Yes, Yes, YES! Coolest Thing EVER !!!

[DUD]

I have never gone shopping on Black Friday, however I went today. Office Max had a Sony Digital camera for $99.00 that I wanted and I went an hour after they opened, sold out. I went back home. Bill

[ironhat]

Today was my first foray into the Black Hole of shopping today. I had put in an order for two Craftsman portable work tables for the sons-in-laws to be picked up. I wanted them for this weekend so that I could satisfy birthdays/ Christmas gifts for them. Like a spectre from the night of the DP debacle I did **not** receive an e-mail verification!! I decided that it had to get done so I called - they left me on hold till I nearly died on the vine so, I climbed in the truck and took a chance - yea, and it prove to be a stupid mistake. I also slipped into Gander Mtn only to come out frustrated and empty handed. When I got home I found a special reply from a Sears customer rep who said that the system had been up and down so they issued me a new verification (no barcode, though, so I'm worried about that). So, I'm not going back until after I've had a few days in the woods to cool off!

[Uncle Cracker]

Showed up at Staples a half hour before they opened, long line out front. To their credit, they had a manager at the end of the line handing out vouchers for their major items. Found out immediately that all of the item I was there for were spoken for, so I was in my car and on my way back to bed in less than 2 minutes.

[cabinetman]

Showed up at Staples a half hour before they opened, long line out front. To their credit, they had a manager at the end of the line handing out vouchers for their major items. Found out immediately that all of the item I was there for were spoken for, so I was in my car and on my way back to bed in less than 2 minutes.

I stood in too many lines in the Army. The worst one is the one for shots...that's the one you don't want to be last. Fortunately, my wife refused to go shopping today, American Express monthly statement closes out tonight at midnight. She'll be out tomorrow...for sure.
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[Jeffrey Schronce]

Showed up at Staples a half hour before they opened, long line out front. To their credit, they had a manager at the end of the line handing out vouchers for their major items. Found out immediately that all of the item I was there for were spoken for, so I was in my car and on my way back to bed in less than 2 minutes.

That is actually cool and the way they should be doing this non-sense.

I had a little biz to take care of this AM and drove by a mall in Harrisburg. Acutally looked pretty reasonable at around 10:00 AM.

Went looking for a tall christmas tree between 12:00 and 3:00. Came home and sent wife out to look for one. Stores were not that bad.

Woodcraft was a ghost town as usual, Lowes was very reasonable at around 1:00.

[Uncle Cracker]

That is actually cool and the way they should be doing this non-sense.

I totally agree. Actually, Best Buy started this, I think. But you gotta stand there sometimes for hours before they get to you with the voucher tickets. Having a manager right there at the end of the line to save you the aggravation is a great way to handle it. I was back in bed sawing logs without so much as a second thought, or I could have been off to another stop if I needed to be. Although I didn't buy anything from them today, I will remember that Staples viewed my time and convenience as valuable.

[Wood_workur]

Yea, I went to guitar center today, I got a nice cymbal for 25% off an 6 pairs of drum sticks for $1 each. Thats all I need, even though I had to wait in massive line there (and probably 1/20 people actually went into drums and drums was packed... the guitar line almost went into the drums section) I went to rockler last year, and the guy there said 'they're mean too, They'll let you in but there is no way you are getting out alive.' in reference to the best buy across the street. I'd hate to be stuck shopping at one of those. I was trying to talk my dad into going to home depot and getting that compressor (with a nail gun) for $60 but he refused.

[MilDoc]

This idea of being at a store at 3 AM so you can get 1 of 20 vouchers for a doorbuster special is just plain nuts. For those who do it, more power to ya'. But I always gotta work on Black Friday.

[LinuxRandal]

This idea of being at a store at 3 AM so you can get 1 of 20 vouchers for a doorbuster special is just plain nuts. For those who do it, more power to ya'. But I always gotta work on Black Friday.

My father went to Ace one year (about 9 am), due to needing a plumbing part (emergency). He was pleasantly surprised, that they had the only item in the ad, he had been interested in (DeWalt 14.4 drill and two batteries, for the cost of two replacement batteries).
I went one year on the way into work (about 4 hours after the store opened), to see if a laptop was still there. I had never shopped on Black Friday, like my mother or siblings (too smart), and figured people would be done and going home to sleep by then. I got my curiousity satisfied, and found out how wrong I was. I didn't and still don't have a laptop (digital camera, etc), expensive, uneeded, highly theftable toys, that will keep me out of the shop.
I also deal with the general public on BF, unfortunately. Too many people have the day off, and expect to small talk with you, when your running your tail off. Tell us the needed info, the STHU, so we can get the work done, help the next person and get on with it. I got lucky this year, and only put in a 12 hour day. Last year it was 14+ and I got REAL lucky and barely made it home in time, to find out the BF item I wanted, was still available from HDT.
While some of the places were supposed to be slow, they weren't locally. Fewer "bargains" (slow shopping season, less preordered), so it looks like the price wars are beginning (seeing BF specials on Craigslist). I did one online BF purchase, mentioned elsewhere on this site (Wixley post). That was as close to people as I wanted to get.

[L. D. Jeffries]

Black-Black Friday

Fortunately for me I don't have to worry bout B/F! LOML and two of her buddies always make the mad dash to a town 50 miles away where there are a million stores. I set the alarm for her to 3AM, got the coffee pot ready, laid out a plate, bread knife, butter and loaf of bread, after she went to bed at 9PM. When the alarm went off I woke up long enough to make sure she got up, then promptly went back to sleep until 7AM!
My wonder is how can a person spend 6 or 7 hours at a clip just going from store to store? Must be a female gene thing! After a quiet breakfast, about 9:00 i fired up the truck, sent to a new Tractor Supply store that had opened that week and went directly to the compressors and brought one. Left the store and was home in the shop by 11AM. Now thats my idea of shopping.