I, personally, don't have any kids but from my years of experience with BF, it just doesn't sound like a good combinaton. But than again maybe your BF isn't as intense as mine! In regards to your second comment, I strongly feel that during BF no one is patient (and oh I do try!!) and respect goes both ways. If your cart is blocking everyone (not very polite in my opinion) from moving through the isle than it deserves to be pushed a bit to make room!

Typically we hit up Walmart first since they open before Target. We are usually out by 5:15 (grab and go) and over at Target by 5:20 or so and waiting for them to open up. At Target it takes a bit longer but we usually arn't in there longer than 15 minutes (20 at the most). Then we hit up Best Buy and one year we stood in line for an hour and a half, but last year we only waited 30 minutes.

My family hosts exchange students and the first year that we had one we brought her along BF. She is from South Korea and was blown away by BF and we thought it scared so the year after we were surprised that she asked to come along! She has been along the last 4 years (last year she came down from college to spend TG w/ us and BF), she enjoys it as much as we do!!! Its nice b/c she is small and compact and gets between people and is as agressive as they are LOL!!

I totally agree with you Shopping mom, I hate it when people go bazerk on the employees, long lines and possible mistakes at checkout goes hand in hand with BF, you just have to make sure to catch it so you don't pay more!

LOL I know I know but with the excitment on this board already its hard not to start getting pumped!!

What are everyone's pet peeves when it comes to BF? Mine are the following: -Small children - seriously people they could get hurt! -Line cutters - obviously I don't really need to explain -Browsers - I'm a grab and go kinda BF shopper! -Carts - I don't really mind if you need a cart but don't bring it into the small isles, my mom is in charge of the cart at stores and she stands close to checkout and out of the way. At Target last year in the movie section there were two people w/ carts and I couldn't reach the darn movies and finally pushed my way through. -Complainers or people who state the obvious - Expecially when we're standing outside and people in front and back of us are crabin' that its cold out. I just wanted to scream "NO Crap its cold out its MINNESOTA for crabin' sake GET OVER it!!

I always go with my mom and my sister, we never bring my younger 3 siblings b/c we buy for them on BF. We also have exchange students that live with my parents and we usually bring them (if their up to it :)). Usually there are four or five of us who will go!

My story happened a couple of years ago (maybe 4yrs) at Walmart when the CareBears were back as a hot item. There was a big square metal box that held all the CareBears (these CareBears were the bigger one size) and the box taped off until 5am. Once they took the tape off and people were allow to grab and there was literally a stampede (sp?) and my sister was over there to try to get two for our younger brother and sister. She came away without a scratch but she said people were pushed down and stomped on by the crowd and some of the CareBears were ripped apart by the seams by people fighting for them. We found out later when we went over to Target to wait for them to open that a person broke their arm and another one their wrist in "The Great CareBear Stampede" <--which is what we now call it by.

I did last year for the first time. I hit up K-mart for the Wii at like 2:30am. Exhaustion didn't hit me until after returning from shopping on BF, it must have been the excitment!!

Mom & Dad 2 Sis 2 Bros 3 Exchange students 1 Godmother Sis' Fiance 3 Best Friends 3 Aunts (My parents buy for uncles) 2 Grandmas 1 Grandpa

Hello! I'm Zim and I'm from south central Minnesota. I will be a senior in college and will hopefully graduate in May (09) with a major in History and minor in Art History. I have four other siblings (2 sis/2 bros), my family is also a host family to three exchange students. So basically Christmas is extemely hectic but we love it!! My mom, older sister and I have been BF shoppers for about 5 years and until BF I will be absolutely addicted to this website :).

We usually don't stop there on BF but it's exciting to start getting info already!