Brad Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 While we wait for the first ads... Does anyone have any good Black Friday "war stories" from previous years?
Morphx2 Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 Hmm Standing outside from 2am till opening at BestBuy. Freezing my butt off, kicking stones around, being pretty bored. I was the first one though, it felt good :) I couldnt even feel my feet by the end. I took a stone and etched my name on the wall of the store outside too. I had ski warmer/heating packs in my sneakers + gloves. Lots of caffeine and food with headphones. Quite fun. I was hoping I didnt have to fly back home to NJ again this thanksgiving and stay in Miami where I can wear jeans and a t-shirt outside at 2am...but that isnt happening so I will be freezing once again at 2am in NJ :)
starshine Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 My mom and I plan a strategy every year. She runs one way in Wal-mart and I run the other clearing my path with my cart on the way! I have never done any bodily harm to anyone yet they all jump in time! LOL I usually always get everything I want on my list. And last year my son wanted a Go-Bot and I have coupons from Fisher Price for 2.00 off any toy and Go-bots are made by them. SO when the door at Wal mart opened we attacked. I went and grabbed all my stuff and then got the Go Bot. It was on a shelf that said 5.88 or something like that well it rang up 13.00. I told the lady no I think that is wrong so she without even checking rang it up for the price I told her and took my coupon. I got a 13 dollar toy for 2 bucks!!! My son was happy and so was I!
genoandkiddo Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 I do, about two years ago, Menard's was selling lava lamps at like $4.88 or something like that. Really cheap!! Anyway everyone in the line apparently wanted one because people were pushing and shoving like mad. Infact, I felt bad for my sister-in-law because this was her first bf experience. We had all seen the ad the night before and decided we should all pick up three each or as many as we could get our hands on. (there was no limit on purchase). They make great birthday presents and (anyone with children can identify) Christmas exchange presents for the children's holiday party. While we were all(7 of us total) trying desperately to get as many in our carts as we possibly could, This lady reached up above Ne'ne (my sister-in-law) and myself. Well of course you know it was going to fall on one of us. Me with prior BF experience, knew to move. Ne'ne on the other hand did not and it fell on her head. The lady looked at us like we had did it. So me being the type of person who I am yelled quite loudly"EXCUSE ME". I couldn't believe how rude people were that day. Come on you all have been there you know they had two isles full of these lava lamps. I ended up with several bruises on my arms and she had a cut on her head. I think the other five were okay. We didn't have time to discuss it with the others (you know how that goes). Well Ne'ne has gone ever since and is going to go again this year. I got five lamps that day and still have two just waiting for the right person. Sorry I wrote a book but you asked I have a few more if anyone is interested.
starshine Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 Geno it amazes me how other wise nice people can turn into mean and RUDE people. I have been chit chatting with old ladies outside of the store before the doors open and once they open these ladies turn into heat seeking, bargin hunting, balls of sheer MEAN! LOL
amdskip Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 My first time was at a Best Buy probably 3 or 4 years ago. I got there like 15 minutes before it opened and by the time we found a parking spot there was like 2 minutes before it opened. I wondered around with some others close to the door and ended up jumping into the crowd and getting pushed right on through. I ran to the burners and go my first cd burner, an Acer 12x burner. That thing fried itself eventually but I was so happy to finally have a burner.
genoandkiddo Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 I know what you mean. You can stand infront of the store chatting and the door opens, all of the sudden the people who you were just talking to act like you don't even exsist. I try my hardest to say excuse me. if I bump into some one, or I'm sorry. Anything. But there are people out there, who don't know those words. I guess I just can't stand Rude people.
geomacey Posted October 14, 2004 Posted October 14, 2004 I don't exactly have a "war story" but I have to vote for our Circuit City as the most "BF-friendly store" in the area .... for the past two years they have brought out Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts and coffee, passed out maps of the store so you can locate the BF specials and just generally been nice people! Sure beats the Target next door who literally corralled their customers into a cart maze .... not pretty when the doors opened!
Morphx2 Posted October 14, 2004 Posted October 14, 2004 BestBuy did the same thing. Coffee + donuts for all and maps for the people towards the front of the line. It was nice. Of course people all pushed in though..was nice being #1 inside the door! They even asked us what we wanted and said we can get a raincheck if the item is gone by the time we get there since I was #1. I think they did that for the first 10 people.
starshine Posted October 14, 2004 Posted October 14, 2004 WOW every store should do that! I remember one year TRU gave out coffee and pop tarts to everyone. But that was about 4 years ago.
genoandkiddo Posted October 14, 2004 Posted October 14, 2004 Nobody does any of that up here. I am jealous. It would be nice, specially when it gets down right cold up here(ND). Oh well, I'll bring my own.
spencersdad Posted October 14, 2004 Posted October 14, 2004 Last year I went to Best Buy and Office Max (in that order). I was at Best Buy by 4:00 AM and was around 7th in line. I appreciated the fact that they handed out "certificates" prior to opening to those in line to get the high-money-low-availability items (such as the PCs and laptops). While some of the rude last-minute-line-cutters still got though, it still made me feel a bit better; while those folks think that they are above everyone else, at least they didn't get the best stuff. Office Max was hillarious. By the time I got there, it was already mobbed. I wanted a leather chair that they said they were out of. However, I noticed some on a very high shelf. Using others to assist, I climbed up on a desk and started handing down the chairs... that is, until the manager came over and yelled at us. Nonetheless, I got my chair :-)
genoandkiddo Posted October 14, 2004 Posted October 14, 2004 A similar thing happened at target to me. My 8 yr old (11 now), wanted a cd player. You all will remember this I am sure. Target had the personal cd players for $8.00. I went everywhere looking for them. Couldn't find them, so I asked. The lady said that they had just sold out of them. Well I was disappointed. A friend of mine found them and we just happen to pass each other. She showed me. They were beginning to pull them from the back. I picked up 2. One for her and 1 for me. That lady could have just gone and looked.
RossMAN Posted October 14, 2004 Posted October 14, 2004 I have visions of parents being trampled while trying to grab the last coveted "Tickle me Elmo" at Toys-R-Us.
genoandkiddo Posted October 14, 2004 Posted October 14, 2004 Ooooh! I remember that. I am so glad that my children were to young to want one.
RossMAN Posted October 14, 2004 Posted October 14, 2004 How many of you went to the store BEFORE Black Friday and hid some items? Let's be honest here ... who stashed away a hard drive, video game, toy, or BBQ set?
starshine Posted October 14, 2004 Posted October 14, 2004 I usually don't stash anything but I go the day before to WM and scout out the locations of things and see if I can price match things because they have to be the same item or they will not do it.
RossMAN Posted October 14, 2004 Posted October 14, 2004 I usually don't stash anything but I go the day before to WM and scout out the locations of things and see if I can price match things because they have to be the same item or they will not do it.So instead you have a tactical plan all laid out. Exact department location, which aisle and even which shelf has the goodies. Smart thinking
starshine Posted October 15, 2004 Posted October 15, 2004 Believe me my mom and I have are plan so talked out when we get to a store it's almost sick! LOL My mom goes one way and i go the other and we meet at the check out. This year we are taking walkie talkies with us so we can keep in contact with each other. Also the WM in our area is a Super WM so there are two doors one on each side so she is going to one and i"m going to the other.
amdskip Posted October 15, 2004 Posted October 15, 2004 Walmart doesn't close if it is a super walmart. They just bring the pallets out wrapped in plastic. Last year we had so many computers that someone stupid stacked them right up next to the radiant heaters in the ceiling and started 3 of them on fire. They had to be stacked about 8 high and we had to get the top ones off as they were on fire.
starshine Posted October 15, 2004 Posted October 15, 2004 Well That is what I thought also I asked at the WM here and they said nope not closing but when we got there lo and behold doors locked and lines forming. My mom got on a managers butt about it. But the store was brand new so I think that they had no idea how they should do BF. Maybe this year will be different.
2dles Posted October 15, 2004 Posted October 15, 2004 We have never stashed items anywhere but knowing the ads in advance really helps when you can head to the store and find what you really want and make a plan for who gets what and in what direction everyone goes in. I am also in ND for BF and we have had to dress warm and take the coffee and hot chocolate with us. Office Depot did have juice and doughnuts a couple years ago but I was at Target with the girls and the guys were at Office Depot and Staples. We always have Menard's figured out and that seems to be the one store that all of us end up starting at because there are so many things and bigger things that everyone wants.
genoandkiddo Posted October 15, 2004 Posted October 15, 2004 We always have Menard's figured out and that seems to be the one store that all of us end up starting at because there are so many things and bigger things that everyone wants.For those of you who do not know what Menard's is. It is like Ace Hardware, but a tad bigger. Menard's pretty much has everything on BF. Last year they were selling DVD players for $25.00. Right 2dles? So everyone goes there.
RossMAN Posted October 15, 2004 Posted October 15, 2004 /me thinks genoandkiddo and 2dles may know each other in real life
Scott Posted October 15, 2004 Posted October 15, 2004 A word of BF advice.... If you happen to decide to go with your mother because you are visiting for Thanksgiving, and she offers to hit Wal-Mart and grab what you want for you while you wait in line at BestBuy... Never EVER think that she will be able to pull it off. "All the digital cameras looked the same to me." "But Mom, I gave you a copy of the ad with the one I wanted circled." "But I got a great deal on this VCR." "VCR? What the heck does anyone need a VCR for anymore? They had a DVD player for the same price! Why didn't you get that?" ... but I digress...
starshine Posted October 15, 2004 Posted October 15, 2004 Boy I wish there was a Menard's around here it sounds like a great store. But i live in the sticks of upstate NY!
2dles Posted October 15, 2004 Posted October 15, 2004 /me thinks genoandkiddo and 2dles may know each other in real life Actually we don't but we might end up in the same city on BF depending on where the guys decide they want to shop. Starsine said: Boy I wish there was a Menard's around here it sounds like a great storeIt is a great store! We are thining that the $25 dvd players from last year will be $20 or less this year. They are currently in the store for $28.35 right now, so I am sure they will be an awesome deal this year. I have lots of the $3.88 lava lamps from last year around the house. They made great gifts for the kids we had to buy presents for and they thought they were worth a lot more than we paid. The also had fleece blankets for around $3 if I remember right. Oh, and they had batter operated toothbrushes for $1.98 or something like that I think. All I know is I had a cart full of stuff that was for us and my mom. It is all about the thrill of the hunt and since they open early you can still get in and out quickly and then head to the other stores. Gotta love the BF deals!!!
genoandkiddo Posted October 15, 2004 Posted October 15, 2004 /me thinks genoandkiddo and 2dles may know each other in real life Actually, we met on this forum. Small world. Starshine, Menard's is the place to go for BF. 2dles told you about some of the stuff. They had coffee makers $5, george foreman type grills same price, OHHHHHH! The candles. They have Candles the big round ones for a $1.99. Two of the smaller ones for $.98. Thin mints and chocolate covered cherries for $.48. Oh yeah It's the store to go to. Oh I can't wait. Been married nine years now.
RossMAN Posted October 15, 2004 Posted October 15, 2004 Well it's nice to know that we helped unite two North Dakotans (?) together :)
starshine Posted October 16, 2004 Posted October 16, 2004 It does sound like a great store my husband would be in cherry heaven at that price!
Recommended Posts