Walmart BF buyers beware...

[3boymthr]

We were just at Walmart to buy wiper blades and we were walking to the back of the store we passed the workers as they were getting out the pallets of stuff for BF. Tons of stuff is marked not for sale before 5 AM 11/27. Well, I was shocked at the limited quantities of some of the items they were putting out. Now I'm not sure of the quantities that they may have not yet put out but all the stuff below was on shrink wrapped labeled displays:

The $7 graphic hoodies - there looked to be only one of each size in each style though there were maybe 16 styles.

Sony Bravia TVS - there were 10

There was a stereo/radio thing - there were about 18

The x rocker gaming chair - about 36

Dirt Devil Vacuums I only saw about 25 or so

There were quite a few of the V-tech games but the Art sets there were only 20 or so.

On the other hand some items they had a ton of:

Towels - hundreds of them.
the $9 Rubber maid container sets there were over 100


This was just the stuff we passed on our way to the back of the store. I was examining the piles while I waited for DH to figure out what blades we needed.

ETA - All I can say is I'm glad I didn't want any of this stuff. And if you had another place that you were thinking of getting a similar item, I'd go for it.

 

[lovesmurfs]

We were just at Walmart to buy wiper blades and we were walking to the back of the store we passed the workers as they were getting out the pallets of stuff for BF. Tons of stuff is marked not for sale before 5 AM 11/27. Well, I was shocked at the limited quantities of some of the items they were putting out. Now I'm not sure of the quantities that they may have not yet put out but all the stuff below was on shrink wrapped labeled displays:

The $7 graphic hoodies - there looked to be only one of each size in each style though there were maybe 16 styles.

Sony Bravia TVS - there were 10

There was a stereo/radio thing - there were about 18

The x rocker gaming chair - about 36

Dirt Devil Vacuums I only saw about 25 or so

There were quite a few of the V-tech games but the Art sets there were only 20 or so.

On the other hand some items they had a ton of:

Towels - hundreds of them.
the $9 Rubber maid container sets there were over 100


This was just the stuff we passed on our way to the back of the store. I was examining the piles while I waited for DH to figure out what blades we needed.

ETA - All I can say is I'm glad I didn't want any of this stuff. And if you had another place that you were thinking of getting a similar item, I'd go for it.

I'm planning to camp out for a laptop for my DS...hopefully 3 a.m. will be early enough to get one.

 

[3boymthr]

I'm planning to camp out for a laptop for my DS...hopefully 3 a.m. will be early enough to get one.

I hope it will be too. And like I said I was shocked. I don't normally shop Walmart because it's too far from my house as compared to Target. We went there solely because it was the only place still open tonight where we could replace a broken wiper blade. I mean how can they advertise something as a door buster special to lure people into the store and have such limited quantities that less than 1% of the people going to the store are going to be able to get it. It's crazy. If these are the quantities they always have no wonder they had a riot last year.

 

[rflorek]

I don't know why so many fo you are shocked over this. Doorbusters have always been limited to that extent. They are a super underpriced set of items at extremely limited quantities to lure shoppers into the store where they will hopefully spend lots more money on the other items that the chain will make their money on. It's been this way for as long as I can remember, and I'm 40. There have been numerous articles online in the past week discussing this practice and equating it to a legalized bait & switch practice.

Take, for example, the Best By BF ad. The PS3 package that they are offering is listed as a minimum of 2 per store. That means they are only guaranteed to have 2 packages available at each store. They may have more, but as long as they have 2 available, it's legal advertising. Kmart has a Sony Bravia for a doorbuster - minimum 4 per store. I think their DSi bundles are only a minimum of 7 per store.

Good luck to anyone who chooses to go wait online for a limited quantity doorbuster - you'll need it!!

 

[3boymthr]

I had read the articles, but they were always talking about TVs and computers. It was the other items I was really shocked at - the hoodies - I mean there were four of each style so I'm assuming one of each size, the vacuums, the chair, the stereo, the Art sets.

 

[TENIA66]

I had read the articles, but they were always talking about TVs and computers. It was the other items I was really shocked at - the hoodies - I mean there were four of each style so I'm assuming one of each size, the vacuums, the chair, the stereo, the Art sets.

I am surprised about the hoodies....last year the hoodies probably lasted around 45 minutes after the doorbuster time so I'm guessing they had more...

 

[autumnsmommy]

I know that in my store, everything is in the back of the store, and nothing is out on the sales floor at all. There is the possibility you are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

 

[glitzybabes]

I'm planning to camp out for a laptop for my DS...hopefully 3 a.m. will be early enough to get one.

2 years ago at bestbuy my friday got in line at 10:00am Thanksgiving morning to the 230.00 laptop, so you might want to get there a lot earlier than 3:00am

 

[MoniqueU]

I agree 3 am will be nowhere early enough. The tent citys and turkey roasters start up about noon here where I live. If you get there at 3 am there will be at least 1000 people in line ahead of you.

 

[JoiseyMom]

Isn't that laptop available online also?? Click on the ad, it should tell you!

 

[livndisney]

They just showed on the news that people are already starting to line up for Black Friday stuff-31 hours before the sale starts.

 

[luvsJack]

For the past 4-5 years, our local Walmart has NEVER run out of its biggest door busters--computers, TVs, DVD players, etc. are always still available Friday night and sometimes even Saturday at the door buster price. This year could very well be different though.

We have never had anyone camp out at Walmart--do have some that will be at Best Buy and if TRU has any Zhu Zhu pets this year I'm sure there will be a few campers there too.

 

[luvsJack]

They just showed on the news that people are already starting to line up for Black Friday stuff-31 hours before the sale starts.

OMG!! Did it say what stores?

I saw this morning that the use of websites like BFads was up by 86% and this was causing them to expect a huge increase in shoppers.

 

[livndisney]

OMG!! Did it say what stores?

I saw this morning that the use of websites like BFads was up by 86% and this was causing them to expect a huge increase in shoppers.

I think one of the stores they showed was Bestbuy. Mind you it is RAINING and dropping to the 40's tonight.

 

[3boymthr]

I know that in my store, everything is in the back of the store, and nothing is out on the sales floor at all. There is the possibility you are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

Well, it could be, but the stuff was all out on the sales floor, in the main aisles. We walked from the main entrance which was on the right side of the building, left down the whole front of the building then left again all the way to the back of the building. Due to Blue Laws they are not allowed to be open tomorrow so they are putting all the stuff out on the floors tonight. In fact, one of the guys was stocking the aisle where we were getting our wipers and we asked for some assistance. He said he normally works overnight stocking but they had to come in early to be done before midnight tonight.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

They just showed on the news that people are already starting to line up for Black Friday stuff-31 hours before the sale starts.

DOUBLE I'm all for getting a good bargain, but dont people have to eat and go the bathroom?! 31 hours?! Oh my!

 

[NYCDiane]

I was watching one of the financial reports and they said that many of the large retailers are ordering less merchandise for BF and for the holiday season in general. They're worried about having too much merchandise that they may get "stuck" with. They mentioned that there will probably be a lot less items on clearance after the holidays than there typically has been in the past.

 

[Purseval]

This year's stupid toy trick of the year is the zhu zhu or something like that, one of these things where irrational parents fight to be the ones who can show they are truly the best at spoiling their kids. A few years ago it was some silly doll that they thought could actually learn new words, I don't even remember the name of it.

Anyway we walked into Walmart looking for one of these dolls and of course they were out. My mother strolled out back to Customer Service and asked for a raincheck. They gave her one and she left. I figured they were just humoring her to get rid of her but about 3 weeks later I get a call from Walmart saying the doll is in, come pick it up. They even sold it at the sale price when they were going for hundreds of dollars over list on Ebay. We had already found another one by then so that ended up in the attic to be used for a birthday, but by the time her birthday rolled around that fad was already over. It's still up there collecting dust.

 

[Foladar]

They just showed on the news that people are already starting to line up for Black Friday stuff-31 hours before the sale starts.

It seems pretty common to go out on Wednesday now, there were a few people at Best Buy last Saturday in Tampa

 

[carj]

We love to drive by Best Buy on Thanksgiving several times a day to see the line status! We live not far from Best Buy and we drive to my mom's, less than 2 miles away, to the movies, accross the street from Best Buy, so it is funny.

It won't be so funny when I am in line at Target or Wal-mart in the morning.