PerkynPunctual Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I tend to be out on Black Friday more to get into the season and people watch more than for the deals. I mean, if I get something that's great but I'm not getting hurt or fighting with someone. And don't get me wrong, I have gotten some great deals! I normally go by myself unless my parents visit us for Thanksgiving or the other way around, then my mom and I will head out together. One year, I thought I had convinced my husband to go out with me. When I got up to leave, he just grunted and stayed asleep. I shopped, got home about four hours later and hid my purchases. I heard him say "I'm coming, I'm coming". He wanted to know how long before I wanted to leave to go shopping! We ended up going for breakfast instead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajrowe Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Last year my sister and her kids went to Robinson Twp Center for Black Friday. We were at the Walmart and we all divided so we had people at each section we wanted. My neice and I were at the Wii games and my sister and nephew were by the tvs. As you well know, they put up caution tape to block everybody from the goods. Well people were getting antsy and pushy to say the least. It was about 4:30 when I was fiddling with the caution tape and my neice decided to mess with i too and lo and behold it broke!! We managed to hold onto to it for about 10 minutes but our arms were hurting and all of a sudden we both dropped the tape at the same time and the rush from behind us knocked us over and into the Wii games and it was total mayhem!!! The workers looked like the guys from Animal House trying to contain the crowed!! Well I lost my group for about 20 minutes and then I spotted them across the way. In the meantime two people going like mad with thier shopping carts literally picked me up off the ground and started pushing faster and I was stuck between the carts! My feet never touched the ground for a good 30 seconds and in BF time that is forever! When I finally was able to break free I had to buy band-aids because my hips were bleeding from the carts!!! I didn't care because sometimes you just have to suck it up for the love of Black Friday!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeepNeep Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Three years ago we were 2nd in line at BB. First person in line was this young fellow. It was his first BB BF. He decided he was gonna be the self appointed 'line cop' and proceded to start a list, write down what each person wanted, and pass out numbers to people. Tried to explain to him that BB won't even look at his list, but he was sure they would. Sure kept him busy all night, as when new folks showed up he was right there with his list and numbers. And being 1st in line got him on the evening news, where he explained 'his' system! Of course, when the BB employee came out @ 3am to pass out the doorbuster tickets our 'line cop' was right there and handed him his list. The BB employee laughed, handed the list back and said, "we don't use lists." :D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianacolie Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I have not really experienced Black Friday,but have heard many horror stories. I am really looking forward to Cyber Monday, because I can stay warm and shop in my pj's. This year will be my second Cyber Monday bargain-shopping experience, thanks to Gotta deal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess7915 Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 My favorite BF is still my first BF. It was about 8 years ago now and neither my mom or I had ever been out on Black Friday shopping. We had both always wanted to go but neither of us ever had been - we never had a shopping buddy, the money or what have you. Well this would be her first Christmas with her new husband (my father would have NEVER let us go out like this!) so we decided to get up very early and go shopping!! We were totally unprepared!! I think we had barely even looked at the ads on Thanksgiving evening! We got in the car at about 4 a.m. and picked a store (J.C. Penny's as it turned out) and off we went! Of course, we found a mad house. We knew it would be crowded in the mall but we didn't expect a line to get into the store!! We were HOOKED!! We shopped all day long and came home loaded to the gills. It was by far the most fun Black Friday I've ever had. Sometimes I think all the planning that I do now takes away from all the fun that I had that year that we went out and just flew by the seat of our pants! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieJul Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 My first BF experience many years ago was absolutely frigid!!! We started at Walmart at 4am - good thing we left earlier than that because they opened earlier and we almost missed out on the tv we were going to buy! ("We" is my now-DH and me). But since Lowe's wasn't open when we were done with Walmart, we bought a newspaper and sat in Dunkin Donuts across from Lowe's sipping coffee, eating donuts, biding the chilly time, having a wonderful holiday memory! I particularly enjoy feeling smarter than amateur-BF'ers who go to places that have different sales each day of the BF weekend (Kmart is a notorious example), who try to buy something that won't be on sale until Saturday and leave their would-be purchases at the register in absolute frustration... Is that mean of me? That's how you can tell a GottaDeal'er from a non-GD'er... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prissyturner Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 As a die hard fan for black friday and always wanting to save money BF 2007 the mall in Gainesville was giving out gift bags to the first 500 people through the door at 6 a.m. so went to Penny's first then went to the front of the mall was about 50th and had been drinking coffee all night. I got in got my bag. Then was stuck like a dang sardine from the people that were coming from all directions by now. Anyhow all the bags were gone in like less then 2-3 mins. The mall was not open so I had to go back out and fight the traffic just to get across the street to the 24hr gas station. Naturally the women'sn was full. Heck I had to go so I done what anyone would do announced my self and went in to the men's and coming out seen so very "high" people in my job. A bit weird but hey I felt good and won a $25.00 gift card at the mall. Would do it all the same again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbaby4ever Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I really don't have anything to exciting to tell. But it seems like every year I get stuck waiting behind someone with terrible B.O.!! The store is always too warm and people keep pressing against you. All I can do is pray that I get my item quickly so that I can breathe and that no one thinks that it is me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karensk3 Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 My cousins come down from Canada every year for black friday shopping with us. The first year they thought we were crazy. We're getting up at what time?????? Now they realize its not just the experience it's the thrill of the hunt. My hardest year was the year I had just had surgery. They gathered in a circle around me for the initial rush thru the doors to protect me then I was told to stay at the bench. I had given them all directions ahead of time which department to go to to get their assigned items. I was waiting patiently(or not) for them all to meet me back at registers when I see my husband wandering around aimlissly. I took off to the department he couldn't find to get his assigned item. Moral of the story never send a rooky out on black friday morning with out a watch dog to help them along. Not for the faint of heart hunters. Can't wait for this year"s sale and the visit from my cousins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psowdw Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I had asked my daughter to go with me and she had said no. That morning at 5:30 I was standing in line at a store 45 miles from our house. I saw her as she was walking into the store. I had forgotten my phone so she didn't know where I was. She just guessed, and guessed correctly, by the way, that I might have decided to go to this particular store first. I was very happy to see her--that and all the good deals--certainly made it a great day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjunea Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Last year, my sister in law and I did our usual schedule of up at 3:00 AM, hitting stores, piling things into my CRV, more stores, more things in the CRV until about by 1:30, the CRV was full to the brim and barely fit us! We were driving back home, when a car load of teenage boys started to pass us. They slowed down, ran even with us, pointing, laughing and screaming at us because we were so packed with stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staviles Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Last year I had my two boys (17 and 15) camp out in front of Walmart ever since Tuesday of Thanksgiving week....I set them up with a tent, some spending money and their handheld games and Ipods. I would go stay with them at night and part time of the day, but I was so scared someone else would come and take our place...so this went on all day Tuesday and Wednesday..then I traded places with them on Thanksgiving day...Here's the kicker~~~we were still the only ones there right up until about 11 p.m. Thanksgiving night...lol, there was no need for us to be out there that early!! Lesson learned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daydreaming323 Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Years ago, for my initiation into the art of Black Friday shopping, we waited since 3AM for the 5AM opening of a CALDORS. It was for a big snow blower at better than half price. And the deal, there were only 2. You never know what people were there for, but in my eyes they were all there for the snow blower. I'm not a kid, nor am I a small person, but you can bet when those doors opened, I knocked any and everyone out of my way to make sure I got the blower. The person I was with caught up in a few minutes with the shopping cart. I was just getting these hungry paws on that snow blower and imagining no more shovelling snow. Hallujah, I have been liberated from shovelling detail!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugglebum Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 My worst experience used to be from a few years ago when a young girl threw up all over me while waiting in line to get a $10 Sears GC. However, last year was my most memorable. I took my DH and DD's to Walmart. Dh had a list of toys to get with the oldest DD while youngest DD and I shopped for some clothes. About 10 minutes after walking into the store, DH calls, he sounds very very upset, I think he was crying but he denies that. He was stuck apparently, in front of a display of the fleece pants that were on sale for $4. He said he was yelled at, pushed, called some pretty graphic names and he admitted he was scared. He said he inched away from it right as it was knocked over. He then proceded to park his cart in a corner somewhere and send oldest DD off to fetch the toys. To this day he swears he will never go to Walmart again on BF. I was lucky enough to snag some of the offending fleece pants and whenever he sees them I think he has flashbacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lot-narth Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Other than the time I waited out in front of CC all night in the worse blizzard that we had that year, the story that still gets told and retold in my house is the BF when the Oaks Mall in Gainesville Florida was giving out free gift bags with coupons and prizes to the first 500 people through their front doors. People were crowding around the doors quite early that morning, dawn was just starting to shed light through the darkness. My mother and I were in the fifth row of people in front of the middle doors, for there was no such thing as a line. About five minutes before the doors were to open, the anxious crowd gathered even closer together, the mist of their breath nearly fogging up the glass windows that was the entrance to the mall. Everything was very orderly inside the mall. Workers had tables behind them piled high with the gift bags that would all too quickly be gone. A cameraman had a camcorder on a tripod off to one side. They were ready, or they thought they were. The front doors were allowed to be open, they were not busted off their hinges. The first few people trickled gingerly through the entrance to grab their bags and be off on their way. It was shortly after this that all forms of civility were put aside and a force coming from the back of the crowd funneled the eager people through the two open doors like meat through a grinder or more like a small planet next to a black hole. Just after I passed through the doors, a lady dashed between my mother and I, stepping on my ankle in the process. Not my foot, but high on my ankle bone. I don't know how that happened, but I do know that I was sprawled out just inside the mall in front of a crazed mob of frenzied shoppers, all the while, not being able to feel my foot from the ankle down. At this point, my mother, seeing that her 90lb 27 year old daughter was about to be trampled into the ground by the surging mob, stood between the doors like Gandalf the Grey in front of the Balrog in the mines of Moria shouting “None shall pass”. And just like the fellowship, I was saved from certain death (or at least drastic damage). I struggled to rise on my twisted, sprained ankled, just as Gandald-Mom faltered and the tide rushed forth. Staring in horror, the mall employees jumped across their tables in a desperate attempt to retreat. The cameraman was knocked back, and his video footage would be stopped short before it could really capture the assault. This fool was able to get a bag and slipped under the table to escape the crushing pulse of the crowd. There used to be a video from the poor shocked cameraman on the web at a news site, but when I went to look for it and post a link, it wasn't there anymore - it has been a couple of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macy927 Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 My very first Black Friday was in 1992. My aunt had asked at dinner if anyone was going shopping the next morning she said she needed someone to help her get the stuff that she wanted, I thought it sounded fun so I agreed to go. I was so unprepared for the next morning first I had to get up way too early in the morning, then we went to a Walmart that was not a 24 hour store so I had to wait for an hour out in the freezing cold and then I couldnt believe the rush for the doors when they opened! My aunt told me to run and get the stuff she wanted so I was running around trying to find everything, I couldnt believe how ruthless the people were! I was just a young teenager trying to help out her aunt and on that day I could not believe the beating I got from all the elderly ladies! I have went out for Black Friday every year since and I even take my nieces & nephews to show them the craziness. There is nothing like the rush you get from grabbing the hot toy of the year or scoring a great deal on something that wasnt advertised. I am a total addict now I love it I will even go just to get stuff for other people and now I am one of the old ladies that won't let any of the young punks get my stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathyjoegermany Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Me and a ex friend of my bought these silly snowmen hats and worn then on black friday. We would go through the store and call out marco polo. I know it sounds silly but sure was fun. It also had little snowmen hanging from them so we woulg let them talk to each other to help us decide whether to charge or pay cash.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoemariesmamma Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 i have actually shared this before..but like to remind myself to be more responsible on bf. anyway, my mom and I got to walmart at 4 to pricematch stuff before the doorbusters at 5 (so glad I can go to target this year) we got in, grabbed everything that we needed...went to pay for our stuff and I didn't have my wallet!!!! Freaked out, went outside to see if it was in the car and found it laying right by the car on the ground!!! Everything was in it, cash, cc, gift cards, everything!!! I couldn't believe it had been there for an hour and a half and remained untouched!! I am much more careful now on black friday!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prissyturner Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Other than the time I waited out in front of CC all night in the worse blizzard that we had that year, the story that still gets told and retold in my house is the BF when the Oaks Mall in Gainesville Florida was giving out free gift bags with coupons and prizes to the first 500 people through their front doors. People were crowding around the doors quite early that morning, dawn was just starting to shed light through the darkness. My mother and I were in the fifth row of people in front of the middle doors, for there was no such thing as a line. About five minutes before the doors were to open, the anxious crowd gathered even closer together, the mist of their breath nearly fogging up the glass windows that was the entrance to the mall. Everything was very orderly inside the mall. Workers had tables behind them piled high with the gift bags that would all too quickly be gone. A cameraman had a camcorder on a tripod off to one side. They were ready, or they thought they were. The front doors were allowed to be open, they were not busted off their hinges. The first few people trickled gingerly through the entrance to grab their bags and be off on their way. It was shortly after this that all forms of civility were put aside and a force coming from the back of the crowd funneled the eager people through the two open doors like meat through a grinder or more like a small planet next to a black hole. Just after I passed through the doors, a lady dashed between my mother and I, stepping on my ankle in the process. Not my foot, but high on my ankle bone. I don't know how that happened, but I do know that I was sprawled out just inside the mall in front of a crazed mob of frenzied shoppers, all the while, not being able to feel my foot from the ankle down. At this point, my mother, seeing that her 90lb 27 year old daughter was about to be trampled into the ground by the surging mob, stood between the doors like Gandalf the Grey in front of the Balrog in the mines of Moria shouting “None shall pass”. And just like the fellowship, I was saved from certain death (or at least drastic damage). I struggled to rise on my twisted, sprained ankled, just as Gandald-Mom faltered and the tide rushed forth. Staring in horror, the mall employees jumped across their tables in a desperate attempt to retreat. The cameraman was knocked back, and his video footage would be stopped short before it could really capture the assault. This fool was able to get a bag and slipped under the table to escape the crushing pulse of the crowd. There used to be a video from the poor shocked cameraman on the web at a news site, but when I went to look for it and post a link, it wasn't there anymore - it has been a couple of years.This is the same day and place I felt like a sardine I know is wasn't long when we got inside the store but I felt like my back was about to break from everyone pushing from the back and the sides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zansmyman Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Last year I actually made the choice to stand in line at TRU...the line wrapped around the store all the way to the front door and out it! And, I dont even recall WHY I did that...what was so good last year to make me do that?!?! Usually I just dont even bother!! I LOVE BF and cant wait for it this year!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atipton129 Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I don't have any truly interesting BF stories, however, I do have a tradition. Every Thanksgiving at my in-laws house after dinner, my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and I check all the ads from the paper and make our final lists for BF. On BF, my mother-in-law and I start shopping at 4:00am and usually don't finish until about 2:00 or 3:00pm! It's always a great time, and I can't wait for BF this year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jellybean051901 Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 This is from the year WM had the big screen TVs for cheap. we were the third group of people in line. We had sat outside all night long. We didn't want a TV but the couple behind us did. Behind them were a group of very obnoxious teenagers. That group got very large as it grew closer to the time of the store opening. We had made friends with the people around us. We let the couple behind us get in front of us when the doors were about to open. Me, my sister, my mom, and two guys standing in front of us linked arms and made a wall so the people behind us could not get in. They tried everything to get around us but were unable to. It gave the people in front of us enough time to run to the back of the store to get the tickets for the TVs. Once the kids got around (after cussing us out of course), they took of running and two of them fell flat on their faces. It was very funny. That should teach them not to try to push in front of seasoned professionals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mammacash Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 The first year I took my daughter out on Black Friday, she was 7 months pregnant. We pulled up to Kohl's and she knelt in the snowy grass and hurled. Hello Kohl's!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmyersfl Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I've been doing Black Friday since the 80's and used to go with my mom. She passed away in 2000 and that really took some of fun away but as they say in "Fiddler on the Roof" TRADITION!!! (and 3 kids to buy for) So I carried on. My husband used to say we were crazy for going out. BF 2000 I didn't really plan on going. My husband was incredulous - He wanted to know if I expected him to pay full price for the presents! So I went. It felt lonely but I knew my mom was looking down saying "Hurry up, there are a lot more stores to hit". Now I do most of my BF shopping on line and go to the stores later in the day to pick up a few things. It amazing how much the stores look like battle fields later on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuletide Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 One of my best experiences was drinking mountain dew all night and never going to sleep - leaving the house and having a strategy all mapped out and getting everything I set out to find....it was so much fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21yankees Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 2 years ago when I got to line there were 3 guys in the front of the line with their flat panel TV and XBOX 360 playing a Madden football game. They were absolutely prepared for the long wait. I've been going out of Black Friday for 6 years and every year I feel I'm more prepared than the year before. I credit this site for that as well as its members who share their experiences, techniques, etc with everyone. Steph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almccann9 Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Last year we were lined up in front of Target (well we were actually farther into the line outside of Dick's but in line FOR Target)... and we saw someone get hit by a car. Granted they were just grazed while passing through the parking lot to get into line but still we saw someone get hit by a car!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disneynutangie Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Camping out at Best Buy for the laptops with my Best Friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamlei Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 The best Black Friday I remember is the first year that my husband went with me. We were line for one of the Walmart Laptops. I kept telling him that he couldn't just walk into the store he had to hurry. He thought I was crazy. As soon as the doors opened I was off and I felt him grab for my shirt as he realized he was going to get run over and then I felt him let go of me as the crowd swallowed him up. I remember thinking he is 6'1" and he can handle it as I ran to the electronics section. When I got there he was already in line! He had pushed his way out of the crowd and took a short cut through the clothing the smarty pants! LOL..He still brags about that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngeP Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I went out on BF several years ago w/ my mom to Walmart. We went in to get the Tickle Me Elmo toy. By the time we made it to the toy department they were all gone. So we shopped for other deals and came upon a cart UNATTENDED w/ a Tickle Me Elmo looking for a home. So I gave him a home in my cart and got outta there in a hurry before anyone returned to the unattended cart. My son loved that Elmo. They were best buds! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts