I live in Louisiana, and we have this chain of stores called Dirt Cheap.

They sell overstocks, and buy out stores going out of business. They also buy goods from stores who have had fires in them. It is one of those kind of stores that if you don't buy it today, it won't be there tomorrow.

I have purchased designer clothing in perfect condition there. Harve Bernard pants for $1.00, designer shoes for under a buck, and housewares. Last month, I got a brand new Sonicare toothbrush that was out of the box, but unopened, with two replacement brushes for $15.00.

Needless to say, I go there a lot and stroll around, digging. The place requires patience and time to find gems. I live in close to 3 of these stores, about equal distance.

The other day, I stopped into one of the locations because I had errands to run in the area.

This particular day, the store was featuring items from a Family Dollar that had burned down.

Over the speaker, the clerk said they had trash bags in boxes that held anywhere from 15 bags to 30 bags, and that they were all marked for .60 cents. This included tall kitchen can bags, as well as lawn and leaf bags.

The bags were not on the shelf yet, and were being unloaded from a truck at the back of the store.

I was stuck in the aisle, that featured quilts, sheets and towels, and it was a mess. Stuff dumped all over the floor. Me and my cart were doing some manuvering.

I thought to myself, I am running low on kitchen can bags, and needed a box. Just one box.

Heck, by the time I made my way to the back of the store, it was like mayhem. People were grabbing boxes of trash bags like there was no tomorrow, and I mean armloads. It was like a bunch of sharks in a feeding frenzy! You would have thought the bags were being given away.

Honestly, I wish I would have had a camera! The boxes were charred. Burnt, and hopefully the bags were not melted, but these people were going nuts! I stood there with my mouth open watching all of this. Had there been flies in the store, I am sure I would have consumed a few! I dared not go closer to the mob scene for fear of loosing a limb do to cart runovers or ramming!

Within 5 minutes, all the bags were gone!

I wrote this thread, to point out, what I witnessed over trash bags. I fear for us all if the economy gets much worse.

Can you imagine?






[edit on 19-10-2009 by Blanca Rose]

First, I wish we had stores like that in my area! It'd be nice to have something aside from Wal-mart in a 20 mile radius.

Back on topic, that's kinda sad really. I could understand it if it was food and the people in the area were starving to death. But trash bags? .60 cents a box is a really good deal, but a mob scene over trash bags? My mouth's hanging open just contemplating it..

It reminds me of a story I once heard about life in the old Soviet Union. I was told once by a Russian scientist (a defector) that the mere presence of a line outside a store was sufficient reason to stand in it, even if you didn't know what was being sold at the other end.

Feeding frenzies are not limited to sharks.

It's called greed. Greed might even be a survival instinct that's genetically programmed. Sort of like hording. Our actions might be a product of genetic programming. This means Banker are really neanderthals and have yet to advance as a species.

That scene is repeated each year at thousands of stores on "Black Friday". The mob mentality routine is what drives such events, even though a careful analysis of the "bargains" prove that the vast majority of those items are not bargains at all. For instance, a few years ago, Walmart had a Black Friday "super special" of a 29" inch TV for $119.00. (before the flat screens) One week later, the same TV's were selling for $99 at Walmart, and by the week before Christmas, they were selling them for $79.00, when I finally bought one.
There are a few items that are true bargains, but they are usually in such short supply, that few get them. I'm sure though, that as usual, people will wait on line for hours for those "specials".
Skip the ordeal, get some sleep. The items will still be there weeks after Black Friday, and with the economy, the way it is, they'll probably be put on sale at a lower price than the Black Friday price.

I believe it and am not at all surprised. Many people believe that the end of the world will be caused by a meteor, religious judgment day, or even alien invasion. I tell you now, that if human kind is ever wiped off of this earth, the cause will be none of those things. The cause for our demise will be greed. Simple greed.

Considering the Economy, things are only going to get worse, before they get better...

That scene is repeated each year at thousands of stores on "Black Friday".

I am seriously considering going to a 'black Friday' this year, and bringing a video camera. I wont be buying anything (unless it's in the pharmacy dept )- I just want to watch and film the carnage. Then, gentle readers, YOU decide what the malfunction is.

I say simple, simple greed- And I'll bet $1 a few of the greedy ones were buying boxes of trash bags to resell at a profit.

I do not think this is anything new. But maybe more exasperated due to economy and more "discount stores".

Ever hear of the horror of David's Bridal when they put wedding dresses on sale? People come out bleeding and bruised due to all the fighting over - wedding dresses

Some people still work for minimum wage.

A big box of trash bags is what 4, 5 ,6 bucks?

Imagine being able to know you can avoid working a full two or three hours this month just to pay for trash bags.

Getting the basics costs money. Most of us are lucky that we can afford to buy things like trash bags without having to count change, use coupons or elbow our way through a crowd to get something for 60 cents.

Here's one for you all. In Santa Clarita California we had our grand opening for the new Sears store in 1992. It was a big event. Well in the different departments they were giving away free goodies. Like mugs, balloons etc. Well, by the fridge dept. a couple of sales guys were giving out free bright orange yard sticks. It was an all out mob. The people were pushing and shoving. Yelling and grabbing. The poor sales guys couldn't hand them out fast enough and looked terrified. I rolled my eyes in utter revulsion. Over Bright Orange YARD STICKS! The human race is dumb. It is so sad. And the OP is right. Lord help us in a real emergency shortage or economic collapse. Blood will be spilled in the stores and shops. It will be horrible. I pray that never happens.

It could have absolutely nothing to do with the economy. Some people are bargain hunters like me.

I can't resist a good bargain. And will go out of my way. Can I afford to pay full price for trash bags? Yes.

But why do that when I can save 2$ bucks or more.

A penny saved is a penny earned.

If I actually feel like sitting down on Sunday's and clipping coupons and searching out sales, I can save $50 bucks grocery shopping. Once I saved so much that the cash register sent an alert for a manger to come.

I was quite proud. It is like a rush.

When I walk I search the ground for dropped changed. Coin finders have actually figured out that if you collect all the coins you find on the ground, you get about $400 in two years.

[edit on 20-10-2009 by nixie_nox]

Originally posted by total_slacker
It reminds me of a story I once heard about life in the old Soviet Union. I was told once by a Russian scientist (a defector) that the mere presence of a line outside a store was sufficient reason to stand in it, even if you didn't know what was being sold at the other end.

Feeding frenzies are not limited to sharks.

This has nothing to do with SU and shortages of basic goods that were pervasive in Soviet era. Here in the US of you can buy any amount of trash bags or just about anything, for that matter. Things in SU were vastly different -- not as much mob mentality as realization that stocking up is a good idea, in scarce times.

I've seen shopping mobs in Switzerland (of all places) where sales events are strictly regulated.