Unless you're trying to get one of the 5 $200 laptops the have for sale, I'd just buy it now and 'price protect' myself if I see it go on sale later. I just picked up a new 37' bedroom TV and I'll be watching the ads like a hawk for the next 30 days.

 

Sure go stand in line with about another 500 people for 5 hours or more for a chance at a $500 laptop You have a better chance of winning the lottery. People never learn....

 

I don't need anything, but I'm going to the stores anyway. Since I left the clothing business I very badly miss the action. I'm going to watch everyone go crazy. I think the whole Black Friday thing is silly, but I do like the energy and tumult.

 

Not this year. I don't think I will do any shopping in stores this year.

 

[QUOTE=zzziippyyy,Nov 27 2008, 03:41 PM]Sure go stand in line with about another 500 people for 5 hours or more for a chance at a $500 laptop

 

Different strokes for different folks.

Dave, you would be amazed at the strategy of some of these shoppers. Some enjoy the whole deal. It's an adventure and a challenge, and sometimes a family tradition. For families with kids wanting the latest toy or electronic, Black Friday shopping can help keep the Christmas spending in check. As mentioned along the way, my sis and her husband are really into it. She never pays full price for anything. She sent me a spread sheet of her Christmas purchases to date. It listed retail price and her final cost. I was most impressed. She does a great job getting great gifts on a limited budget. The entire family tells her she should get a job as a professional shopper. She and her husband are out there, with a plan before they hit the road. For some, bargain hunting is like regular hunting. Part of it is the thrill and if they land that coveted item for dirt cheap money, or bag the deer (if they are the other kind of hunter) they achieved their mission.

JT over in New England snagged a lap top one year, or maybe Bass. I don't think they are heading out this year though.

Black Friday sales have not yet lured me from a warm bed in the wee hours, I don't see it happening next year either. I should just hire my sister to do my shopping.

 

The one big outlet center opened at midnight. At 10P the parking lots were full, at midnight there was a three mile line of traffic trying to get into the mall. IMPO this is pure lunacy, let's fight traffic and let's get no sleep so we can save $5.00 on a shirt!! To each his own. I'll be working today.

 

Well, it's not the shirt you should be shopping for. It's the expensive toys/gadgets the kids want.

We saw a news report of a local outlet place, same situation. I will avoid all those areas today.

Hey, Maury, I'm too lazy to put up my own tree? Can you come by and take care of that and put up a few decorations/lights for us?

My reindeer are ready to go into "action" too.

 

We were feeling smug about our Black Friday get-out-of-town strategy (and, yes, I'll say hi to Flamingo for ya, Flats -- I'm curious to see what's going on down there), when we got to wondering why it's called "Black Friday."

Wikipedia outlines two possible origins:

A) the Philadelphia police started using the term in association with the chaos of the shoppers and the Army-Navy game traffic, apparently building off the "Black Tuesday" chaos of the 1929 stock market crash;

b) it comes from the world of accounting, being essentially a shortened version of "black-ink Friday", given that many retailers make a lot of their annual profit today.

So, class, discuss the options. Which seems more likely? HPH

 

I read that it is the shopping season where retailers hope to "end up in the black for the year." I vote b.

Just in from shopping. Stayed away from the malls and outlets.

The stores I went into were busy, not too crazy and well staffed.