Never again people, NEVER again!

[Disney1fan2002]

I will pay TRIPLE the price of something before I do that again.

Wal-mart...doors open at 5AM, from 5-11Am Video Now Color $25, Nintendo Gameboy SP $48, and a radio-control truck, DS5 really wants) $20.

Tell DH last night, I am setting the alarm for 4:15Am, so I can get there right at 5am. He laughed, shook his said, and said I was crazy. Whatever! LOL 4:15AM Alarm goes off. Hit snooze. 4:24Am, alarm goes off again. Get up, start car through wall, go into freezing bathroom, take a shower. Get dressed. 4:40Am, head out, drive to mall. arrive 4:53AM. HOLY COW. THE LINE IS WRAPPED AROUND THE CORNER. Well, I am not getting out of my toasty warm car, I figure nothing will sell out for at least 2 hours, what is the rush? (BTW, as you can see, I have never doen this before.)

The doors open, and people are shoving through. SHOVING. I can't even tell you the early morning pleasantries that were being said. Yes, it is a beautiful time of year, full of good will, and cheer. I try to make my way to the back of the store toward the toys, but the $400 computers were right in the front, so it was gridlock. I finally break away, get to the back of the store and see people crowded for the Gameboy. I was concentrating on the Video Now 1st, because I thought that price was incredible, and it would go 1st. After asking many people, and getting no answers, as to where they were, I finally found out they were in the front of the store. ACK. So I go to the electronics, to grab up a gameboy, and 10 minutes, people, 10 minutes, and they are GONE. Oh well, snooze ya lose, head to the front,not to easily, came upon another gridlock, find the Video Nows, they were next to the radio controlled Jeeps, grab one of each, and can't move fast enough to check out. After getting through a crowd, I finally find a check-out line. My total purchase came to $47.00, paid the money, and left the stroe, without looking back. I got home at 5:37AM. Climbed back into bed, vowing never to do that again. EVER.

People were in line from 3 AM! I was fricken FREEZING this morning. They stood in line for 2 hours for that craziness.

BTW, can you tell I HATE shopping in general? Not my favorite thing to do.

 

[sunkissed212]

Well, I'm glad to hear that you got a few of the items that you were looking for. I agree though, it's amazing how unruly people will get to save a buck. Last year I ventured out at 5am to ABC warehouse to take advantage of a great deal on a DVD player (free after rebate) and when I got there....an hour before the store even opened, the parking lot was FULL and they were lined up around the back of the store. I wasn't about to stand out in the cold for a DVD player that probably wouldn't have gotten anyway. I didn't get up early this morning at all. Got up at 830 took a shower and am watching TV....I'll hit the stores when the excitement wears off. I didn't see anything SUPER GREAT that I needed to rush out and get this morning.

 

[Horseshoes]

My friend said she was getting up at 2am to get to Best buy for the Lap top.

I got up at 8am, went to circuit city, got what I needed and was home by 8:45. Only 2 of the things my kids wanted were Early bird specials. Even at 8am, the store was managable and no long lines.

 

[dvcgirl]

It really is ridiculous...the whole black friday thing is out of control. Here in Orlando people were knocked down, fights broke out over the laptop deal at Walmart. The employees were throwing them up in the air...probably frightened for their lives. If you were lucky to get one, you were likely to have it ripped from your arms. Animals...

Our nation is way too wrapped up in *stuff*.....it's really a shame.

 

[luvflorida]

What a morning you had, but at least you managed to get what you went for!! Here is our battle story:

Well, it isn't actually MY battle story because I refused to participate. Yesterday, husband decides he must go to Walmart early this morning. I can't believe my ears because he hates shopping and he can't believe that people are loopy enough to stand outside in the cold for hours just for a sale. He would NEVER do anything like that!!

When he heard from a friend that Walmart was going to have laptops on sale for an incredible price, it was just too good for him to pass up. If it was for anything else, he never would have done it, but he's a total computer freak, and his eyes glazed over when he heard about the price. Then I was shocked for a second time when he managed to get DS24 and DD15 to go with him! I'm still wondering what he bribed them with. DS24 hates shopping even more than husband.

So, they stayed up all night and at 3:15am, trudged out to the car and drove to Walmart. I stayed home on the couch watching Christmas Vacation. I wanted no part of their little adventure! The phone rings at 3:45am. It is husband telling me that there were about 20 people in line and that he was sure they'd gotten there in plenty of time. It was freezing out, so they were waiting in the car with the heat on. Big mistake. I told him the idea is to get there early and actually get in line. Otherwise, what's the point? I told him, he should get out and get in line. Those lines are going to grow and when the doors open, those people are going to be ruthless.

I guess they waited a little longer in the car, then got in line. When the doors opened, everyone went wild, (as he told me upon his arrival back home), and they managed to get to the electronics department. There were lines for specific items, and by the time, they had it figured out, the twenty or so laptops were gone. Husband said people were pushing and shoving and grabbing, and the store employees were yelling at people. They came home defeated and empty handed.

All three are still snoozing away upstairs, probably having nightmares about their traumatic shopping experience!! None of them will probably ever step foot inside a store again! I guess it was one of those, "Well, it sounded like a good idea at the time" sort of things.

Oh yeah, he wanted the kids to go with him because the laptops were one to a customer, so with them along, he could get three!! And he actually bribed them with money!! I'm telling you, if a computer is involved, he looses all sense of morality!

 

[Marseeya]

I wonder what it's going to take for stores to end this madness? Someone getting killed? Rioting?

 

[Stitchfans]

What a nightmare. I am so glad I didn't venture out into that. I am stalling going to the grocery store and that shouldn't be an ordeal. Or will it be?

 

[icebrat001]

<<~~~ Hates crowds in the first place, so now way could I handle the crowd at black friday. I was thinking about exchanging something I purchased at Toys R US today but I will wait until Monday.

Hopefully, there is no black friday going on at the grocer.

 

[JESW]

Just a suggestion.....but you can get a used gameboysp at The Game Stop. They are in real good condition and I plan on getting my DD6 one for either Christmas or her birthday in january. They have several locations here in MA.

I took the kids out from 7:00 - 10:00 and we hit Kohl's, Jo-Ann's & A.C. Moore and didn't have any trouble. Got the kids winter jackets and boots at Kohl's for half-price so it was worth it for me to go out. We even managed to eat breakfast out.

Jill

 

[MrsPete]

It really is ridiculous...the whole black friday thing is out of control . . . Our nation is way too wrapped up in *stuff*.....it's really a shame.

I agree!

 

[eclectics]

I'm getting too old for that nonsense! My idea of shopping is sitting on my comfy chair in front of the computer in my sweatpants and browsing Amazon, eBay, Macys, and Best Buy. I don't think I would stand in line at 3am even if they were giving things away! The holidays are way too stressful and commercial nowdays anyway. I love A Charlie Brown Christmas. That's the message I like to live by when this season rolls around.

 

[MELSMICE]

I shopped on-line this morning. In my jammies, warm house, no crowds & didn't spend any money on gas - got free shipping too.

I went shopping on Black Friday once & it was even in the afternoon. I will NEVER, EVER do that again!

 

[Rhonda]

I got to Walmart about 4:45 this morning. Thankfully, I didn't need anything in the electronics department!! LOL! But, our Walmart was doing it the right way. They had a line, just for the electronics department, winding around the store, out the door, and down the parking lot. They were only letting people into the electronics department 5 at a time. So, after about 10 minutes, they made the announcement that the laptops were all gone.

I just waltzed in, grabbed my $20 electric skillet, and 2 sets of dishes that were on sale and went through the self-checkout and was out in 5 minutes!

 

[lvs_eeyore]

I did Black Friday only ONCE and that was enough for me. I would rather spend more money on something than to deal with that craziness again. I decided we would spend the day today cleaning and setting up the Christmas tree. I should go to the grocery store but Im even gunshy about doing that. I dont want to deal with crowds and traffic. I will go out shopping when our church has its annual parents night out in the begining of December. I wont be rushed and the crowds will be a lot thinner then. I refuse to stress over the holidays. Christmas is a lot more enjoyable now that I have taken such a laid back attitude about it.

 

[MamaLema]

I got to Walmart about 4:45 this morning. Thankfully, I didn't need anything in the electronics department!! LOL! But, our Walmart was doing it the right way. They had a line, just for the electronics department, winding around the store, out the door, and down the parking lot. They were only letting people into the electronics department 5 at a time. So, after about 10 minutes, they made the announcement that the laptops were all gone.

I just waltzed in, grabbed my $20 electric skillet, and 2 sets of dishes that were on sale and went through the self-checkout and was out in 5 minutes!

Now THAT'S the way to do it! Every store should be that organized

 

[Planogirl]

Target was a piece of cake this morning. I got there ten minutes after they opened, I did NOT use a shopping cart and I hurried in and grabbed the few things I wanted. Now that said, I did not want any toys so I didn't have to deal with that.

However, virtually every check out lane was open and it was actually a nice shopping trip. Plus several employees approached me to see if I needed help. Kudos to Target!

 

[Hermosa11]

I just did not have any particular shopping needs this year ....but was willing to maybe check out some deals. (NOT at 4am though).........I woke up at 6:30, left the house all clean and dressed at 7am........drove to Khol's.....wanted to check out a suitcase on sale.......did not see it......saw the huge line.......left.
I bought nothing... (ha). Drove to the grocery store (nice and empty)
and bought bread / soda / chips / cookies for day after thanksgiving sandwiches/meals. Back home, at my computer with coffee in hand.
That was MY BF shopping experience.

 

[jedi_librarian]

<<~~~ Hates crowds in the first place, so now way could I handle the crowd at black friday. I was thinking about exchanging something I purchased at Toys R US today but I will wait until Monday.

Hopefully, there is no black friday going on at the grocer.

HA! Everyone has black friday sales. Even the grocery stores!!!!!

 

[rnd4life]

DH and I didn't get started until 9:00am and didn't run into any major problems. Best Buy was packed but we found everything we wanted there and at Walmart and Meijer.

I've heard some horror stories about Black Friday, thankfully I've never witnessed anything too out of control.

 

[summerrluvv]

I just wanted to let everyone know that the Video Now color is at Toys R Us for $25.00. That is their normal price these days. I saw a whole endcap at my store and my sister found them at her store in MI.