Black Friday???

[Tom]

What in the world is this world coming to?

On TV last night there was a big advertisement that JCP was opening their doors at 4:00 am Friday.  That's O400 for you service guys.  You know, the time of the Mid-watch when you realize that you are through it and can go prepare for the days work.  There is nothing happening.  The world is asleep, except for some that work so that the rest can sleep.  The Drunks have made it home and are long in bed.....  or not.   The thieves have already sacked their booty.  Maybe the dairy farmers are starting to rustle a bit.

What in the world has come over the people?   Is it so important that they get out there and spend that dollar, or is it a mind game that retailers play to prove that they can control the population? 

I know what we could do?  We could send a bunch of these retailers to Iraq and they would have the 72 virgins so confused and tired and broke that the terrorists would disband in confusion.

Four in the morning?  The birds aren't even up then and they think I want to go shopping?  Well my wife thinks it's a good idea.  Lord knows where she got that idea?  She very excitedly told me that Prime Outlet Mall in St. Augustine will be open at midnight tonight.  The plan is that she and 4 other wives on the road are going to get together, go down there ( 70 miles) and spend money.

I just sit here listening to all of this planning and shake my head.  Is this the beginning of another Olympic sport?  Didn't Olympic ice dancing get started in some innoucuous way like this.  It just kind of slipped up in an arena with other war-like feats of strength with a claim on artistic endeavor.  I guess they got the idea that the Olympics were Art when they saw warriors wearing camouflage and warpaint.

Anyway,  I'm trying to come to grips with the idea that shopping has more to do with getting rid of money than it has in accumulating necessities.   Not that every purchase has ever been a necessity.  I've bought a thing or two that wasn't necessary. 

I wonder if it would work if I put an Ad in the paper and just told everybody to send their money to me and I would dispose of it for them?

[logwalker]

What's your address, Tom? I will get my on it's way to you.   ;)

[customsawyer]

I agree with you as usual Tom. I think that the stores are of the mind set that the early bird gets the worm so if they open there doors a hour befor the rest than they can get a bigger chunk of the credit on the credit cards befor they are maxed out. That makes every store try to open befor the rest and then next year one of them will open at 3:00 so they can beat the ones that open at 4:00 this year.

[mike_van]

C'mon Tom - No shop till you drop for you?  :D   A month from tomorrow must be "double black Friday" 'cause thats when the bills will come -  :D

[Ron Wenrich]

Black Friday for the retailers, and Red Friday for the consumer.  The Christmas season is where retailers go into the black, but for the consumer, they go into the red.

The more I shop, the less I see worth buying.

[tonich]

Who is going to be up and ready for all these sales at 4 am in the morning, Tom!?  :D :D :D




PS. http://bfads.net/ - If you are real competitors, you shouldn’t miss that up!

PS2. Happy shopping, everyone! 

[Warbird]

People are sheep, just like the bible says.  Retailers figured that out and along with the far left, have turned Christmas into a parody.  Satan Clause, gifts galore...  you are a bad person if you don't buy something for every single person you know!  They've completely taken Jesus Christ out of Christmas and it really disgusts me.

That being said, we do our best to focus on what is important and ignore all the hoopla.  It is possible to do but every now and then, I feel like you do about the retailers.

[thecfarm]

I would rather eat a big bowl of grits than go shopping on Black Friday early in the morning.
When I first met my wife,she talked me into going.Can't be that bad.WOW,now that was a day to remember,Carts overflowing,things falling on the floor,2 carts driven by one person,everyone in a big hurry.People acting like the world was coming to an end.
I went to step out into a aisle.For some unknown reason I stopped when I was about a foot into the aisle.Good thing too,a cart went flashing by me and a person with thier heels down came to a squealing stop right in front of me.Their eyes were as big as that bowl of grits I would rather not eat.I looked at them and said I think you have better slow down.They would of half killed me if they would of hit me.What a mad rush to save a dollar.I think I will stay home and cut wood.

[LeeB]

I want to is how come if black friday is the stores' biggest money making day of the year with prices slashed so much, why can't they charge a more reasonable rate throughout the rest of the year and stilll make money ??? ??? ??? ???

[SwampDonkey]

I figure most shoppers are like me. I go to those malls and stores to look for something I need most times. I most often go over to the benches and sit down watching folks just like me walk by empty handed. I watched one little store the other day for awhile and there were probably 10 people in and out of there in 20 minutes, empty handed. Just kinda figuring after watching stores on different visits that maybe 20% of visitors to a shop actually buy something. The biggest purchasers are those buying on credit, if that card bounces, they dig out another.  :

Take the other night, I went for a pair of new Red Wing boots in the mall and a set of curtain brackets for my mother. Both needed items and I never bought another thing, even though the shoe shop tried to entice me to buy a pair of $35 creepers and $7 silicone. I said I got a pair of $10 ones home and a $1 bottle of silicone home.  ;D

[Kansas]

I guess K-Mart was open today with specials, Gap and Old Navy are open at midnight tonight. Sears is having a big online only sale until 6 pm tonight...... you can pick up what you bought at 4 tomorrow morning. I didnt buy anything... and Im not going to be there at 4 tomorrow morning. Although, some of those 50% off tools look pretty good....just not that good.

[brdmkr]

Tom

I just read your entire post to my wife.  She says I should advertise some cherry turning blanks for sale.... Starting at 4:00 AM!

[getoverit]

The reason for the season has somehow got lost in the flurry of gift giving. I get more and more upset about giving gifts to distant family members who dont even give me the time of sending me an e-mail during the rest of the year or acknowledging that I am alive. The retailers have geared themself up to take as much from you as they can because of the spirit of giving.

Bah-humbug. Homey dont play that game :D

I'm not buying anything for nor giving anything to anyone who hasnt even spoke to me through the rest of the year. I dont expect anything from anyone else either, except maybe a few minutes of their time. I may, however, take advantage of some sales to buy a few things for my immediate family and myself. That is as far as it will go this year. I dont think I will be getting up early to take advantage of any of these sales though.

Dont think for a minute that I am a complete scrooge. I will, as usual, do my dead level best to make some children of a hard working but down on their luck family have a very happy Christmas without them even knowing where the gifts came from. That, my friends, is the spirit of the season.

[GF]

I dont fall for any of the black friday sales.  Never have never will.   I seen here in OKC on the 6:00PM news people had tents setup outside of Best Buy since early this morning.  It seems the spirit of Christmas has been lost to all the money retailers are wanting you to spend. 

[saddletramp]

Tom you are right. This is getting to be just too Dang much. They money grubbing pirates have completly removed, glossed over and defiled the reason for Christmas. People spending money they dont have because its 30% off. What about when the plastic comes due? 18 to24% intrest for things you dont need for people you dont know or like, just trying to impress. Its nuts. We called a truce with our family, just buy for the kids and grand kids. Instead of spending crazy amounts of money on cheap chinese toys that could kill the grandkids I will spend less on clothes and such then take the rest and put into an account for thier college some day. Maybe if the retailers would sell QUALITY products then maybe they would have something worth buying. Sorry Tom this insanity really rubs my fur the wrong way.

[Handy Andy]

  Hey, I found a great cause for Christmas.  Mrs Boortz is going to Walter Reed Army Hospital, and visit the troops before Christmas.  Wants us to send shopping cards, prepaid cards to hand out to Wounded Warriors.  Neal Boortz website, Boortz.com

[ellmoe]

  Tom, You referenced the fact that the Olympic sports were war skills related. Having heard (I am afraid to go see for myself) of the scrambling, running, and fighting over bargains that occur early on the morning of Black Friday, it truly may have a potential for inclusion in the Olympics! :D

Mark

[scgargoyle]

One of the major malls in Tampa opened at midnight. There was a 2 mile back-up on the interstate waiting to get in! What's the matter with these people?! My son and I decided to try Best Buy one year- got there 2 hours before opening to find a line all the way around the store. Those bargains they advertise are gone in seconds- they only have a few of them per store. Our Christmas shopping is minimal- I probably spend a couple hundred bucks at the most. Now we concentrate on getting each other things related to our pending move to SC- wonder how wifey would like a shiny new MS 361 under the tree?

[Cedarman]

Each year for many years I ask my brother what he is getting me for Christmas.  He says the same thing he got me last year.  Well, now that sounds like a good idea.  I'll get you what I got for you last year.  Absolutely nothing.  Sometime during the season our families get together for an afternoon, eat and play some card games.  We have a really good time.

My 2 daughters and DIL  headed out at 4 AM to do their thing.  It means most of the morning us guys can have the place to ourselves, fix what we like for breakfast and putter around doing whatever our heart desires.

[Norm]

Oh sure but just let woodmizer or grizzly tools have an early bird sale and see how many of you would camp out. :D

[tcsmpsi]

Everyone wants to be the first out to get the good deals on the junk they couldn't sell otherwise.   Of course, they'll be out of stock of the cheap junk and one, so as not to feel they have wasted the trip, will buy the 'regular' priced junk.

I got into town a little before 6am and watched some of them (in the cold rain) stop by my favorite convenience store to reboot for their intrepid quest for the dollywollypoodle gadgetry stuff.

I remember the first year that the Super W M put the super sale on.  I needed a new television for the classroom and they had advertised one that would be just the ticket at a very good price.   Not being totally without thought reserve, I figured I had  better get there right at the beginning if I would be successful in acquiring my one little old need.

Lawd mercy.  They were there in all shapes, forms and sizes.  Nightgowns and pink, fuzzy slippers.  Wild and more than lightly tinged with rage at anyone who vaguely glanced at any product, or product isle they might be drawn to.

Assessing this as I entered, I chose good quality cart with good wheels (not any of those that clomp or apt to turn sideways), as one would certainly not need to stall during a quick, clean (as possible) getaway.  

Ahhh...as fate would have it, indeed, there was only one of the tv's that I was looking for.   I could feel it as they recognized my interest in the lone product.  With the glaze in their eyes, I strongly suspected that some had no idea what was in the box, only that I was interested in it.  Only by the purity of my intent and superior quality of my cart was I able to load and speedily make my way to the checkout without physical confrontation.

I felt very fortunate to have gotten out alive.  

[Dakota]

I wish I'd read this thread before I headed out this morning.

[sawguy21]

There is NOTHING I need to buy at midnight or 4 a.m. except a coffee for the road.

[Larry]

Man am I tuckered out.  I hit wally world at 5am.  My stragey was to crowd in front of little old ladies...that was almost fatal.  Some of em swing a mean pocket book and on the way down they hit ya with there cane. ??? ??? ???

I got my prize...nothing to do with the holidays...just a desire to keep more of my money.   Christmas presents are all homemade...and completed this year ahead of schedule.

At least now I can settle down to portant things...such as watching the Hogs whoop up on LSU. :D ;D :D ;D

[katie-did]

   Got brave and went out this morning smiley_goofy_face  :-[ . Not to the big department store or anything just to Joann's Fabric. (Flannel for $.99 a yard   8)) I know they are quit busy but it is worth it when you are saving $3-$5 a yard. Everything went quit will there just standing in line to get it cut and after you get your yardage just pass the bolt back to the next one the want that kind and they say "THANK YOU". But the problem came when the daughter (10 years old) had the brilliant idea  "mom lets run over to the mall" 200 feet way Ha! 
   Walked into the mall ok,  walked 20 feet into Sears   "Mom I think we can go home now!" But if I was there I was going to look at a few things 20 minutes and we were out of there.
             I have ALWAYS been under the philosophy that NO DEAL is worth the bottles of Aspirin that I will have to take when I get home.  smiley_really_happy