MarkRaby Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Of course, this is the only time of year I wish I subscribed to the paper. I usually leave at like 6:00 AM because they get sold fast. --Mark--
RossMAN Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Good question. I plan on calling the local newspaper distributor on Monday to ask where/when I can get the paper the quickest. We're having Thanksgiving dinner Wednesday night, so Thursday will be filled with watching TV and scanning BF ads.
Conscript Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 If you have a particular store in mind you can just check their website most likley. I know BestBuy.com posts its ad for BF the afternoon (if not the morning of) of thanksgiving.
RossMAN Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 If you have a particular store in mind you can just check their website most likley. I know BestBuy.com posts its ad for BF the afternoon (if not the morning of) of thanksgiving.It's also nice to have the physical ad for price matching purposes Call me old fashioned when it comes to BF and ads
MarkRaby Posted November 21, 2004 Author Posted November 21, 2004 If you have a particular store in mind you can just check their website most likley. I know BestBuy.com posts its ad for BF the afternoon (if not the morning of) of thanksgiving.Yeah, but it's not quite the same. On top of the fact that you can't really flip through the ad at your leisure (unless you print it out), it's usually very difficult to read the fine print (i.e. What the MIR's are) with the online version of the ad. --Mark--
MarkRaby Posted November 21, 2004 Author Posted November 21, 2004 Call me old fashioned when it comes to BF and ads Yeah, same here. Love your avatar, by the way --Mark--
Conscript Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Oh no! Price matchers! As someone who worked on BF last year (a 12 hour shift mind you) I can tell you that you will not be getting any respect from the employees if you decide to price match items on BF, ESPECIALLY in the first 4-5 hours of the day. At that point employees won't even bother with you and if you complain to a manager he won't care (this happened last year). I will be working again this BF from 10 AM till 6 PM and god help anyone who asks me to handle or go near a price match for them. Edit: Oh yeah, and if you want the ad for price matching purposes there will be plenty of ads available to those walking into the store. So if all you wanna do is check out the deals an online ad should be plenty. If you want to *growl* price match physical ads will be available at the store. I'm guessing you put that helmet on cause you knew that little rant was coming lol.
RossMAN Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Yeah, same here. Love your avatar, by the way --Mark--Great minds think alike and thanks for the compliment How do you like the GottaDeal forums so far?
Conscript Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 So far these forums are probably the best I've seen. Certainly this is the only one I'm registered and posting at and I've seen a few related ones.
RossMAN Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Conscript, thank you for the kind words. I look forward to seeing dozens (hundreds??? ) more posts from you and markraby Hopefully you'll return to the GottaDeal forums after the 2005 holiday shopping season is over. We have Hot Deals year around 24/7/365. Also remember we have several forums available not just Black Friday
MarkRaby Posted November 21, 2004 Author Posted November 21, 2004 Yep, it was the Black Friday forum that attracted me here, and it's the only one I'll be using until the end of the week. Then, I'll check out the rest of them. But yeah, I have to agree, this forum is the best Black Friday forum I've seen! The fact that you administrators post here so often also makes me like this place that much more. My only regret is that I didn't find out about this site months ago :). --Mark--
MarkRaby Posted November 21, 2004 Author Posted November 21, 2004 Oh yeah, by the way, I know it's out of place, but can/how do I change my username? --Mark--
RossMAN Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Oh yeah, by the way, I know it's out of place, but can/how do I change my username? --Mark--Just ask, what would you like it changed to?
Conscript Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 No need to thank me, I meant what I said. Just out of curiosity have you been or are you now a retail employee, RossMAN? I started working retail in August 2003 as a cell phone rep (went through one BF as one) and currently work as an HP rep (going through another BF coming up). Both rep jobs were/are at Best Buy (funny how I've been working at best buy for what will now be a year and a half and I've never actually been on their payroll).
RossMAN Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Conscript, My first name is Ross, pleasure to meet you. Here's how my Hot Deals odyssey began. Back in late 1998 I bought my first DVD Player which was "new technology" back then. A friend told me about Buy.com where you can buy DVD's for only $14.99 less coupons with free shipping. Of course the retail prices at the local stores were $19.99+ so I was intrigued about Buy.com Christmas 1998 800.com opened for business offering 3 DVD's for $0.99 with free shipping. Since they were based in Oregon it was even better deal, 0% sales tax no matter where you lived. I searched around the Net and discovered my first Hot Deals forum - it was instant attraction. Fast forward 6 years and a few thousand orders later here we are. Brad and I firmly believe in "why pay retail?" Hot Deals are on my mind 24/7, even when we fill up our car with gas - we never pay full retail. Our CitiBank offers a 5% rebate on supermarket, drugstore and gasoline purchases. Hot Deals and Web Hosting are part time, Brad does this full time for a living and is incredible at it. He really knows his stuff. So it's a perfect partnership! I don't work in retail, I work in the finance industry. So tell me a little about yourself
Conscript Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 I've always been a technology early adopter and guru. I've been programming Visual Basic since 7th grade (it was VB 4.0 back then) and I've went through every program and development tool there is over the years. Currently I am in college, involved heavily in local politics, and looking towards a career in elected office (the first one I'll be seeking in the 2006-07 election cycle) and private business. I'm majoring in Management and Political Science (though let me tell you, working even 2 months for a political campaign will teach you more about political science than any college professor ever will!). I'm a good salesman and what many consider a good communicator, so when I needed money in summer of 2003 I chose a retail job because they're fairly easy to come. Since I was a tech guru I preferred not to push carts at Jewel or ring people out as a cashier, but rather be in sales. That's when I got the sales job for a company dealing in cell phones and that was my first introduction to the world and culture of retail sales. Around early 2004 I quit that job (paid $9/hour + commission) for my current HP rep job ($15/hour, no commission). I still work in the same store with the same people, just a different department and different company. Over this last year and a half I've gotten to know and respect many of my co-workers as well as been made familiar with the retail sales culture. When you work in sales you develop a certain mindset and certain principles and knowledge that is unknown to many. There's too much to tell in one posting about what entails the retail culture, but one of the things is the respect for the employees as well as sympathy for those who have to deal with bad customers. As someone who has been yelled at, sworn at, had objects thrown at, I sympathize fully with any employees who are subjected to the same for just doing their job. I also loath the customers who think us retail sales people are godlike creatures capable of taking care of their every problem. I wish everyone worked at least a month or two in retail so that everyone could get the same level of understanding which I have. People have to understand that while to you it may seem like we're screwing up or that we're stupid and don't know what's going on, in reality we're just following procedure. Sometimes a simple task on the surface like exchanging a cell phone may seem like it should be handled without a problem but there is a lot more to it (for example having to update the ESN numbers with the phone company which sometimes takes time and some paper work) that makes it more complicated and require patience and cooperation, not having a cell phone hurled at me and excessive use of the F word. I have to follow the established procedure and make sure all the i's are dotted and t's are crossed or ill get fired. We all have our departments and over time we become experts in our areas, but just because we can't answer a question about some feature or product we deal little with if at all with on a regular basis doesn't mean we're stupid. As retail employees we despise people who price match. If you can get it cheaper elsewhere, then go get it there, not at our store! Price matching is especially troublesome during a day like Black Friday. It's not a good idea to piss retail employees off if you shop at a store often either, because we have good memories. We know which customers like to make trouble or are annoying and we treat them they way they deserve in our minds to be treated. At my store for example we have a customer who always asks a lot of questions and tries to draw us into conversations. Everytime that customer enters the store you will always see employees moving away from him. He must think no one works at my Best Buy because I don't think he's been able to bump into an employee for at least a few months now. We also have systems of helping eachother out too. When an employee appears he is bogged down by a non-buying customer who asks a lot of questions another employee will approach him and say something like "excuse me, Joe Doe, but customer service is having a problem with that rebate form you processed earlier", and then the employee has the window to politley say to the annoying customer "sorry, I have to take care of this, I'll be back later" and thus be freed. While many customers don't realize it, us retail employees KNOW our customers. We keep a close eye on customers and we know what their style is, especially if we see a customer multiple times. We also genuinley want to help our customers and will go to great lenghts to help our customers find the best deals we have and offer them the best advice. But our efforts are saved for only those who we feel are genuine with us. Wiseasses who insist on price matching or negotiating prices on small ticket items (its a retail store, not a flea market!) or who make constant returns and exchanges aren't respected by us and occasionally feel our wrath when we purpose not tell them about a better deal in the store or give them some advice we know they'd find useful. We like making people who annoy us suffer. I guess I've already started rambling, but you get the idea. There's a lot to learn and I'd recommend a retail job to anyone for at least a short while just so they learn what its all about. The perks of that is you find out all the neat sales tricks we use and marketing gimmicks, so when you see a sale or any promotion you'll know the catch without having to read the fine print. You'll also know if a sales person is b.s.-ing you if you're shopping at another store. And those skills come in handy.
RossMAN Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 You'll also know if a sales person is b.s.-ing you if you're shopping at another store. And those skills come in handy.I have a fairly decent BS-meter but you're right working in retail would be good first hand experience. Pleased to make your acquaintance
Conscript Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Pleased to make your acquaintance Likewise. :-)
motoXmom Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 I use to work at Revco ( now CVS ) in the late 80's. (yes I am old!) There was a guy that got and paid for an RX of some kind of cream or ointment. A little while later he came back into the store and said he changed his mind it was too expensive and he didn't want it. Well there is no WAY we could have taken it back due to possible tampering. I was very polite to him until he got very nasty with me and demanded his money back. I had to call the manager over and he told him the same thing. The customer didn't like what he had to say either so he hurled the prescription box and all back at me. I had to duck, it hit the display behind me and everything went flying! He then stormed out only to come back in about an hour to get it back. It's people like that I can't stand. I had no control over the price of the RX and he was very pleasent when he paid for it. Now also being a consumer I will try to get the best deal I can. And when I do I will let others know! Stores have been using their own tactics to get us in there. Some don't give 2 sh!t$ if you can afford that large ticket item or not. Just as long as they get the sale. So if they (the stores) get taken for a few bucks then I'm sorry I don't feel bad at all. All in All I guess I'm not one of those Angels!!
flowergal Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Regarding the question asked by the OP, the deadline for the newspaper to be delivered in my area (Virginia) is the same as Sunday for a holiday, 7am.
Snoodles Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Thankfully I do have a subscription to the newspaper and they have to be delivered by 6am each and every morning We will be going to relatives late morning so I will probably be up at usual 6:30 and read right away, although from what I have seen so far, I don't think I am going to be too impressed and I just had to add this one because my 11yr DD is sooooo into monkeys these days!!LOL Erika
biomajor Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 I live in the middle of nowhere--but only about 30 miles outside of Nashville. We have a local paper that only prints 3 days a week (MWF) so I've been getting my Thanksgiving ads on the Wednesday before ever since we moved here 3 years ago!! It's very cool! Then I wake up early and get a Tennessean from the general store on Thanksgiving morning too just to make sure that I don't miss anything at all!!
jipy Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Regarding the question asked by the OP, the deadline for the newspaper to be delivered in my area (Virginia) is the same as Sunday for a holiday, 7am.I live in virginia too, near DC. washingtonpost is the newspaper around here... there are two editions of the post. early and final edition. you can get the early edition as soon as 7pm the evening before and the final edition at around 2-3 in the morning. i know this because sometimes i go to the 711 for a snack or a smoke early morning when i am working late in the night. and i am gonna get the final edition early morning to make sure it does not get sold out late in the morning or may be because i cannt control the excitement... lol cheers
cutechick Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Hi: New here.. =) So does that mean in today's Sunday paper there are no BF ads? Only on Thanksgiving day? Thanks ! I love this site...
motoXmom Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Hi: New here.. =) So does that mean in today's Sunday paper there are no BF ads? Only on Thanksgiving day? Thanks ! I love this site...Yep! At least here they have a few sales ads for three days only, Sun. - Wed. No BF ads until Thanksgiving Morning.
venerdinero Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Conscript - Thanks for providing a narrative from "the other side of the counter". Many folks need to read it, and a friendly reinforcement can't hurt the rest of us as we approach BF mayhem. My personal experiences have confirmed for me that you really do get more with honey than you do with vinegar. You may even hear about a deal in advance from a friendly retail employee!! The one thing I didn't understand Conscript is your stance on PM. I DO understand that it's a pain for you and your fellow retail employees to deal with PMs and the attitudes of some customers are repulsive , but :) shouldn't you really be mad at the store which has the PM policy?? If there was no PM policy by the store, you wouldn't have to deal with ANY of this stuff. btw - did you help write the new BB policies? or their Buzz/Barry profiles?
starshine Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 I am going to KM this year Thanksgiving morning so hopefully I will have the paper right after I leave there.
RossMAN Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 The one thing I didn't understand Conscript is your stance on PM. I DO understand that it's a pain for you and your fellow retail employees to deal with PMs and the attitudes of some customers are repulsive , but :) shouldn't you really be mad at the store which has the PM policy?? If there was no PM policy by the store, you wouldn't have to deal with ANY of this stuff. I have to agree with you on this.
elena_398 Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 For the last 2 yrs, the Thanksgiving day ads for Kmart were in my Wednesday paper. Is it not the same for all of you? I've never had to wait till that morning and run to the store. This is my first year coming to this site and it does help tremendously!
BFQueenofNY Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 The night before Thanksgiving I have to work until 3:00am at the grocery store so since they get the inserts earlier than the paper - I will buy the inserts before I leave (I do that ever Sunday too) since I have no interest in reading the paper portion.
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