Black Friday a commercial conspiracy!

I went shopping today, not out of need but out of boredom. Went to 5-10 different stores all of which have the same usual products for the same usual sale price just today they put them in walking isles instead of the shelves. As I was walking through one store I noticed a TV I bought a year ago on sale for 900 dollars, I paid $800 same model and size. Another had a dvd player for sale $35, me and my wife debated getting this 1 month ago when it was $30. Then I met up with my friend he wanted a laptop, he went into the store to get it and after 20 minutes of arguing with the salesman about insurance and protection, which added up to more then the laptop cost, which he didn't want. The salesman came back to tell him it was out of stock. Well he thought it was fishy and sent me in to get it, I played dumb and told the salesman I wanted all the protection and insurance I could get. Guess what 5 minutes later he returned with the same laptop that was out of stock 20 minutes earlier. There were some good deals on some other products but it was all old or cheap quality, nothing new and exciting was on sale.
The news had people waiting in line since wednesday morning to get into a store this morning. The news woman asked what one man was waiting for he replied a PS3, I don't know about you but unless the thing was free I wouldn't wait 48 hours on the curb, freezing in NYC to save $100-$200.
I just don't get it, is it me or do any of you think this is all some consumer ploy used to get us to think we are getting good deals so we buy? The media spin on this also just makes me sick. I wouldn't wait in line for 48 hours on the curb, in the cold, missing Thanksgiving, to elbow Obama in the face!

Originally posted by AnteBellum
I wouldn't wait in line for 48 hours on the curb, in the cold, missing Thanksgiving, to elbow Obama in the face!

Are you kidding??? That would be a deal at twice the price.

It's retailers' way of saying "I drink your milkshake!"

It's American society's way, for the most part, of setting aside all differences, be they political, societal, religious or otherwise, in order to once again $show their support$ for That which they spend the rest of the year bitching about.

/nutshell

I don't know where your from but around here I took $150 and bought about $300 worth of toys and what not for the kids. Black Friday can be a good thing as long as your in the right place at the right time. I do agree though that the electronic deals this year were lacking. I would gladly pay $100 more for a tv than stand in a line for hours on end. All in all I think I just go out to watch all the crazy people fight over .99 towels and such as it can be great humor indeed.

Black Friday is 100% commercialism - it's powerful marketing startegy and is so "in your face" that it's now taking over Thanksgiving Day, as well. I find it truly disgusting, but there will always be people who find it "thrilling" I guess. Personally, there is nothing I can think of, that would get me to participate in it (except, maybe online shopping if there was something I needed that was on deal) but not in person, no chance.

Know what I was doing at 3 am this morning?

Sleeping!

No amount of bargain, price slashing is going to get me to wait in line in the cold.

My mom got to see two fist fights (men fighting over table saws at walmart today), cops and all. I wish I'd have gone that's youtube material, serious.

Have people's lives become so empty that they must wake up at 3am and wait hours in line in front of stores to buy more stuff they don't even need ???

They do this, yet they cannot be bothered to vote or educate themselves on whats really going on in America.

It shows where priorities lie.

were all doomed.

we are, after all, a consumer nation my fiancee went out at 4 in the morning to get a "few gifts"and got 99% of our christmas shopping done. its not so bad, she ended up saving $580. i hate to be bah humbug about it, so i wont be. happy holidays everyone!!!

Originally posted by IntastellaBurst


Have people's lives become so empty that they must wake up at 3am and wait hours in line in front of stores to buy more stuff they don't even need ???

They do this, yet they cannot be bothered to vote or educate themselves on whats really going on in America.

It shows where priorities lie.

were all doomed.

What the hell does Black Friday shopping have to do with voting? Who says anyone is buying things they don't need? Some people were out buying washers and dryers(perhaps theirs were broken), poster already said people were out buying table saws( maybe for their jobs to make an income), Heck I think for most people it's about getting a good deal on things they need and wouldn't be able to get otherwise. Sure some people might be spending the rent check on that new flat screen but the majority I feel are buying things they can use in everyday life. I know myself I am up at that time of day anyway so there is no rolling out of bed for me. If anything this time of year gives me something to do when the rest of the world is sleeping and I am twiddling my thumbs. I guess I fail to see the conspiracy in it, companies are out trying to make a buck like any other day of the year. And my family's thanksgiving ends long before the stores open so it is no inconvenience to any of them, unless over indulge in turkey and can't stay awake.

Black Friday is the day in which retailers make most of their annual profits. They rely on the days before Christmas for the remainder.

I took my time comparing sales ads to what I actually needed vs wanted. Went to one of the big retailers a few days before Black Friday and found better quality items for just a few dollars more. I'd rather pay more than have to get up at an unreasonable time of night to join a mindless herd only to buy junk.

reply to post by AnteBellum
I never go out on black Friday ever,in fact I do most of the shopping online I know it's not just me if I have to go out shopping I go in and get what I need and leave ,otherwise I'll get a panic attack.........Way too many people for me to be around!

reply to post by jaynkeel



I've worked at Walmart during Black Friday in the past. .....

believe me ... most of the things people are buying..... they do not need, in fact most people buy things simply because their on sale.

Your right, ... it's not a conspiracy, ... however it is sad, to see people act like animals to save 10 bucks on a dvd/vcr combo.

Of course it's a commercial conspiracy. That's the whole point. They build up this day that everything has to be bought, when there's absolutely no reason to need to buy things that early.

Here's somethin' weird that we all need to learn to understand: Conspiracies exist. They are not necessarily all vast underground cloak and daggers; they are more prominently just people with similar aims who reach for those aims together, in one way or another. For example, by thrusting a day forward as a day everything needs to be bought.