How do you feel about Black Friday?
By Barb42
@Barb42 (4214)
United States
November 29, 2008 10:30am CST
The Friday after Thanksgiving used to be a fun day to shop. But the stores have gone out of their way to make sales and it has turned into a bad day. People rush to the stores offering a big bargain on an item and the store usually only has a few of these items. The stores open at an early hour, unless they stay open all night, and people are foolish enough to line the sidewalks for hours just to try and get in the door first. Then, they make get the item for which they have come or they may not, depending on how fast they can run the aisles.
Black Friday has been a deathly adventure for some shoppers and even workers like the WalMart part-time worker who was trampled to death this year.
"A Wal-Mart worker on Long Island, N.Y., died after being trampled by customers who broke through the doors early Friday, and other workers were trampled as they tried to rescue the man. At least four other people, including a woman who was eight months pregnant, were taken to hospitals." http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008448574_shop290.html
At a Toys 'R Us, two men got into a brawl and shot one another to death. Those were senseless killings, just as the man trampled to death and all the others hurt in that WalMart store.
Black Friday is supposed to be the day when the stores hope to make a profit and get out of the red for the year. But, is all the rush and possible deaths/injuries worth all the hassle of getting something a little cheaper. Why not have sales all season and encourage people to shop all the season rather than trying to make it a one day sale? This would cut down on the rushing and the madness that happens on Black Friday. I used to love to go shopping the day after Thanksgiving, but that was before all the madness started. Now, I would never venture into the stores on that Friday. I'd rather do without or pay a little more. But, as the days roll toward Christmas, you usually see the same sales or better. So why not wait and do your shopping a little safer?
4 people like this
12 responses
@aprilsue00 (1991)
• United States
30 Nov 08
I went shopping on Black Friday last year. I got up at three oclock in the morning to make sure i got to the stores when they opened. Every single store I went to was a mess. There was people and shopping carts everywhere. People would get the shopping carts and realize they couldn't get them through all the people so they would leave them in the aisles. Needless to say I did not go shopping on Black Friday this year.
4 people like this
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
30 Nov 08
I will never go out on a Black Friday again. I tried it once... I was there at 4:00 a.m. The store opened at 5:00 a.m. The line of people standing and waiting was already across the length of the building and around one side!
I took one look at that and said No Way!!! I went home and back to bed!
Yesterday, I actually did go out shopping, but not for the sales. I had to go and pick up some prescriptions and a few food items at Wal Mart. I waited until the bulk of the insane people had already had their fun and were gone, though. It wasn't bad at all, once all those maniacs who wait in line for the doors to open had left!
I actually enjoyed meandering around the store! It was a little crowded in the electronics section, but even that wasn't bad. There were some things still left that were greatly reduced in price and I got some. (I had already finished my gift shopping for this year, too! Now, I have stuff for next year! LOL)
I wasn't intending to do any Christmas shopping but finding that the store had pretty much emptied out after the initial onslaught, I actually enjoyed it!
I refuse to get upset or stressed during the holidays. Shopping is what always does it and I think that's just plain stupid. Why stress? People need to remember the REASON for the holiday! Too many people get caught up in the commercialism of it all. Not me! Nope!
I just keep remembering the little Who's from Whoville in the Grinch story. They were thankful that they were together and able to celebrate the real reason behind the holiday. THAT'S the way it should be!
@GardenGerty (160696)
• United States
30 Nov 08
WalMart was not bad at ten p.m. last night, either. I have run into people being really mean to each other a lot lately and I was glad that was not the case last night.
4 people like this
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
30 Nov 08
I don't get it. Isn't Christmas all about caring, loving, sharing, giving, etc. etc.? That's why I do the bulk of my shopping early. I just don't want to have to deal with the nasty people who tend to come out in hoards around this time of year.
My son works at WalMart, overnight. He was there when the Black Friday sales first began. He said they had to keep stopping people from pulling apart the plastic wrap on the sale items before they went on sale. The plastic wrap comes off right before the sale officially starts but people were trying to pull it off to get to the stuff early. They didn't care about anything except getting whatever was inside that plastic wrap!
He said that one employee there almost got punched in the face by a woman when she was asked to leave the plastic wrap alone. That woman was quickly escorted out of WalMart and was not allowed back in. I'm glad no one was hurt in THAT incident.
What's wrong with these people, anyway???
@glords (2614)
• United States
29 Nov 08
Yes it is dangerous I have a story about a friend of mine that actually camped out one thanksgiving to get a big screen television. when the store opened she and her husband ran to the TV's just in time to get the last one. Her husband turned around and was punched in the face. The man that punched him, had also camped out, and claimed he had been there an hour before my friend so he deserved the TV. It turned into a fist fight. While the men were duking it out, she pushed the TV up front and bought it. I'm happy for her, but kind of sorry for the guy that camped out only to get a couple of black eyes for his trouble.
This is why I prefer to hit the black friday sales online.
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
29 Nov 08
I didn't think it had anything to do with where you were camped out or for how long. But it depended on who got to the merchandise first. I'm glad the wife got her TV! I'm surprised, though, that the other man didn't attack her too, once he saw she had made it to the register and bought it. I hope the other man didn't know them personally! It just goes to show you how childish some people can be.
2 people like this
@gicolet (1702)
• United States
29 Nov 08
I never went out shopping on Black Friday. I'm not an early riser and I hate crowded stores. My husband is an early riser. I think he tried to go to Best Buy last year but was so angry about the line at the register. I spent the day yesterday shopping online and i liked it better.
3 people like this
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
30 Nov 08
I'm not an early riser, either, especially not to go shopping!! I love the bed too much. And, yes, that attack was terrible with so many people killed and so many hurt. It is terrible that so few can cause so much damage. That was really planned with precision.
@GardenGerty (160696)
• United States
30 Nov 08
I think I only went one time, and that was because I wanted a new Christmas tree for my new house. It was fun, that one time, but I am like you and I know that I will see good sales clear into the season, and I do not like the crowds and the babies get crabby and people yell and insult each other. I see enough of that on a regular shopping day.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
30 Nov 08
It's greed that motivates people to behave this badly. Greed is a terrible thing. Maybe the stores feed these people's greed but this is people behaving in a disgusting and uncivilised way. What was that pregnant woman doing there" Stupid reckless behaviour.
All this for the sake of a few bucks? There is something seriously wrong with the people who participate in this sort of thing.
@arcidy (5005)
• United States
30 Nov 08
I really dont like black friday since of all of the dumb people they act like animals just to save some money. And its because of those dumb people why I will never go out on black friday shopping and just safely do it online like how most people should do it.
@bfarrier1 (2082)
• United States
30 Nov 08
That is so sad about the Walmart worker in New York and people didnt even stop to check on him and got angry when they closed the store down,What is this world becoming,I go shopping on black Friday but I dont go early if there is something that I am looking for and cant find that day I normally will before Christmas on another shopping trip.There is nothing I need so despreatly to run someone down or even be a part of killing them.God be with his family this holiday season.You have a great night.
@alabmemei (44)
• Philippines
30 Nov 08
to be honest, when i was a kid... i am afraid to go out when it is Black Friday... those old buddies that you might have an accident but year past sometimes those black friday turn to be a lucky day.. i think, it depends on what God plans to be happen on this special day..
@animeniak (425)
• United States
30 Nov 08
Is that why it's called "Black Friday", because there are so many umm sad tragic events going on around (like killing innocents or fighting and that kinds of stuff)? I remember reading about it, that it was named Black Friday around the 70s, but I kinda forgot why. I remember reading about that from wikipedia, whether that is accurate or not. I don't know, but I haven't seen any kinds of accidents or fights going on two days ago, when it was black friday. I went to Circuit City, and all I saw was bunch of people roaming around the store, because the store was closing and then it was black friday, but I didn't see any fights going on. So many tragic events on black friday.. how sad -_-
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
1 Dec 08
No, Black Friday is the official start of the Christmas shopping and many stores have bargains. But, you better know what an item was before Black Friday or you might get cheated. Lots of stores mark things up in order to give you a sale price. That is cheating the consumers, but it's legal, I guess. I like to know I'm getting a bargain when I buy something. Look up the cost of the purchase before going to the store, then compare the sale price with what you have found at other stores. Then you know if you are getting a bargain or not.
The day is not named for killings. However there are some rowdy people out there that do not know how to conduct themselves when having to wait in line. And, having only a few of the items in stock doesn't help the situation, either.
