Wal-Mart Black Friday Vent

[RayaniFoxmur]

Without that system you have what I was stuck in last night...

We went in at 9:45 for 10 pm sales. I didn't expect to be up front, but it was sheets... I didn't expect it to be insane. I was wrong. My big toe is broken today, people were pushing and shoving, I saw one person pull the body in front of them back by their shirt. 2 people fell and there was screaming and yelling. They even knocked over the display next to them. I did not participate... just watched. No item was worth that.

And that was for $6.88 microfiber sheets. Can you imagine it over big ticket electronics??

 

[Allison]

Sorry, but I do not understand your issue. I got in line a few hours ahead of time for the xbox. They were going to hand them out one by one according to where you were in line. Once they had the 16 people in line which was the number of units they had, they handed out the numbers and made those people stay in the line. They then told others all of the xboxes had been claimed. How is that different than giving out the numbers closer to the sale time?

 

[Carl]

I don't participate in any type of event where I'm competing against other people for a "deal." There are too many people who will do anything to get the deal.
I don't do Black Friday deals because people get there days ahead of time to line up, leaving no chance for me.
I don't do auctions, because there are always people who will bid anything to be sure they get the item and thus leave no bargains.
No competitions for me!

 

[RitaE]

Sorry you are disappointed but I have to agree that it is really naive to think you can get there an hour ahead of store opening to get one of the big electronic door buster sales. It really doesn't matter that you were there at 4 and people weren't lined up yet. All that matters is that the people who got the tvs were in line before you. Whether they were handed a ticket or not doesn't negate the fact they were in line -- before you.

 

[mickeysgal]

Walmart does a great job of trying to minimize the mob mentality. You want the item, then get in line - EARLY - not an hour before hand, to get what you truly want.

At our Best Buy, there were tents, yes tents, of people staking out their place in line DAYS in advance.

Black Friday can be dangerous. Black Friday is a great way to initiate the naive into the ways of the super shopper. It can be brutal. You would have taken your life in your hands - seriously - if you tried to beat those that have been standing in line for hours by waltzing up last minute like that and claiming a right to a sale item that they have been in line for hours for.

 

[Claudia1]

OP, I had the same experience on my first Black Friday. I didn't know anyone who had done them before and was unaware of the "protocol".

Its kond of like going to WDW the first time, You know about it and made your plans, but the reality is different and can be overwhelming.

I just don't understand the need for negative comments here.

 

[HonnyDipp]

This is why I do not try for the door busters, in most cases you can get the same or similar items for sometimes less the week before Christmas.

Usually the week before Christmas is the BEST time to get deals. Last year I was in Best Buy on Dec. 19, and the store manager just started passing out $25 gift cards!

 

[ocd4disney]

Sorry, but I do not understand your issue. I got in line a few hours ahead of time for the xbox. They were going to hand them out one by one according to where you were in line. Once they had the 16 people in line which was the number of units they had, they handed out the numbers and made those people stay in the line. They then told others all of the xboxes had been claimed. How is that different than giving out the numbers closer to the sale time?

I wish more walmarts would do this...the ppl that didnt get a ticket for an xbox didnt have to needlessly wait. they were free to go and search out other deals.

There was a very long line last night for TVs but nobody had a clue if you got inline if you would even get one.

 

[Allison]

I wish more walmarts would do this...the ppl that didnt get a ticket for an xbox didnt have to needlessly wait. they were free to go and search out other deals.

There was a very long line last night for TVs but nobody had a clue if you got inline if you would even get one.

My local store handled it very well. They were giving out tickets for all the electronic items. They even gave us passes for bathroom breaks. If you weren't back in 15 minutes, you lost your place in line. That made people really commit to the product and waiting until the sale time arrived. You couldn't just get a ticket and then leave.

They also brought upon various accessories and games so we didn't have to head off to another area of the store for that stuff.

 

[nancytoby]

I was in Walmart in line at 9PM last night for the 10PM sale start and got a ticket for the Wii we wanted. I was happy with the ticket system indoors so we didn't have to wait in line outside in the cold! On the other hand, I could only wait in line for 1 item so I was unable to get the other sale item I wanted (bike, sold out by the time I made it over to that area through the crowd).

Yes, if you really have your sights set on certain doorbuster deals you have to get in line early for those.

At our local store some items went on sale at 10PM, some at midnight. Not sure how well that went trying to re-stock the store in the middle of a packed house, when I left at 10:45 it was difficult to maneuver a cart through any aisle.

 

[luvmy3]

This is should how it should have been done in our store, but it wasn't. As I said my DH & I were in the store at 4:30 til almost 5. We decided to go home and be ready for later. If we had seen any lines starting 1 of us would have stayed and waited, while the other went home and changed. They we would have changed roles. We did not have trouble be in a line. The balloon for the Emerson was not up when were there in the afternoon. At least in your case, they did not hand out the tickets until midnight. If our store had done this I would not have had a problem at all. But they gave the tickets out prior to 8pm and that is what we have a problem with.

So if they gave out balloons (which ensures a ticket) before 8PM that would have been OK with you? That is no different than handing out tickets at 8PM to those that were there before you. :confused
I'm sorry you didn't get what you wanted, but if you saw lines were forming at other stores really really early, why would you assume that wasn't the case for Walmart?
Next year check online, alot of retailers offer their doorbusters online now.

 

[DeluxePrincess]

We got one of those TV's tonight. We arrived at 8pm, there were balloons in the air throughout the store, letting you know where to line up. Once you got to your balloon, there were marks on the floor for the number of each item available. We were #21, there were 67 spots total for the Emerson TV's and they were all taken by 9:20. People brought chairs and sat on their number. When it hit almost midnight they handed out the tickets to the people in line. We then paid for it and picked it up in the oil change docks outside the store. Very organized, I was impressed.

This sounds great! Much better than getting trampled to death.

 

[HonnyDipp]

Looking forward to Cyber Monday. Looking forward to spending my money wearing nothing but my pj's and slippers.

 

[Free4Life11]

First and LAST time going to Walmart for their Black Friday sale. It's impossible to get more than one or two items because everything is so spread out and people start ripping into the pallets like wild animals eating their prey!! It was absolute insanity.

I was able to get 4 of the "Cool Fusion" pillows (which I'll probably return as they are kind of lumpy). I also grabbed 2 of the 4-pack Hanes Tshirts and in the mad frenzy I grabbed BOYS shirts instead of MEN.

I also wanted to get the 4 GB microSDHC card and the $2.87 food chopper but at that point I said forget it; I had no idea where to go and you could hardly move.

When I got home I thought I'd try to get those items online and the website stated they'd go on sale at midnight local time...well I stayed up until 12:15 am Eastern and they still weren't available online so at that point I said screw it. Apparently 12 am doesn't actually mean 12 am in Walmart's world. Whatever, not worth my time.

Honestly, the whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth and I WON'T be doing this again next year. Too many people, too few items, and no idea when they go on sale on the website. I think I'm just going to return the few items I did get and spend my money somewhere else.

 

[RainbowBrite]

That's the way it it always done. Otherwise people ARE going to get hurt. I was at Old Navy last night and some lady trampled me trying to get to the $15 jeans. Something about Black Friday makes people crazy so retailers have to do something to try and keep it under control. If you want big ticket items you always have to be in line early.

 

[HonnyDipp]

I just don't have the patience for this. So pathetic.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/25/business/money-black-friday-incidents/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

Like I said, looking forward to Cyber Monday.

 

[Free4Life11]

Walmart does a great job of trying to minimize the mob mentality. You want the item, then get in line - EARLY - not an hour before hand, to get what you truly want.

Seriously? Maybe for the electronics, but everything else is a ridiculous free for all! My store had shrink wrapped pallets all over the store with people surrounding them like wild animals waiting to attack their prey...a few minutes before 10 something happened then suddenly people start yelling and ripping off the shrink wrap. Luckily I was the only one next to the pillows, so I didn't have to get crazy...those better be some damn good pillows!

I pray we never have food shortages in America...if this is what people do for sheets and housewares imagine how they'll get when it's something they actually NEED

Whoever said Cyber Monday, I second that. I won't be doing any more Black Friday sales unless I can click "Buy" from the comfort of my home!

 

[Maridw]

As many have posted, no we would not have gotten a ticket by getting there when we did, but we would have seen the line for the tickets and understood.

Again we were there at 4:30 and no lines anywhere, they were just starting to put out the balloons to mark where things were going to be and getting the merchandise in the aisles. If we had known they were going to have tickets, we would have found where the line was going to be and gotten in it then. We had just come back from dinner and were dressed up and so weren't dressed for it. But as I told DH, one of us would have gotten in line and gotten a ticket while the other went home to change and take care of the dog. When they got back the other would have gone home to change and then come back.

As I have stated from the beginning, our problem with the way they did it in our store - that they gave out the tickets more than 6 hours prior to the sale time, where as they did not do that in at least 2 stores. According to the manager at our store, they were going to do exactly what they did in all stores. So apparently he was wrong, not all stores were releasing the tickets prior to midnight.

It was a lesson learned for us, and IF we ever try a BF sale again we will know.

 

[happygirl]

I just don't have the patience for this. So pathetic.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/25/business/money-black-friday-incidents/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

Like I said, looking forward to Cyber Monday.

What was the stupid women thinking Why did they let her pay for her stuff?

 

[leebee]

I have never done BF and would have had no idea that you have to be lined up so early, that there are ticket systems, etc. Basically, my understanding has become that BF doesn't "Start" at whatever time the store posts. It starts at whatever hour way ahead of the posted time you choose to get to the store and hang out, waiting, waiting, waiting. What the heck is the point of having sale hours? They should just be open their normal hours and run "blue-light specials;" if you are lucky enough to be there when the item goes on sale, you are lucky enough to get it. Personally, I cannot be bothered!

I think the OP is actually more annoyed that Walmart posted certain sale times but didn't advertise that item tickets would be give out in advance. BAck to my question... why post sale times if you are going to hand out "reserved" tickets well in advance?