I hated the "Shop While You Wait" from Walmart! Am I alone in this?

[maguszxz]

I have been doing the black friday thing for about 7 years now. I always hit Walmart first because Walmart usually has good deals and is open before everyone else at 5am. Also being that I live in a relatively small town (only one Walmart) I usually get a fair share of stuff. Get up around 4am, drive down to Walmart, get in line for my item or just hunting some small deals. Last year, they changed it to Shop While You Wait, here's their reasoning; Allowing customers the ability to get some items and then go and wait for the big ticket items that come along at 5am. Sound thinking but here's the problem; Usually stores don't get a lot of shipments, so everyone has piled up everything and then those who come closets to 5, gets hardly anything, instead everyone gets a fair chance. It's basically first come first served, which is ok if you have alot of shipment. Thank God, I managed to get a few things plus my big tickets. I was so thankful, that I just went straight home and didn't bother with the other stores. Do you like this or do you wish that it would just go away like a bad dream

[sweetdiggity]

Shop while you wait sucked. More like don't bother coming because everything will be gone before the sale is supposed to start. LOL

My store didn't have all of what was in the ad AND they let people start hoarding everything before 11pm so by the time the first sale started the stuff was already gone. The 5am thing was another joke. No lines, disorderly and a huge mess.

[tinkrbel]

From the accounts on here it was all over the place. Some stores had things misplaced or people were misdirected so wound up missing out on stuff even after being there all night. Some stores allowed people to put things in carts before time or size up clothes while others didn't. I considered going Wed and staying overnight for a laptop but just wasn't convinced the spec/price was good enough for the hassle along w/anger it would cause family. I was able to get what I needed when I strolled in about 9 maybe BUT the only big thing I wanted was the bluray players which they overstocked (thankfully). I don't care how you do things but be fair or call it a lottery and let ppl know outright it's the luck of the draw.

 

I don't mind camping out if I want something bad enough but there has to be some definite order, i.e BestBuy ticket system. I'm not sure what I'd do if ,after spend 18+hours sitting outside in line or standing next to a pile, I missed out because of someone else's error. My biggest deciding factor w/WM was the store personnel, I worked a few blocks away and went in multiple days(at diff times of day) to try and get detailed info from store manager and always got attitude(why do you need manager?) or some other crappy response. This year there is a new Walmart closer to home but going by the showing at grand opening BF may be a disaster(tramplings etc) and I very much doubt I'll bother going at opening or staying overnight.

[mamat2011]

I hate it also. We used to give each other breaks and could shop. It worked out great. I'll just have to make the best of it.

[tyreejames]

I thought it was a waste especially if you were not there for the initial Midnight sale. I got there last year around 10:30 or so for the midnight sale; got everything that I went for except for the Leapster. Luckily, there was nothing that I wanted in the 5am sale but the store was a madhouse and I would imagine that those showing up at 3 or 4am did not get all that they were hoping for.

[Bopeep]

I hated it. The fact that I didn't get one of the big ticket items I wanted was no big deal, that's always part of it. What I hated was that my sister and I always hit several stores, then we go get the kids up and go eat breakfast. Well, after having to stay up at Wal Mart all night we were too tired to enjoy the day. We ended up going home and going to bed, then taking the kids for supper! :) As much as we love BF though, we're just not willing to give up Thanksgiving for it, so we're going to have to figure out how to do it all and still sleep!

[sweetdiggity]

One thing that was really annoying at my store was that they had ropes up everywhere. I get that a few ropes can help with crowds but when you block off 85% of the aisles it causes a lot of issues. It was like being in a huge maze. lol It was really difficult to get to one point of the store because a large portion was blocked off. Made things worse. No ropes is easier to deal with!

Anyone else have this problem?

[jellybean051901]

I was able to get there and get all my items and then wait for the big ticket items at 5. We get there early though. if you really want something u should know better than to try and stroll in at 3 or 4 to get it. If you have been waiting there all night then u deserve it. First come, first serve.

[jaymacfla]

Before the trampling incidents, this used to be a sadistic treat for some teenage pranksters who worked for Walmart. Intentionally place product in places where it would cause the most confusion, sit back, and watch the fun.

[tyreejames]

I was able to get there and get all my items and then wait for the big ticket items at 5. We get there early though. if you really want something u should know better than to try and stroll in at 3 or 4 to get it. If you have been waiting there all night then u deserve it. First come, first serve.

I know every WM is different but my issue with the set-up was that it was random and complete chaos when they started allowing people to take things off the pallets. For instance, people were there early enough, formed lines for non-ticketed pallet items @ at 12 it turned into a free for all with grabbing & pulling. That's not people getting what they deserved bc they were waiting; that seems to me to be causing the very thing they wanted to avoid, ymmv.

[bfaddict1977]

this is the one thing that scares me. We have 2 big walmarts around town and many more nearby. Still it's a madhouse at the closest one. I don't want to take the chance of not getting what I wanted because of this. It's chaotic and unorganized, least what I saw when my local wm did this and I refused to wait in the HUGE line. We wanted something 2 yrs ago at the 5 am sale. Took my kids, was hugely pg, and got there about 4. It was jam packed, linme halfway around the store. I said forget it.

[TazErase]

I know every WM is different but my issue with the set-up was that it was random and complete chaos when they started allowing people to take things off the pallets. For instance, people were there early enough, formed lines for non-ticketed pallet items @ at 12 it turned into a free for all with grabbing & pulling. That's not people getting what they deserved bc they were waiting; that seems to me to be causing the very thing they wanted to avoid, ymmv.

Yeah I remember a few years ago when I had a chance to get to Walmart. I believe they had bicycles for $29 that year and a lot of people waiting. They would not let anyone touch the items until 5am. There were a number of items we wanted to get so we didn't even try for the big ticket items (even though we got there at about 11pm) As soon as the Walmart employee turned around, someone made a dash for the bicycles. Everyone else not wanting to be left out then also went for them. Total chaos as everyone jumped on the pile all at once. Poor Walmart employee turned around to find almost all of the bikes gone in less that 30 seconds. As far as the taped off areas, even though when we arrived there was no line, they made us walk through the carriage/tape barriers before we could get in. Once inside half the store was taped off and even though it was a 24hr store, they were smart enough to lock the doors at about 2am to avoid total overcrowding. Just glad I wasn't stuck outside, lol.

[maguszxz]

Yeah ya'll reminded about the whole hoarding thing. I managed to find the few games I wanted by wondering down aisles finding them scattered around. I found Red Dead Redemption (love that game) in the Paint department, lol. My mom talked to a friend who works at WM, told us you it might be possible to get some items online. If they do this crap again this year, I will just wait until Midnight, order what I want, go to bed, wake at 4, go down there for the big ticket items at 5 or just browse until the other stores open.

[angelbabymommy]

I don't go after big ticket items that are typically in the 5am sale, so...(don't shoot me), but I liked the idea. We have 2 WalMarts in my area and its usually pretty good. No one gets out of control, we do have cops inside (around the entrance area) and outside, so that helps. But, I went in around 10, 10:30, got what I wanted and waited in a line until 12am to check out. I was able to go home, get a couple hours of sleep, then hit the stores that typically open @ 5. From reading all you guys' posts, tho, I do see how it could suck/be a little unfair for ppl who come in later. I do hope they do it that way again tho.

[jellybean051901]

The Walmart we go to hands out maps and it is very organized

[TazErase]

Yeah ya'll reminded about the whole hoarding thing. I managed to find the few games I wanted by wondering down aisles finding them scattered around. I found Red Dead Redemption (love that game) in the Paint department, lol. My mom talked to a friend who works at WM, told us you it might be possible to get some items online. If they do this crap again this year, I will just wait until Midnight, order what I want, go to bed, wake at 4, go down there for the big ticket items at 5 or just browse until the other stores open.

Don't know about your location, but you wake at 4am to get the big ticket items at 5am, and you will be coming home with an empty carriage. I've already gotten to my local Walmart at 8pm Thursday and the line for any big ticket item was filled.

[biomajor]

I do dinner and then go to Walmart. If I have been there all night, I deserve to get something before someone who strolls in. If I'm in line for a ticketed item, then I should be able to put anything that isn't a ticketed item in my basket while I'm waiting. I shop alone, so I can't just let someone hold my place in line.

[HappyHolidays]

Our Wal-Mart does the maps too. Last year they had skids set up with some of the smaller items that went on sale at midnight. There were people lined up all around them. They had employees around to make sure people didn't get into the items early. At midnight people tore the plastic and it was chaos! I remember towels being on sale and people grabbing huge piles and others throwing them across the aisle to someone. There were also ropes all around the store which did make it difficult to shop with a buggy. It was hard enough just trying to walk around. I also hate that if I go stand in line for 10 hours and want to buy two ticket items that I can't do that because each item has it's own line. All in all, our experiences have not been bad and we have always managed to get the big ticket item that we have been after. I love the pre-black friday saturday sales that Walmart has done in the past and really hoping they have them again!

[starbeck96]

Our Walmart also does the maps and it was a HUGE help! Our Walmart was fairly decent. The only real complaint was where they put the toys. There was no room at all to move around once everyone started walking around.

 

I did not need any big ticket items last year so that was not a big deal. We got there around 10:30 and nearly everything we wanted. The only thing I didn't get was the cheap coffeemaker.

 

This year I need big ticket items so I am planning on taking my husband and boys (they are 13) to stand in line. We also live in a small town and we pretty much know everyone so there is no worries about being trampled or anything like that. The worse thing that happened last year was one lady tried to start a fight over the Leapster..lol. There were two or three police officers walking around nearly the entire night and the fight was put out before it started (the woman was escorted out of Walmart..lol).

 

All in all it was a good experience. They had everything that was supposed to go on sale at 5 taped up so no one could get in it.

[fluffkin79]

I'm not fond of "Shop While You Wait". I want to go to several stores and if they all choose 2 starting times for thier sales it just makes it harder to do my rounds. Didn't TRU have 2 starting times last year, too? I'm not liking the trend. I don't want to wait at the same store twice in one day. It just forces me to make choices, or PM at another store so I don't have to go both times.

 

Whatever Walmart does, they need to do it well. If a sale is supposed to start at 12 (or 5), then start it at that time. I don't want to show up for cheap PJs, games, or movies at 11:00 just to find out that they opened the pallet at 9:00 and everything is already gone. Worse yet, I don't want to be caught in a free-for-all when they do open a pallet, or when another customer creates a rush with a "false start". Maybe for the palleted items they can create lines, only let a few customers look at a time, and limit the quantities? Or skip the pallets and set it up like a cigarette counter - create a line, have items on display, customer indicates what items s/he wants, employee hands them over. It seems a bit extreme for $5 video games, but it could prevent injuries.

 

Oh, and please remove the ropes when they are no longer needed. When I got to Walmart last year (6am?) it was a busy as a normal Tuesday. There weren't any ropes, but when I started for the back-right of the store the employees stopped me and directed me to the left, where I was then directed to the back, then allowed to go to the right. Seriously? What about those people who really just want to get to the grocery section? Kinda crazy!

[johansen.mimi]

I do not like the multiple starting time thing...I do see it becoming a trend. If TRU and WM are doing it, you can bet others will too.

[mrstoots]

The Walmart I shop at does it pretty well. They hand out maps. For the past two years they have opened at 4:00 am so that allows us to get a coffee at the Dunks down the street and hop in line by 3:00 am. We're never there for any big ticket stuff, just some of the general stuff on sale (like 500 count sheets for $20.00 which I'm hoping they have again this year; and the $9.00 jeans). We shop for an hour, check out around 5:00 am when the prices go into effect, then it's off to the mall!

[vonnyb]

Shop while you wait was just Crazy last year. Our store was just so unorganized. One thing I learned is that you can find a ton of small items like ds games or DVDs that you may want right at the check out. People decide not to get them and they take them out of their cart right before they check out. Found 2 ds games for my son that way.

[conleybunch]

The WalMart that we went to on BF last year was a huge disappointment. The sale items began at 4am, stores were open at midnight and it was a huge mess. People were crazy, pushing, grabbing items, it was total madness. I am not shopping at Walmart this year due to the total mess that the company had last year.

[jaymacfla]

The WalMart that we went to on BF last year was a huge disappointment. The sale items began at 4am, stores were open at midnight and it was a huge mess. People were crazy, pushing, grabbing items, it was total madness. I am not shopping at Walmart this year due to the total mess that the company had last year.

One thing you can count on, is the pallet mania mess will continue. Unless they adopt a reasonable ticket system, things will never change. You either have to accept it, or someone else will be glad to take the doorbuster for you.

[conleybunch]

One thing you can count on, is the pallet mania mess will continue. Unless they adopt a reasonable ticket system, things will never change. You either have to accept it, or someone else will be glad to take the doorbuster for you.

True. For me someone else can have it. There are other deals out there for me:) I just wish the Walmart stores that are in my area were like some of the earlier posts.

[jaymacfla]

True. For me someone else can have it. There are other deals out there for me:) I just wish the Walmart stores that are in my area were like some of the earlier posts.

There is one Walmart in the Jacksonville area where a store employee allowed the purchase of multiple laptops to a single person. The local media reported the fracas in the parking lot by saying that the angry mob followed the person out to her car after she repeatedly challenged them (in and out of the store) and showed the mob a complete and utter lack of respect for their feelings. She basically got beat up for running her mouth and bragging about getting the laptops. There is no excuse for this behavior, but it was quickly covered up after one newscast.

[mcwalker]

After intending to be well organized last year, my plans pretty much fell apart due to a long wait in a TRU after it opened at midnight. Being pretty much off schedule, I went into a Walmart. I wasn't really hoping/trying to get any big ticket items, but my problem was that 1) almost every advertised deal in the store had already been snatched up (I had not encountered that for all the minor stuff before), and 2) the lines in aisles for the bigger ticket items made it difficult to get around some parts of the store. Since they don't use tickets, it wasn't even clear that people waiting in a line for a single special would even get it. (At least when you wait in a single big line to get in a store, you have a chance at something.

 

Not the best way to address the stampede problem. (I prefer Target and BB for my first stores). Based on the ad I might consider hitting a Walmart first at midnight.

 

Works best if you have a "crew" of at least three people in the Walmart, whereas I am usually alone or with one other person.

[leefamily23]

I don't like the whole midnight thing in general. Like another poster, I am not giving up Thanksgiving altogether. We used to leave around 3 am to go get in line (knowing we weren't going to get a short supplied- big ticket item). Which allowed for a few hours sleep. Last year we were home by 7am and slept all day because nobody had the energy to go on. Leaving at 10pm to get in line didn't allow for any sleep the night before.

[jaymacfla]

I don't like the whole midnight thing in general. Like another poster, I am not giving up Thanksgiving altogether. We used to leave around 3 am to go get in line (knowing we weren't going to get a short supplied- big ticket item). Which allowed for a few hours sleep. Last year we were home by 7am and slept all day because nobody had the energy to go on. Leaving at 10pm to get in line didn't allow for any sleep the night before.

Sometimes you just have to make your own traditions. You can celebrate thanksgiving on any given day of the year. Military families do it when loved ones are far away. I changed my thanksgiving dinner to the Saturday before.