How was your Black Friday shopping?

[Theowne]

Here the big shopping day is "Boxing Day", which is after Christmas, when all the stores have to get rid of all their leftover Christmas inventory, so at least the cheap prices make sense....what's the reason for "Black Friday"?

[ganbaru]

The black Friday is the day when shop start to make profit, or at least it what I readed.

[BOOKGLUTTON]

I stayed in. i already have a mountain of rep codes and discounts available to me.

[u43368]

I just got a 4gb memory stick duo for $18 and RSV2 for $20. I don't plan on buying anything big (like a laptop) until after Christmas.

[NorthernFallout]

Just a question: Has these accidents of stampede occurred every year at this event or was this a one-time happening? I mean, if accidents happen during these events, someone must recognize they need a reinforce of security.

And just as a small note, I'm getting scared when people actually accidently kill other people over things they can buy for a lesser price. They didn't notice they stepped on a flesh floor?

[Vexx]

That says that even those who may have noticed and yelled were being ignored in the crazed frenzy of the mob with those behind pushing those in front. Crowd psychology is an awful thing... I kind of wonder what each individual person who stepped on him is thinking today....

This does happen occasionally at any highly hyped sales event --- it boils back to store management wanting to make money more than wanting to hire enough security to keep the patrons safe. There's a science to crowd management so its not like management can play dumb. This isn't just a holiday sales phenom, tragedies have occurred anytime/place.... soccer games where fans get out of hand are the same sort of manifestation.

Black Friday is the first day since Jan 1 that many store retailers begin to show a profit -- hence the name as in "we're in the black" (ledgers are usually written with negative numbers in red, positive in black).

[OMchan]

Originally Posted by karasuma

For the uninitiated, black friday traditionally is the 1st day of Xmas shopping in US. Retailers usually have a couple deep discount items to lure shoppers into shopping spirit. Overtime, this became more and more of a herd mentality as shoppers go for the best deal.

Spoiler for saving space:

Fighting for Guiter hero

50inch Plasma TV

Xbox 360

Hawaii

Shopper passout

Funny

Holy crap! This makes Boxing Day shopping here seem tamed and civilized.

Ever since I heard about the Wal-Mart employee being trampled to death by shoppers, I wondered how the heck something like that can happen. Now I know. o.o;;

[ganbaru]

One of the differnce with the BoxingDay, is than the Boxing day is after Xmas.
Usualy, peoples have less money to spend when they had to buy so much gifts.

[Claies]

Black Friday: Consumerism at its worst. >_>;; I decided to be adventurous and try out a nearby Best Buy with some friends last year, and nothing was really worth it for any of us. This year I stayed in and got a Wacom tablet on Newegg for 20% off. That's really fine enough.

The Wal-Mart incident was avoidable and probably just unfortunate (the guy apparently was walking directly in front of the door when it broke down), and methinks the security personnel were cut back to save money.

It gives me chills to remember how just a year ago this was a joke used on television ads. I vaguely remember one that showed a bunch of grim staffers handing off the key to the storefront to one unfortunate colleague, patting his back and wishing him luck as they left. The man then turns in disbelief to look at the voracious crowd grappling and screaming at the windows outside, his only assurance being a nearby ambulance and crew unloading and preparing his stretcher.

After reading that news I looked on Wikipedia back at all those crowd crushes and stampede accidents. Never let people have only one clear goal on their minds, whether it be cheap presents or a clear view in the stadium, lest they become entirely irrational.

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by Claies

Methinks the security personnel were cut back to save money.

They bother themself with Security personel? Others than the guys looking to the security camera.

[Claies]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

They bother themself with Security personel? Others than the guys looking to the security camera.

Security cameras are security theater for managers anyway, just as guards are just security theater for the crowds.

What they probably should have done is close for Thanksgiving, because nobody freaking shops then when the real deals come the day after, logically, and use that day to erect barricades and rearrange the place just for the imminent chaos. Maybe with a wide, clear avenue running towards the TVs and game consoles and whatnot. IKEA store layouts come to mind.

I mean, if you can get the crowd to move faster, you'd logically get more sales done. They're just lazy as hell (or short on money) at this point.

[JubeiYamazaki]

Lets see...

Rurouni Kenshin Season 1/2 boxset (season 3 was not worth it)
The RK movie boxset
Tekknoman Blade complete series vol. 1-3
Giant Robo- complete series
Under $100

Games wise:
Naruto Ultimate Ninja for PS3
The Last Renmant
Valkyria Chronicles

all: $120

As for the Walmart incident, it was bound to happen, damn near every year there's a trample issue. Raffle tickets and item specific lines should be manditory, but hey its Walmart, they never care.

So all in all I came out like a thief in the night.

[GuidoHunter_Toki]

I had a great Black Friday, my best deal I got was what usually would be a $150 official Milwaukee Brewers winter jacket for $45. Its of the same exact quality an style as the jackets the actual team wears during games. As for other stuff I bought myself.


G Gundam complete collection II
Pure game for PS3
Mobile Suit Gundam movie collection
3:10 to Yuma DVD

A bunch of books
Chibi Vampire novel 1
Gold Digger pocket manga 2 and 3
The Romance of King Arthur and his Knights of the round table
Fate/Stay Night manga 1
The Wanting Seed

And another suprised awaited me later as my replica sword of the First Knight of the Templar arrived at my house.

Lucky day.

[kyon.haruhi.suzumiya]

Originally Posted by Claies

Security cameras are security theater for managers anyway, just as guards are just security theater for the crowds.

What they probably should have done is close for Thanksgiving, because nobody freaking shops then when the real deals come the day after, logically, and use that day to erect barricades and rearrange the place just for the imminent chaos. Maybe with a wide, clear avenue running towards the TVs and game consoles and whatnot. IKEA store layouts come to mind.

I mean, if you can get the crowd to move faster, you'd logically get more sales done. They're just lazy as hell (or short on money) at this point.

I actually agree. You know, they should just book an expo hall for their Xmas sales. Then there's more space. That's what's being done in Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea.

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by kyon.haruhi.suzumiya

I actually agree. You know, they should just book an expo hall for their Xmas sales. Then there's more space. That's what's being done in Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea.

THere would be at least 2 problem; booking a expo hall cost money ( and ythey are already paying for their curent ''room''), and they will neeed more expo hall thean they have already.

[Claies]

Originally Posted by kyon.haruhi.suzumiya

I actually agree. You know, they should just book an expo hall for their Xmas sales. Then there's more space. That's what's being done in Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea.

A lot of department stores are already expo-hall-sized. They just have one giant three-story-high warehouse with only one floor. I shudder to think of a bigger single store than those Walmart Supercenters.

I've been to shopping fairs in Hong Kong, and I won't vouch for whether it's less painful to be crushed there than in the US. At least the people there are used to taking minutes to move meters in crowds.

[kyon.haruhi.suzumiya]

Originally Posted by Claies

A lot of department stores are already expo-hall-sized. They just have one giant three-story-high warehouse with only one floor. I shudder to think of a bigger single store than those Walmart Supercenters.

I've been to shopping fairs in Hong Kong, and I won't vouch for whether it's less painful to be crushed there than in the US. At least the people there are used to taking minutes to move meters in crowds.

Well, an Expo hall means less pillars and walls, so less people get crushed. Then again, I get your point, the IKEA in Tampines, Singapore is larger than a usual expo hall but it can still be packed. At least, in Singapore, you won't get trampled to death.

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by kyon.haruhi.suzumiya

At least, in Singapore, you won't get trampled to death.

As much as I know it was the first time it happened in a store.

[ganbaru]

About the stampeed at the walmart, I just finded a chronicle from Pierre Foglia From the newspaper '' La Presse'' ,I did wonder if it was more appropriate to post it in this treat or the '' A laugh a day''. ( sorry it's in french)

Spoiler for Saving space and text in french:

RÉSUMÉ DES FAITS - Un employé de Wal-Mart a été piétiné à mort par une foule de consommateurs qui, après avoir fracassé les doubles portes vitrées du magasin, s'est précipitée vers les super soldes de liquidation de ce lendemain de Thanksgiving, notamment des téléviseurs plasma 50 pouces à 798$, des mini aspirateurs à 28$ et des caméras numériques 10,2 mégapixel à 69$.

NOTE - Les détails rapportés ici peuvent être vérifiés dans les dépêches des agences et dans le New York Times de samedi.



RETOUR AUX FAITS - Le lendemain de Thanksgiving, appelé Black Friday, est la plus grande journée de magasinage aux États-Unis, plus grande encore que le Boxing Day du lendemain de Noël.


Environ 2000 consommateurs ont attendu toute la nuit devant les portes du Wal-Mart du centre commercial Green Acres de Valley Stream, à Long Island, dans l'État de New York. Plus approchait l'ouverture prévue pour 5h du matin, plus la foule devenait agitée. À 4h55, une charge venue de l'arrière a projeté les premières rangées sur les doubles portes vitrées qui ont été fracassées et la foule s'est engouffrée.

Les employés du magasin qui, de l'intérieur, essayaient d'endiguer la ruée ont été soit emportés, soit renversés. C'est le cas de Jdimytai Damour, d'origine haïtienne, 34 ans, qui a été piétiné à mort.

Quand, une heure plus tard, les haut-parleurs du Wal-Mart ont annoncé à la foule qu'elle devait quitter le magasin parce qu'un employé avait été tué, des protestations se sont élevées, les consommateurs ont refusé de quitter les lieux criant qu'ils avaient attendu toute la nuit l'ouverture des portes.

NOTE Si les détails rapportés jusqu'ici sont rigoureusement exacts, la liste qui suit est imaginaire, ce qui ne change rien à la véracité de l'histoire, sauf les noms.

LISTE DES CONSOM-MATEURS QUI ONT ÉTÉ LES PREMIERS À PIÉTINER À MORT M. DAMOUR - M. Jay Bradwyn. M. Alonzo Reid. M.H.L. Sheppard. Mme Betty Hicks, elle allait acheter un tutu rose pour sa petite-fille Lee Ann qui sera du spectacle de danse de Noël de son école. Mme Marie Girardeau. M. Duke West. Mme Cheryl Middelton. Mme Jessica Alexander, elle allait acheter un four infrawave à cuisson rapide en super solde à 89,99$ (40% de rabais). Mme Sue Smith. M. Marcus Crawmer. Mme Rachel Thomas. M. Van Thuoc Nguyen. Mme Susan Foody et son fils Brad. M. Carlos Seranno. M. Abdel Malik Allami. Mme Alice Herb. M. Christopher O'Neil. Etc.

Et beaucoup plus loin dans la foule, Mme Nancy Walsh et son amie Mme Lauren Meehan. Nancy a failli buter dans M. Damour, heureusement Lauren l'a tirée par le bras, attention Nancy y'a quelqu'un par terre. Elles sont arrivées trop tard pour les caméras numériques 10,2 mégapixel. Nancy s'est rabattue sur des DVD dont The Incredible Hulk à 9$, des rallonges électriques pour l'extérieur et un jeu de trois bols qui peuvent aller au micro-ondes.

NOTE Je n'ai pas écrit cette chronique. Je l'ai tirée de l'actualité comme une baleine que j'aurais tirée de la mer, aussi grosse que ça.

Je ne parle pas de l'assassinat d'un employé. Je ne parle pas d'un simple fait divers. Je parle d'un système qui repose tout entier sur la consommation dont on nous rabâche qu'elle est LE grand vecteur de civilisation.

Vous savez où vous pouvez vous la mettre cette civilisation qui porte 2000 abrutis à passer la nuit devant un Wal-Mart?

UN AUTRE FAIT DIVERS QUI N'A RIEN À VOIR, MAIS POURTANT SI, UN PETIT PEU QUAND MÊME - Dans la capitale de ce pays d'Afrique que je ne nommerai pas, Immaculée est employée d'une ONG. Un soir de la semaine dernière, alors qu'elle rentrait chez elle, le matalu (petit autobus privé qui supplée aux transports en commun), le matalu dans lequel elle avait pris place a fauché deux vendeurs ambulants sur le bord de la route, les tuant sur le coup.

Le chauffeur s'est sauvé. Les passagers et la foule des badauds qui venaient d'assister à l'accident se sont précipités pour dépouiller les victimes de leurs habits et souliers et piller leurs pauvres étalages renversés, chewing gums, cigarettes et autres menus articles.

Le collègue québécois d'Immaculée qui me rapporte cette histoire termine son courriel en me disant que «ce fait divers est plus épeurant que la guerre en cela qu'il nous montre une société qui a perdu ses repères et ses valeurs».

Ses repères et ses valeurs? Vous me donnez une idée monsieur le coopérant: cette Immaculée au si joli nom, envoyez-nous-la donc. On lui trouvera un emploi dans un Wal-Mart.

[Rubylight]

I didn't do any shopping for this year's Black Friday.
Last year though, I went in the afternoon, to avoid the big crowds.
Even then, it was still crowded. lol