phrogxix Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 ... and then running inside. Is there anything worse? Line numbering does take some of the fun out of things sometimes, but it sure stops these jerks. There's no real way to stop it, either. You stop and complain, the stuff you wanted is gone by the time you're done wagging your finger.
gemini1567 Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 haha, a few tried that one year when I was waiting at Best Buy....they had no chance to get through those doors...not only were the employees pretty on top of it, the rest of the line had quite a bit to say to them!
Scanner420 Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 Some tried that at TRU last year, but they were stopped by the manager, NTM the angry mob of people they were attempting to cut into.
H_Hancock Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 Yeah, that's the worst, but depends upon where you shop as to how successful the line jumpers are. For the last few years, more like 5-6 years, we've centered our efforts at Best Buy in Augusta, GA, for several reasons. First, we've been fortunate to be first in line there, well outside of last year when we decided to forgoe BF entirely due to my health...was the first BF I'd missed in decades, actually. But the Augusta, GA, BB has an excellent staff that manages the line well as well as having two Sheriff's Deputies on duty for several hours prior to and during the BF sale....and between the deputies and staff, line jumpers are quite unsuccessful. But, in addition to them, we came up with a unique solution on our own. We, as in several groups that habitually go to this BB on BF every year. And here's our solution; how'd it work at other stores is another question, but it works very well at this BB. Below are linked two street views via Google Maps of the BB...... Side View of store. Front view of store, slightly zoomed in. If you look closely, you can see a row of yellow painted concrete pillars that are about chest high in front of the store and stretch to the right.....guess they're there to prevent cars from being able to park on the sidewalk in front of the store. Well, BB puts out all their shopping carts every year just after they close on the Wednesday before BF. They're left along the left side of the store's entranceway. We take the carts and reposition them.....make a short line in between the entrance and exit doors until the line of carts is even with the concrete pillars. This effectively separates the entrance door from the exit door. Then we make a right turn with the rest and line them up alongside the concrete pillars as far down as they'll stretch. Now, we've effectively made a one-way lane into the store and you can only get into that lane by coming in at the end of the carts. Makes a nice blockade against line breakers and the BB management, every year, highly praises the ingeniousness of the design of what we do and has never criticized it at all.
1angelnhvn Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 It amazes me each year how many do this! I personally would be afraid of being punched out!!! Especially when I have already waited hours to get in, hands numb, runny nose from the cold, etc! I just wouldn't have the nerve to try it! And they are always rude about it when people start saying things to them as if they didn't see the line forming. Crazy!
richmond282 Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 Our Target was on top of it too. They had employees and police officers monitoring not just the front of the line, but the entire line. Last year, we went to Walmart and didn't have to wait outside at all. They are open 24 hours and we just waited next to item we wanted.
arci122 Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 I have seen stores try to stop mobs of people running in from the parking lot. They are very unsuccessful at this. There are too many people doing it, and not enough of them to stop people unless it is a store in a plaza that puts barricades up. I have been on the other end of it. When I see a line outside of Kohls that goes around the building. As I watched the doors open and people in line going in, I was then just about lifted off my feet from the mob behind me and had no choice but to be pushed in to the store. That was not the time to say "hold on everyone we have to wait our turn".
freesia39 Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 How would you feel if a store only let in 20 people at a time, with employees watching the line, to keep people from jumping? For stores that do not do tickets, of course. (A sane shopping experience not guaranteed when you get inside.)
tinkrbel Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 How would you feel if a store only let in 20 people at a time, with employees watching the line, to keep people from jumping? For stores that do not do tickets, of course. (A sane shopping experience not guaranteed when you get inside.)One nearbyBB does something similar not sure what the number or if they actually count entry/exits and even thought it seemed ridiculous last year that they had a line still around the block a few hours after opening it would probably make the shopping experience easier inside. How much trouble can 20 people cause inside? It would hopefully mean stuff inside would be neater and easier to find. I would guess the problem would be the people outside getting antsy and losing patience. I think regular BF folk would be ok with it but newcomers and those people who just "have to have" something would be intolerable.
KrystalMae1231 Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 I haven't seen them do like a 20 person limit, but I have seen them stop people because the store population was near the fire code limit. I personally haven't seen a problem with this, but I am sure they exist.
H_Hancock Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 One nearbyBB does something similar not sure what the number or if they actually count entry/exits and even thought it seemed ridiculous last year that they had a line still around the block a few hours after opening it would probably make the shopping experience easier inside. How much trouble can 20 people cause inside? It would hopefully mean stuff inside would be neater and easier to find. I would guess the problem would be the people outside getting antsy and losing patience. I think regular BF folk would be ok with it but newcomers and those people who just "have to have" something would be intolerable. And that's how the Augusta, GA, BB does it, too. Only about 40 people or thereabouts in at a time. I started going to the Augusta, GA one after two years of horror at the Savannah, GA, BB in '02 and '03. Crowd control was not there, the sit-in-the-car crowd bunched up at the door when the tickets were being brought out and the staff just about threw them up in the air rather than hand them out correctly. So, we started going to the Augusta, GA, BB. The crowd is much more civil, no pushing, crowding, nothing. Car sitters are out of luck completely, much to their chagrin. It's always funny to watch them stand off to the side, watching for some way to break into line, and with a cop watching them. Also, the Augusta BB hands out donuts and coffee at around 3AM to the line. Great staff which means the management is excellent. Horrible stores mean horrible management that cares nothing for their shoppers.
mommy2twingles Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 The manager at our Kohls was great about this. She made sure all the male employees came out about 5 minutes before opening and would not let anyone in from the parking lot until all of us that had been in line were in the door.
AndreaInNC Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 How would you feel if a store only let in 20 people at a time, with employees watching the line, to keep people from jumping? For stores that do not do tickets, of course. (A sane shopping experience not guaranteed when you get inside.)The Yankee Candle outlet in Smithfield, NC does this - but they only let in 10 people at a time.
KBsDarling Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 the year I worked at KB Toy we also only allowed in a set # at a time. Think its more the mall stores that do this cause of Fire code
AuntieJul Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 One year me and the hubby waited almost 45 minutes from the time Walmart opened to the time Lowe's opened (great sales on energy saving bulbs). After hitting Dunkin Donuts we waited in the car until we could rush into Lowe's - and nearly broke our backs sliding all over ice on the parking lot from the snow storm on Thanksgiving!
AndreaInNC Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 the worst thing about the people who wait in the car and try and line jump is that they normally rub it in your face that they didn't spend the night and that they are jumping in line .. that's what ticks me off!
wx4svr Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 I hate people like that. Makes me want to punch em'.
rogue1230 Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 I growled just seeing the name of the post! lol
zim05 Posted September 27, 2009 Posted September 27, 2009 Last year the Target we went to had placed carts making a passage way into the store that covered the first 30 people so the cutting wasn't bad at all. It is also one of those towns where everyone basically knows everyone so people aren't as competitive/aggressive like they are at the Target in a larger city about 30 miles away. Also the Target is well stocked and their are usually enough doorbusters to go around (depending of course on what it is).
julz0420 Posted September 27, 2009 Posted September 27, 2009 Target has always been really bad about that but 2 years ago they finally got a handle on it. Had cops there holding people back and everything. (not sure how it went last year since I couldnt go) We dont line jump but my mom is older so I usually hold our spot and she sits in the car until it gets closer to time to open (usually 20 or so min.) Shes usually just w/ me to steer the cart so its not like she's taking away the person behind us stuff. LOL
lovebears65 Posted September 27, 2009 Posted September 27, 2009 We dont take line jumpers when I am at best buy expecially if they are trying to cut in line by talking to one of their friends.. I tell them they can stay there until 4 am but if they are their past that I am calling the cops. I am not sitting out for 24 hours for someone to stay out there for 2 hours and get the stuff. SORRY Not happening. Best way to stop it is to talk to the people around you they pretty much watch for all line jumpers or crasher that try to crash when they open the doors.
tkeylon Posted November 16, 2009 Posted November 16, 2009 Hello, I do Black Friday every year. I am usually one of the first 20 in line and have stood in freezing snow storms in North Idaho (near Canada) for my BF deals. Every single year right before the store opening the line jumpers hover about 15 ft from the front door. When the employees open the door these line jumpers/cutters push their way in front of all the people who are not in the top 10 in line but who have been in line for hours. I can't tell you how mad this makes me. They show up at the last minute and in some cases have pushed their way past me into the store. Does this happen anywhere else? What the heck can a person do to prevent this? Advice please!
tkeylon Posted November 16, 2009 Posted November 16, 2009 BTW...they have done this at Wal Mart AND Shopko in my town. The management doesn't do ANYTHING to stop them.
bpr Posted November 16, 2009 Posted November 16, 2009 The question I have is, what is going through their mind (apparently not much)? Are they that selfish? Why do they think they shouldn't stand in line? I can't fathom the idea.
KBsDarling Posted November 16, 2009 Posted November 16, 2009 i always think the same thing...Do they think they are better then others? Do they have no respect for anyone? It baffles me how anyone can look at a group of people patiently waiting and think "I dont have to" once they are beyond the age of 3.
mistral Posted November 16, 2009 Posted November 16, 2009 On Youtube there are some teens testing the crowd by line jumping. They wanted to see what would happen. The DA got his but kicked. I have to find it and post it for you all. Linda
AndreaInNC Posted November 16, 2009 Posted November 16, 2009 I don't think this is an age specific issue. I have seen folks all ages line jump.
bpr Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 I don't think this is an age specific issue. I have seen folks all ages line jump.I have noticed it to be mainly men who jump the line , though I have seen a woman and her daughter try it .
leefamily23 Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 9 out of 10 BF's we wait in the car until 10 minutes before opening. Then we go to THE END OF THE LINE. I just cannot do the cold, and know if there's a really HOT item, I'm not getting it. Thus far, I've had no problems getting what I'm after. We can have anything from upper 50's to below zero w/ a windchill factor. So, how long we'll wait to get into line depends on the temps. This year my shopping partner, my sister, is 5 months pregnant so there will be no line waiting for us. We'll wait until the crowds stampede in. Thankfully, the only sale I'm really looking to hit is the Pac Sun sale and we don't get there until mid-morning. There isn't much I need in the ads.
lelee24 Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 One time an older lady made a beeline from her toasty car to the Target door just as they opened. One of the police offiers posted at the head of the line stopped her. She told him she was handicapped and couldn't stand in line like the rest of us! Funny how she could run that 50 yard dash across the parking lot so quick with her handicap though! He didn't buy it and we all cheered.
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