Black Friday

Gary Sisco · November-27th-2005, 07:07 AM

So, did you do your patriotic duty and buy?

I did. I bought some yogurt, rice, splurged on a pound of asparagus, two postage stamps, and the local paper.

Gordon B · November-27th-2005, 08:03 AM

Many of the electronics items heavily discounted to those shoppers who were in line to charge into Best Buy and similar stores at 5AM are now on ebay.

Gary Sisco · November-27th-2005, 08:33 AM

And many people will pay more than retail because they just ... can't ... wait.

bluenoter · November-27th-2005, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Sisco

So, did you do your patriotic duty and buy?

No, nor did I buy anything yesterday or so far today (other than groceries and, alas, cigarettes).

However, DC is having a sales-tax-free week. I may make a rare visit to a department store as well as my usual thrift shops.

Scott Dolan · November-27th-2005, 04:27 PM

Sales tax free weekend?

Wow. That's surprising, you usually only see something like that around the back to school sales time.

As for me, the only time I left the house on Friday was when Mr. Pootz and I took all of our cardboard in to be recycled. Kelly stopped at the Y to up our membership, and visited the Healthplex for a scheduled full body/deep tissue massage.

There was no retailing to speak of. I let the loons have their day, I can go shopping anytime.

bruce massey · November-27th-2005, 04:44 PM

I despise crowded stores and standing in lines. The lack of such is one of the lovely aspects of life in Alaska

Of course, we don't have lines cuz we don't have shit!

Actually that's just a joke. It was true when I moved here, but now we actually have a variety of products to buy.

Shopping is still my personal kryptonite. I stayed home and fussed around here.

Tom Storer · November-27th-2005, 04:52 PM

What is this about?

Scott Dolan · November-27th-2005, 05:03 PM

Tom,

Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving. Many retailers have outrageous sales to kick off the Christmas shopping "season". It is so called because many retailers look to that one day to put them back into some serious black.

It has now become a tradition for many unstable loons who cannot resist the ultimate bargains to gather outside of businesses prior to their doors opening so that they can take advantage of these great deals.

A couple of years ago at a Walmart(can't remember where)a rabid crowd of loons did the Texas Two-Step on some unsuspecting fellow loon shortly after the doors opened and trampled her to death.

Happy Holidays!!!

bluenoter · November-27th-2005, 05:06 PM

Scott beat me to it, but . . .

Tom--

The day after Thanksgiving and the rest of the Thanksgiving weekend are considered peak times for retail sales in the United States; they may in fact be the peak times. They also mark the supposed official start of shopping for gifts for the holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc.). Especially it's hoped that everybody will buy big-ticket items during that weekend. I think that's right!

Scott--

Yeah, this is unusual; it's our second sales-tax-free week of the year, the first having indeed been a back-to-school week. (Both of them are whole weeks, not just weekends.)

Henry Mars · November-27th-2005, 05:19 PM

If I could, I would opt out. Every year Christmas sucks more and more. Christmas is for merchants. People expect you buy in .... raise your debt celling... go on... do it. Only three easy payments of $49.99 a month .... and your soul. ( that's the part that they leave out in the commericals)

Fuck Christmas ... that's what I say.

al j · November-27th-2005, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henry Mars

Fuck Christmas ... that's what I say.

hey now.

Scott Dolan · November-27th-2005, 05:31 PM

Nothing personal, brother..........

Henry Mars · November-27th-2005, 05:36 PM

Shhh ...I forgot about you Joe.

Gordon B · November-27th-2005, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Sisco

And many people will pay more than retail because they just ... can't ... wait.

No they pay less than retail. The 5AM'ers by for under cost then re-sell in some cases on ebay. They can't sell for retail but sell above what they paid.

stonemonkts · November-27th-2005, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henry Mars

If I could, I would opt out. Every year Christmas sucks more and more. Christmas is for merchants. People expect you buy in .... raise your debt celling... go on... do it. Only three easy payments of $49.99 a month .... and your soul. ( that's the part that they leave out in the commericals)

Fuck Christmas ... that's what I say.

I'm proud to say this will be the 19th year of my full, all holds barred Christmas boycott.

No gifts, no cards, no calls, nothing.

I agree, fuck Christmas, and fuck it good.

So, am I your hero?

Henry Mars · November-27th-2005, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonemonkts

I'm proud to say this will be the 19th year of my full, all holds barred Christmas boycott.

No gifts, no cards, no calls, nothing.

I agree, fuck Christmas, and fuck it good.

So, am I your hero?

Yes !!!

Tanager · November-27th-2005, 08:12 PM

As someone who has been known to hold retail stocks, I hope everyone goes out and spends a shitload on whatever overpriced crap they're hawking this year. Happy Holidays!

GoodSpeak · November-27th-2005, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Sisco

And many people will pay more than retail because they just ... can't ... wait.

So you'd rather they didn't and the have economy take yet another blow to the gut? Besides, why are you so worried about what other people do?

With all due respect, Gary, it seems to me, that a lot of jobs depend on this day. I'll take the phony hoopla over lay-offs any day. Wouldn't you?

GoodSpeak · November-27th-2005, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tanager

As someone who has been known to hold retail stocks, I hope everyone goes out and spends a shitload on whatever overpriced crap they're hawking this year. Happy Holidays!

As someone whose father depended on those sales to make his bottomline and not have to let good employees go, so do I.

When I was in the retail world, Black Friday was a pain in the ass....but it also meant a possible Christmas bonus and no pink slip.

Monte Smith · November-27th-2005, 08:20 PM

Only a moron braves the shops on Black Friday. I stayed in my PJs all day. Didn't even buy a newspaper. Now having said that, I have gotten some Xmas shopping done already. A collection of obituaries from the London Times for my dad (he's been talking abiout obituaries all year) and an interior decorating book on the homes of dictators for Mom. And a Playmobil pirate ship for Gungadar. All internet purchases--as will be 100% of my shopping this year. Doh, except for a mini-Leatherman tool I got for my brother-in-law at Costco a few weeks ago.

BFrank · November-27th-2005, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoodSpeak

As someone whose father depended on those sales to make his bottomline and not have to let good employees go, so do I.

When I was in the retail world, Black Friday was a pain in the ass....but it also meant a possible Christmas bonus and no pink slip.

There's certainly THAT side of it. No question about it.

It's just ashame that our society has come to this.

Scott Dolan · November-27th-2005, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monte Smith

Only a moron braves the shops on Black Friday. I stayed in my PJs all day. Didn't even buy a newspaper. Now having said that, I have gotten some Xmas shopping done already. A collection of obituaries from the London Times for my dad (he's been talking abiout obituaries all year) and an interior decorating book on the homes of dictators for Mom. And a Playmobil pirate ship for Gungadar. All internet purchases--as will be 100% of my shopping this year. Doh, except for a mini-Leatherman tool I got for my brother-in-law at Costco a few weeks ago.

Hahahaha...............

Monte cranks out an 11th hour entry for post of the year!!

GoodSpeak · November-27th-2005, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFrank

There's certainly THAT side of it. No question about it.

It's just ashame that our society has come to this.

Indeed.

I wish it were different, too.

But on a sales to commissions level...it makes perfect sense.

Sad, but true.

GoodSpeak · November-27th-2005, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monte Smith

Only a moron braves the shops on Black Friday. I stayed in my PJs all day. Didn't even buy a newspaper. Now having said that, I have gotten some Xmas shopping done already. A collection of obituaries from the London Times for my dad (he's been talking abiout obituaries all year) and an interior decorating book on the homes of dictators for Mom. And a Playmobil pirate ship for Gungadar. All internet purchases--as will be 100% of my shopping this year. Doh, except for a mini-Leatherman tool I got for my brother-in-law at Costco a few weeks ago.

Buy a newspaper...?

I have mine delivered.

Neophyte.

stonemonkts · November-27th-2005, 08:34 PM

Gordon B · November-27th-2005, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFrank

There's certainly THAT side of it. No question about it.

It's just ashame that our society has come to this.

Why is it a shame and how has it "come to this?"

It's only Black Friday 0.274% of the time.

bluenoter · November-27th-2005, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon B

It's only Black Friday 0.274% of the time.

It's "Buy a bunch of expensive stuff that, by any reasonable standard, you don't need" Day 100% of the time. More pressure to do so is brought to bear on Black Friday, though.

Monte Smith · November-27th-2005, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon B

It's only Black Friday 0.274% of the time.

Gordon, you know I am a keen follower of your bets and your statistics. I really appreciate the way you can ascertain and quantify certain aspects of life that other people just take for granted or wield massive, unmeasured opinions about.

I really want to thank you.

Would you like a new wrist-watch calculator for the holidays? I saw some at Wal-Mart that look really big.

bluenoter · November-27th-2005, 08:56 PM

Monte is on a tear!

BFrank · November-27th-2005, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluenoter

It's "Buy a bunch of expensive stuff that, by any reasonable standard, you don't need" Day 100% of the time. More pressure to do so is brought to bear on Black Friday, though.

That was my general thinking ...