JohnnyLaRue

For those of you wanting a DS for the kiddies I would seriously wait as there is a NEW DS coming out. Current prices on the regular DS should drop when the release date is announced for the USA http://www.dsfanboy.com/2008/10/02/nintendo-announces-nintendo-dsi/ Or if you want it before X-mas you can get it imported from Japan for $179. Your kid will be the cool kid as they have a new DS yet to reach the USA for a while.

80% myself. Am single, my local friends all keep the spending per gift to $10 so I follow the rule when it comes to them. Don't have family either. Also not a religious person. I do buy a LOT of cheap toys (Hot Wheels, Brats, balls..etc) for the Toys for Tots campaign during the holiday season. The other 20% I get on BF I keep (wrapped) in the trunk of my car and randomly give them away to people who do the right thing. ( I.e: Saw someone return their cart to the cart corral and gave them a DVD box set. The kid I saw pick up trash in the parking lot and throw it away I gave a video game to)

I am fairly laid back and will keep by BIGGEST pet peeve to only one......... **** People who use the self checkout on BF but have NO clue how to use them or have 100's of items when it clearly says under 15. *****

I do use the early release ads to have my pre-game plan. Then I adjust and make a final decision the day before.

Black Friday is here Please let me get what I want Hooray I got it! :)

I have no kids (and never will) but last year there was a mother with child in line behind me and the child (grade 4? grade 5?) was a pleasure. Asked what I was shopping for and told me "I hope you get want you want" . Very talkative (but polite) child who asked me lots of questions. Flipside is two years ago there was a mother with a child (grade 3?) who was loud and wailed away about how they wanted to go home, how they had to pee, how they were hungry...etc the kid also ran up and down the line screaming and shouting. Almost got hit twice by a car running around the parking lot too! I guess it is a matter of safety. Not to mention my fear is running into a kid who is knee high!

Thank you for proving my point. Your friend listed it early. You also listed it early.

I agree just call the stores. As I have read on here some stores do the ticket thing and the same retailer in another town does not.

Yes, I travel a lot and would like to have my travels in HD.

Wait the PS3 example is untrue. I got a PS3 the day before launch (connections) but when I looked at Ebay I noticed the basic laws of supply of demand. There was an oversaturation of PS3's and not enough buyers. Then you had the greedy jabronis who asked for more than the price threshold was for buyers! I know numerous people stuck with PS3's and ended up selling them at cost before X-mas.

Call your bank and let them know where and when you are shopping that day! :)

Way too many to list. I could write a book. I was an employee once at toys R Us for holiday help during Furbymania and got into a scuffle with a customer. I mean who shows up at 10am and expects a Furby? Then has the nerve to call me a *@#!ing liar and throw a board game at me. So I threw the game right back at her! Yes I was young and it was my first BF experience! Last yea was funny as I was inline and people had their tents on the grass surrounding the Circuit City. Well the automatic sprinklers go off and I hear screams and the sound of the sprinklers going off and hitting the tents I found damn funny. The sprinklers go off and the masses start moving the tents to the curb/sidewalk. Well one chick who said how the sprinklers wont go off again stayed put and sat outside the tent as she had the whole grass area to herself. Well sure enough the sprinklers go off again! She screams and runs into the tent. Oh I forgot I had my Japanese gf (at the time) join me one year and she was surprised! She loved the deals but was sooo funny apologizing to everyone for taking the items on sale. And to the poster above that does sound like something Canucks would do. We are in no hurry and Boxing Day is the closest we have to BF and that is very very tame.

Wow the 99 cent deal has mine beat. I mentioned it in anther thread but I was at Best Buy to get a HDTV (3 years ago). I settled for one still available as I was not first in line. I get in line to checkout and have a few giftcards for small amounts and the HDTV rings up as regular price. I said to the young chick cashiering that the ad says you get a $200 rebate. She says OH! and called the floor manager over. He glanced at the ad and says yea give it to him with the rebate. I leave and return home only to notice the receipt had the mail in rebate for $200 as well! I check the ad and sure enough the tiny print says (after mail in rebate) so I mailed it in and got a cheque for $200 weeks later! So when it was all said and done I got the HDTV for $35

Probably spending more. Not affected by the poor US economy and I figure the deals will reflect the consumer crunch.

I guess those who have a ticket are less likely to stampede but those without a ticket will still be crashing through the doors. Also handing out tickets makes those who have no intention of buying those items more likely to buy them (or the ticket to resell). If I was on the fence on say a HDTV and had a chance to guarantee the item I would get the ticket and then buy the HDTV. Not to mention allowing more than one ticket per person. If they allowed one ticket per person that would be fair. I guess if the places that use the ticket system have it working then obviously that is the best system for them. The Best Buy I went to on BF 2006 I was in and out within 40 minutes I want to say. Oh well, thanks for the heads up as I will avoid the stores that have tickets.

I got mine when I briefly lived in Japan 2 years ago and it is still far better than anything being sold in North America. I know biccamera.com ships and has good prices (you can get a very nice camera for under $100) but if you don't read Japanese it's probably of no use to you. Sorry

Just me myself and I. Oh and a protein bar or two. Oh and a cell phone and of course the $$$ too! I can't fathom bringing all that stuff with me. I'm usually the person staring at those who bring all that stuff.

My name is T and I think this is year 5 for me. I reside in So. Cal in the fall/winter and live in Canada in the spring/summer months. Now that the CDN dollar is about the same as the US it means I can buy more items!!! I save a LOT on BF as there is no GST or PST and prices are much lower!! I usually do the BF thing solo (I'm single, no kids) though last year a friend came along. He complained about the weather (he was wearing a jacket and pants!) though I was out there all night in shorts and a t-shirt and comfortable. I used to play hockey so I am not opposed to hip checking people who get in my way (Just kidding!!!) I stumbled upon this page the day before BF last year but was too busy to register or post. Oh yea I am semi-retired (but I'm not old and just turned 30!) and ummm that's it I think.

Interesting though it seems the ticket defeats the purpose. If you can pick up the item until 11am yet not be allowed to leave the line what is the purpose? To prevent stampedes? I doubt it as I would think those without the tickets would now push and shove even more. My local stores do not use the ticket system (Thank goodness!). The stores in my area allow X number of people in the store at a time. When one leaves one more can enter. Much thanks for the FAQ as I should start asking which stores have the ticket system and avoid those stores.

Hey if people are that hard up for $$$$ to wait in line forever to sell tickets for a couple hundred bucks so be it. To be honest I have no clue how the ticket system works as I never have gone to a store that does that. I've had stores hand out maps but that is about it. From what I have read I would not mind having the ticket be linked to a photo ID. Or just do away with the ticket system. Or taking the 1st 100 people in line and holding a drawing. 50 of the first 100 get a ticket.

Anything that catches my eye. Last year it was a good deal on a GPS device. I'll poke through the ads and say hey I would like that and I get it. I already have all the usual BF items I want (PS3, HDTV, fancy digital camera I got while in Japan, ...etc) Laptop is on my list but the ones on BF sales are awful (based on years past) and not powerful enough for my needs. I might just bite the bullet and get one now. Possibly the only item I would REALLY want is a HDTV video camera. Yup I think that is my #1 item for this BF. If you happen to see me at BF please don't take that item before I have a chance to get it.

5 years. My huge deals have been the last 3 years: 2007 - GPS for $69. Entertainment centre for $49 2006 - 19 inch HDTV for $35. Yes I said $35! I asked for the HDTV on sale and grabbed it. Got inline and it rang up what I thought was in error as I was under the impression you got a $199 rebate. I showed the ad to the cashier and she was flustered and tried to get a hold of the manager. The manager asked her if the ad said rebate and she said yes so he said give him the rebate. Well, I walk out with all my stuff (DVDs, TV...etc) and when I get home I notice the receipt has a mail in rebate on it for $199! So I got 2 rebates!! WOOO HOOO! 2005 - a nice 21 inch analog TV for my parents for $59. Since their TV at the time was something from the early 80's and they refused to buy a current one as the old still worked (provided you hit the side of it every so often)