# My wife just got a taste of what a run on a store would be like.



## mldollins (Jun 21, 2008)

My wife, 2 kids and adult niece decided to go at midnight to pick up PJ's. No big deal. They were having a midnight sale and since everyone was up, they decided to hit the PJ's at China-mart. It was packed. 

People were pushing others around and cussing at others. My girls had to practically jump out of the way because they would have gotten run over.

We are in the process of building up food reserves and I just got a big shelf unit assembled....so you can see that prepping is on our mind. 

But I told her, if people are hostile and uncivil about their toys, what would a run on food be like. I know people think the human spirit will step up and be helpful in a crisis situation. That might last 2 or at most 3 days.

Suffice to say, I was on the phone with her and told her to get out and get home before someone gets hurt.

Society was not like this 10 years ago. We are quickly devolving. I am saddened by what just transpired.


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## Rockytopsis (Dec 29, 2007)

I am sorry your kids had to see that, but that is the very reason I don't go near stores today. 
I agree it did not used to be that way but I think the media hype and the stores greed has brought out the sheep mentality or monkey see monkey do in humans.


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## candyknitter (Apr 23, 2009)

I think the stores should take responsibility more in this situation. If people are behaving badly or aggressively they should be ejected from the shop, that would quickly make the other bargain hunters remember their manners.


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## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

Bargain hunters with MANNERS? Now, that's an oxymoron -


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

AND this is why I REFUSE to go to these sales. There is nothing I need that badly in this life to face that. I once saw a grown woman PUSh a small boy out of her way into a display so she could run and get a crappy made in china toy.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

NickieL - I am with you! Now, understand, I love a deal. BUT, I would rather pay more, than participate in all that nonsense.
mldollins--EXACTLY!!


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I will never go BF shopping again. Did it last year. If they don't have a good BF - there will be better sales later. I'm just doing my civic duty in keeping the costs down, see? 
It would be very difficult if you were in the situation knowing you had no other choice but to shop for food in those circumstances. 

Maybe BF is a good day to go grocery shopping? Just not at WM.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

It's greed pure and simple. They are foccussed on what they MUST have, and no one is allowed to get in their way.

As you say, this is a taste, and a reason to prep. Can you imagine a SHTF situation and going to the store for food? I say there would be riots day 1. 

I 'did' do some online shopping this morning. I got 4 pairs of sturdy boys jeans for $10 each, free shipping from Old Navy. These jeans will go through about 3 boys, and these wear well, so a bargain!

Sorry your wife and kids experienced that.


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## Reptyle (Jul 28, 2005)

mldollins said:


> Society was not like this 10 years ago. We are quickly devolving. I am saddened by what just transpired.


[YOUTUBE]9sOlIvx7Pvs&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Reptyle you beat me to it!



















I do think people are a lot more uncaring and quick to anger than they were decades ago (I'd never heard of road rage until the 90s), but that lemming mentality is nothing new.

I've never shopped on Black Friday, and I never will. The heat, the noise, the crowds, the parking....I can't imagine anything more unpleasant.


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## Sweetsurrender (Jan 14, 2009)

I've lived through a run on food and it is quite disturbing. It's probably the reason I am a prepper today.

In 1998, an ice storm hit Eastern Canada and New England which is nothing new to this part of the world, except we got 5 inches of it. I missed power for 1 week and some parts missed power for 3 weeks. I always had food on hand back then but I had so many people stay with me that I was running out and had to go to the grocery store after the first week. It was insane. I wish I would have had a digital camera with me at the time. 

The store shelves were bare, only so many people let in at a time. I had to go to the grocery store and a drugstore and it was a surreal experience. There was no milk because dairies could not pasteurize the milk and had to throw it out. And of course only cash at the store. ATM were offline for weeks. The few that were working in rare areas that had power were not being replenished.

There were deaths. The police and the military that had to go door to door and convince some people to leave there homes because it was getting so cold. People were heating with unsafe systems. There was looting. It was as close to SHTF as I have ever experienced.

There were some positive aspects. Like the mayor who was able to power her town's shelter with a locomotive. If anyone is interested just google "montreal ice storm 1998" for pictures and stories.

It goes without saying that I stay home on BF.


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

I also stay home during Black Friday! No way would I subject myself or my family to pushing, shoving, swearing, 'bargain hunters'. I just don't like crowds to begin with. And just imagine these folks with very little SLEEP. Nice pictures to show that it's been this way for such a long time. I'd rather make sure my own shelves are stocked well before anything happens. Wish I was a bit more like my Mom though. She had all her Christmas shopping done BEFORE Thanksgiving! She said it was fun for her to go to the mall and just sit watching the frazzled folks scurring around trying to find Johnnie's gizmo or Penny's whizbang. She'd just sit there with calmness while watching all the frustration. Funny thing is that she doesn't prep! She has this HUGE pantry whose shelves are half stocked. It's mostly her crafts in there now!! Here again, I'm NOT like my mom. My shelves are pretty well full! Plenty to eat.


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## kmam10 (Aug 5, 2007)

There was a lot of road rage in the Boston area in the early 1980s. I really don't think people are all that much worse today than they ever have been. Think back to lynch mobs that would get all enraged, usually because of a misunderstanding, and go out and kill inocent people. That happened often in the 20th century. I've heard terrible stories about foster care during the Great Depression from the foster children who experienced it. People would foster them for the money, then lock them in a room during meals and use the money to feed themselves and their kids, leaving maybe a half a potato or something for the kids, and beat them if they dared complain.

That is the human race. Things were not better in the "Good Old Days".


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

My daughter just called me from a mall in Ohio and told me she saw a woman grab another woman's purse and run out of the store with it. That's another reason I'm glad I'm home and not fighting the crowds today.

I told my daughter to make sure her driver's license, cell phone and cash are deep in her front pockets so if someone grabs her purse they won't be getting much. She's shopping with her aunt, who LIVES for Black Friday every year. She (my SIL) spends 16 hours shopping, shopping, shopping on that day. Ugh.


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## fixitguy (Nov 2, 2010)

Our family braved the BF sales today, but for prep stuff, i.e. carhart coats $35.00, cheap blankets, pocket knifes, and candles for our BOB's. In the two stores we went to, made these observations. carts were full of "stuff" thats really not needed, and the use of plastic money. one guy in line next to us, had the same items as us, gave us the "look", he was prepin also. Also, seen one gal, that I know, has CC debt up to her eye balls, I belive that many people in the stores today couldnt afford to be there. 

Also, like sweetsurrender mentioned, Last tuesday we had some freezing rain/snow and as we drove by, our little grocery store was packed FULL of people. If they will brave the ice covered roads to get food, just how far will they go in a real SHTF situation. hungry people dont think clearly and it will be REAL dangerous when that time comes


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## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

candyknitter said:


> I think the stores should take responsibility more in this situation. If people are behaving badly or aggressively they should be ejected from the shop, that would quickly make the other bargain hunters remember their manners.


It's not ~a~ store's or ~a~ chain's fault...it's the whole greedy marketing system that has promoted this behavior. My son worked at a 24/7 supercenter as a stock boy. His job lastnight was to guard pallets/skids of plastic wrapped items to be sold for Black Friday. While I think this craze was created, and is promoted by the marketing folks, he was dumbfounded at the lack of respect by the "Black Friday crazed" shoppers who refused to abide by the store's requests and rules concerning the store's sale times for certain items. This is a store in a small university town in the midwest and the city police were actually on hand to handle out of control shoppers. During a sale of cheap bathtowels under $2.00, a man dove at the stacked towels, grabbed a handful and threatened to kill anyone who tried to take his junkie towels KILL...kill? Pretty much the same scenario on a sale of DVD's. Out of control people grabbing armfuls of old movie titles, old PS2 games etc... My son came home at the end of his shift at 7am and was totally in shock at the idiot shoppers who refused to follow guidelines, created chaos, made giant messes after they grabbed armfuls of items only to sift though what they wanted and threw the unwanted items all over the store...

We talked about this over breakfast, and I also brought up the thought of "Can you imagine how people would behave if they were needing survival food and were fighting for canned goods at the same store?" 

Should be interesting to hear our other son's experiences as a check out-cashier at a Kmart today, in another, larger, town. 

Total chaos, anarchy. 

scrt crk


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## Pamama (Oct 29, 2010)

I went shopping on BF once several years ago. never again. Ever. I was 7.5 mos pregnant and several people rammed me, on purpose with their shopping carts. I ended up in the hospital and delivered my son prematurely about a week later.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Black Friday is and always has been a jammy day here. Keep our PJs on, snack all day, watch a movie or two, go outside if it is nice...never leaving the property.
Many years ago (it was the Cabbage Patch year) my mom decided she had to try BF, and lucky me, I got to go...NEVER AGAIN!
And as to the OP, exactly the reason I am happy to see the wife (and dad) getting on the prep wagon with gusto.
Matt


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Prepping stuff would be the only thing that would get me to a store today.....Period. I'm still in my jammies, sippin coffee and grazing.... shopping on line.


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## cc (Jun 4, 2006)

I went this morning for the first BF sale I have been to in years. I was pleasantly surprised by the politeness the clerks and the customers there. Maybe it was one of those cases where we were just very lucky but then again, maybe it was just good Karma.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

i was just a little tempted to go out moslin nargants for 99 dollars at gander mountain for 91/30 rifles ,and mosburg bolt 22 for 109 but then i got over my temptation to go out , i had to work this morning.


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## belladulcinea (Jun 21, 2006)

Dh went at 4:00 am to pickup something on a great sale and was back by 5:00 with no problems. But I'm sure that wasn't the norm! LOL


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

About 12 years ago, a boyfriend and I always donated really big to Toys for Tots, so we decided to do the Toys 'R Us Black Friday sale to get as much as we could for our money...huge mistake! The doors were to open at 6, we got there at 4:30 and there were already about 100 people in line ahead of us. It was really cold and drizzly, so the wait was terrible, but not as terrible as when they opened the door! 

The second people saw someone coming to the door with keys, they all RAN from the back of the previously well-ordered line and mobbed the people in front, shoving and punching, and the poor guy opening the door got his face bashed in when they slammed him behind the door! Then when we got inside, people were actually physically fighting over toys and punching each other in the face! We did manage to grab a few things, but had to stand guard to keep people from snatching them right out of our cart! We then went to get in line, and there must have been 15-20 people in each line. So we spent 1-1/2 hours waiting in the freezing drizzle, 15-20 minutes actually picking up stuff and 2 more hours to check out! We didn't even get half of what we went for!

A few years later, I needed a computer for work but money was really, really tight, so my son said he'd take me to Walmart for Black Friday, as I had some really serious health problems and was not long out of the hospital. It was really crowded but not as bad as the Toys 'R Us fiasco, but just as I reached the display where they had the computers stacked, a big man shoved me so hard he literally knocked me flying off my feet, and I landed about six feet away. My son (who's a big ol' boy, lol) was just about to knock his lights out for messin' with his mama, but I made him stop. So he just hoisted a box (CPU, monitor and printer in one box, so it was huge) up on one shoulder, said "hang onto my belt and stay with me", and put his free elbow out as a protective 'wing' on that side and led me to the checkout. It's a good thing too, or I'd have been hit many more times. I'd have loved to have seen the look on his face because people took one look at him, looked scared to death and cleared a path, lol.

I swore that was my last BF experience, but I caved a couple of years ago. I really wanted a laptop (plus it made my work much easier, having two computers), so I thought I'd go have a look, but if it looked crazy I'd just come home. Well, my first stop was Best Buy, and they were very organized, had people out front going down the lines and giving you bracelets for what you wanted so you were guaranteed an item or they told you they were out. I thought that was very smart, and I later heard it went very smoothly. Unfortunately, they were out of the one I wanted, but I was in and out of there in about 7-8 minutes. I went to Circuit City next. They had just opened their doors about 10 minutes before I got there, and they too were organized. Someone met me at the door, asked me what I wanted, escorted me to the correct place and told the clerk what I wanted, and I was in and out in about 15 minutes. I was very pleasantly surprised. 

So there are ups and downs (but in my opinion mostly downs, lol) to Black Friday. But yeah, if people are willing to fight that much for toys and electronics, I'd hate to see what they'd do for food and survival necessities!  I hadn't planned on going this year, but got a paper just to see what the big draws were, and to be honest I didn't see anything I thought was a very good sale and certainly nothing I'd be willing to fight for. So today I slept in (a real luxury for me), then had hot chocolate and a cinnamon roll for breakfast and have been playing on the computer since then. I'm still in my jammies, lol. Sounds like a perfect Black Friday to me! 

Sorry, didn't realize this was so long!


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## fixitguy (Nov 2, 2010)

forgot to say, but the two stores we were in everyone was good, no problems here. The wife did see a guy makin a hog of him self on cheap blankets. Had to laugh, some guy had his 4 door car so packed with "stuff" he could only see out half the front window. his "stuff" won't be cheap, when he gets stopped by the coppers


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## LonelyNorthwind (Mar 6, 2010)

You guys make me feel so greatful to live where there aren't any stores!!!!


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

mldollins said:


> My wife, 2 kids and adult niece decided to go at midnight to pick up PJ's. No big deal. They were having a midnight sale and since everyone was up, they decided to hit the PJ's at China-mart. It was packed.
> 
> People were pushing others around and cussing at others. My girls had to practically jump out of the way because they would have gotten run over.
> 
> ...



My first black friday was 15 years ago with my then 6 year old daughter.
Saw the same thing then, that your wife saw last night.
I seen it every year, for 15 years.
Target, 3 years ago...me and another gal were first to the camera counter. Some other woman tried to push her way in.
The lady next to me, in her deepest 3 pack a day voice said:
"Lady, I just got out of prison yesterday, and if you push up on me again, I will be going back to prison today".
QUICKLY I said "excuse me", and she replied "it's not you ma'am, but the heifer behind me".
O girl backed up off her quick.....

I don't shop certain stores, because 'that crowd' tends to be 'thicker' at those stores....
I do not 'door bust' anymore. (Wait in line and make a mad dash for whatever).
I went today.....and this year, was the first year, I didn't see one person lose their mind. I was out from 5am-1pm.


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## mldollins (Jun 21, 2008)

Understand that this was the pre-BF sale. However, my daughters boyfriend was in line at midnight to get a cheap TV. His dad is also the manager of that store. During the regular BF sale, there was a fist fight over a CD between two men. An older woman kicked an employee because the person in front of her got the last item. Then another worker was hit in the head and injured by a shopper.

The was at our walmart in a community of 6800 people. The last time I went early on BF was around 5 years ago. Yes, people were in a hurry, but, you did not get knocked over and cussed at.

However, a good thing out of this was my wife just got a real eye opener to the second part of the walmart story. Suffice to say she bought quite a bit extra for shelve stocking. We went to Aldis today and loaded up.

I will reiterate....if people are this mean and nasty over CD's and other chinese junk, what will happen if there is a run on food.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I did about half my Christmas shopping today from home, on the computer. I got free shipping on everything, and all of it was on sale. I'd been researching prices for weeks so I'd know if the "sale" price really was. 

Then someone emailed me this:

http://thedailywh.at/post/1693712324/shop-till-you-drop-of-the-day-this-years


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## Jokarva (Jan 17, 2010)

I worked in a KMart toy dept my first two years of college (83-85), went thru Christmas and the Cabbage Patch and Transformer crazes. We would have to stack the Cabbage Patch boxes in a pile at the front of the store, unlock the doors - then run for our lives! People were irrational, middle aged men and women pulling and tugging boxes out of others hands.

Fighting over food would be exponentially worse I think.


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## Loquisimo (Nov 14, 2009)

The funny thing is, my mom doesn't seem to remember as much emphasis being put on "Black Friday" 30 years ago, nor the insane behavior by shoppers. Somebody noted the Cabbage Patch Dolls-that seems to have been when manufacturers and retailers realized that they could deliberately create a panic/chaos situation, get on the evening news, and get free advertising. A couple years ago there was a panic over the Playstation 3 that seems to have been deliberately created by Sony for publicity. 

It never used to be this wholesale chaos situation. There would be hot toys, and the media would anoint the "hot toy of the year", but today we have general chaos at every single store everywhere. A quick check of local websites reveals a melee at Wal Mart in South Sacramento that didn't seem to be over anything in particular, and in SoCal there was a fight at Best Buy in Burbank, a running fight at the food court at Cerritos Center in Cerritos in LA County where the participants mysteriously disappeared when cops arrived, and a shoving match in Hemet in the high desert outside a Target store where people in two opposing lines started arguing. One of the Hemet lines was 1500 people long, wrapping around the building, onto a boulevard, and to a gas station, a distance of a quarter mile or so. The weird thing is, the SoCal papers didn't seem to think it was a big deal, the fights were an aside. This is what America has become. Everybody's right, in a real SHTF situation it would be every man for himself and dead bodies everywhere.


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## bluetick (May 11, 2002)

My BF shopping was done at a local feedstore. Just needed to pick up a couple of items, and found no crowd!


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## coehorn (Jul 29, 2009)

Roadking said:


> Many years ago (it was the Cabbage Patch year) my mom decided she had to try BF, and lucky me, I got to go...NEVER AGAIN!




The missus and I waited at a store entrance, K-mart I think, to run and get some limited supply Cabbage Patch dolls for our girls in the early 1980's. Push, shove -- the whole 9 yards.

It was the first, and last, time that we ever did that. Misery to remember. The look on the girls faces almost made the insanity worthwhile...


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Two words that bring terror to anyone from New England... Filene's (sp?) Basement.

Bad shopping behavior has been around longer than any of us have been alive. Having more bad shoppers around only makes it worse.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

mldollins said:


> ..if people are this mean and nasty over CD's and other chinese junk, what will happen if there is a run on food.


I hope I never have to find out.


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

We went out and waited in line. It was purely a financial decision. Did we "Have to have" anything that we bought. Nope. We knew that and treated it as such.

The line we were in was fabulously fun. A great group of people. The only commotion I saw was when one lady, whose "aunt Sue" who was a "manager" had a ticket and showed up at 4:30, trying to cut in the front of the line from those who had been there since 11:00 PM.

The store handled it well and the women further back in the line got vocal enough to make the store aware that someone was trying to cut.

Really, it was interesting, in a human interaction sense.


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## lorian (Sep 4, 2005)

Absolutely detest BF and always boycott it. I suppose if I really wanted (and had money for) a big ticket item, I might consider it. But since I never have the money...easy decision.

Really scary to think about this behavior and realize how awful it would be in a true panic situation.wow....
Some of these stories are so horrible it's hard to believe.


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## The Bunny Ranch (Nov 3, 2010)

Greed. That's all. I would never go to a BF sale. It's all BS if you ask me any how. I shop in the clearance section anyways. Those are better deals in my opinion. Especially since I don't want to be killed.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

My feeling is basically, "oh, you cut the price in half, huh...so you've been making a heck of a profit for some time now...interesting..." Granted, mostly obsolete items or loss leaders, but ANY sale says the same thing to me... "Yup, we raked enough folks over the coals, the inventory is aging, lets dump it at a 10% profit and make people think they are geting a deal. Hey, while we're at it and have them in the store, let's jack the price of the new stuff up a bit...Yeah, that'll work, just like last year..."
Matt


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Nothing new about BF and people's "greed". Humans, at heart, are instinctually hunters and gatherers. Do you think for a moment that when Mrs. Grunt came home with a basket full of ripe berries, that every other cave lady present didn't notice. And the next morning bright and early Mrs. Grunt had to wrassle with Mrs. Org, Mrs. Grog, and a bevy of others, with all of their litters of chilluns.... over those oh so sweet berries.

Most humans thumb their noses at the thought of being just a step above a caveman/woman. Sorry, it's in the genes. There's little difference between a flat screen tv and a nice patch of berries. If it's a deal, it's worth fighting for.

[Take this kindly now...:grin:] If you say you won't fight for your BF 'goodies', you should bless your lucky stars you aren't a hunter/gatherer... if you didn't fight for it, your genes didn't get passed along.

If you don't want to be left out on the last day of shopping (forever), you'd best have all your goodies bought ahead of time. (Course most of us know that already).

I went late this year... didn't need anything 'big'. Got pretty much everything I wanted. (Didn't "need" anything but a printer... if I need something, I go get it right then... my printer broke last weekend... figured I could save money by waiting till today, and was correct.)


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## Guest (Nov 27, 2010)

mldollins said:


> Society was not like this 10 years ago. We are quickly devolving. I am saddened by what just transpired.





Loquisimo said:


> The funny thing is, my mom doesn't seem to remember as much emphasis being put on "Black Friday" 30 years ago, nor the insane behavior by shoppers.


BWAHAHAHAHA, not true.

One incident I remember took place back in the 1960's, my mother had taken us kids to some event or other at the Astrodome. The show hadn't started yet when it was announced on the loudspeaker that toys where being given away at one of the concession stands. There were more moms than the number of toys available. 

Us kids knew to stay as close to our mother as possible in crowds. When she and these few hundred other women started running for the stand indicated, we were running right behind her. The closer we got the crazier things got. My mother managed to get there fast enough to get 3 toys, one for each of us. But she had to fight her way through the packed crowd of sharks to do it, then women started trying to take them away from her and from the others who had managed to snag a toy. These were just cheap junky toys, it wasn't anything nice that was worth fighting over, but it was pandemonium!

My mother almost got in a knock down drag out fight with one women who was determined to take her toys. But my mother managed to hang on to her three. When she finally got away from that crowd, she handed us each a toy and told us to hang on to them! After what we just witnessed, she didn't have to tell us twice!

Another incident took place right about 30 years ago at a Black Friday sale, I don't know if they were even calling it Black Friday yet.

My brother was in desperate need of new jeans. One of the stores was going to have some nice ones for super cheap on Black Friday. My mother came up with enough money for 3 pairs. She gave the money to my brother with careful instructions: be there before the door opens, as soon as the door opens, RUN to the jeans, pick out the right size and hold on to them tight!

So he did all that, and had to hang on to those jeans for dear life because women kept rushing him trying to grab those jeans right out of his arms. He paid and got out of that store as fast as he could go. He was nearly shaking by the time he got out of there.

I could relate a lot of other incidents similar to the above two that I've experienced but won't.

Stores have had blow out sales for I guess a hundred years or more, not just Black Friday. I watch the old stuff: silent movies from the teens, all the way up to the sitcoms of the 1950's, and they have scenes where they are making fun of this kind of thing- hordes of crazed women descending on a super bargain, fighting and trying to take merchandise away from each other.

Like the Bible says in the book of Proverbs, "there is nothing new under the sun".


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

I purchased a 160.00 winter coat, for 40.00.
I purchased 3 shirts, that were regularly 25.00 each, for 6.00 each. Eddie Bauer.
My girls needed long sleeve shirts for the winter. Regular price 14.00. I bought them at 6.00 each.
I purchased 'pillow stuffing" regular 6.00 a bag, for 2.40 a bag.
Dh got thick winter Columbia socks, regular 12.00 for 2 pairs, for 5.00, for 2 pairs.

These were not 'greed' purchases, but they were smokin' good deals, and worth getting up early for.

This year, Toys R Us opened at 10PM Thanksgiving night.
Walmart started their BF Sales on everything EXCEPT electronics, at midnight.
Kohls opened at 3AM, Target Kmart Macys and a few others at 4AM.
By the time we got to Kohls (first stop) at 5:45 AM, there was plenty of what I was wanting to buy left......I was second in line......and in and out in 30 min. The crowd, at that time, was no more than a Saturday afternoon. And every store we went too after that.....same story.

I asked the lady at Kohl's if it was a 'blitz' at 3 am.
She said it was like nothing she had ever seen. Line around the building....
When I got there at 5:45, they had re-stocked everything, so it was like I was one of the first one's in.

If you carefully survey the ads, plan your attack, and time it right, you can pick up on some SMOKIN' good deals, and not hang w the crazies. 

Knowing what you are buying, buying things you need, and knowing what they are priced at on any other given day, you can make good purchases, with minimal insanity.


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## Blu3duk (Jun 2, 2002)

you think BF are tough think back to the 1850's and the California gold rush and each and every other "discovery" after that into the early 1900's women were and are not the only ones to get greedy and take from others, there were many who lost their life for worthless ground on the "promise" there was gold in the stream.

Last year IIRC there was at least one fatality at a "great walmart of china" somewhere in the several states, and i seen this year they let fols inside at midnight instead of making them wait in line and then have the bargains start at 5 am...... dont know how that worked out, i dont partake in those things..... not that i dont like a bargain, but i dont like that type of crowds and the possibility of things getting outside of my control.

I may have lost the genes for hunter gather, but i have the gene for self preservation!

William
Idaho


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

Mom_of_Four said:


> I did about half my Christmas shopping today from home, on the computer. I got free shipping on everything, and all of it was on sale. I'd been researching prices for weeks so I'd know if the "sale" price really was.
> 
> Then someone emailed me this:
> 
> http://thedailywh.at/post/1693712324/shop-till-you-drop-of-the-day-this-years



:nanner: you beat me to it. The television stations have been playing this clip over & over here including the follow up interview with the guy walking down his street chatting with the reporter. Target has a greed to pay for his medical bills.
I gave a shout out to a few gf's who went to that Target. Once the group of people crossed over from the parking lot to cut in line it was crazy. They were near the end of the line and said that they almost didn't enter the store. Almost is the key word.
Hubby works at one of the big box stores and said it was jammed packed with people a bit more nasty than usual. He mentioned that alot of the loss leaders were a one time deal not normally in inventory so returning it for an exact replacement is an issue. Also that these items were specially manufactured/made extremely cheap so the price point could still be had. 

One of the stores had fleece sheet sets for under $15 other than that I didn't see anything that interested me. Didn't have a ride to Gander or Dicks (long johns/boots) so we stayed in & rubbed our nickels together.
We're doing a no buy christmas this year unless it's prep items like a Berkly Water Filter.

~~ pelenaka ~~


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

texican said:


> Nothing new about BF and people's "greed". Humans, at heart, are instinctually hunters and gatherers. Do you think for a moment that when Mrs. Grunt came home with a basket full of ripe berries, that every other cave lady present didn't notice. And the next morning bright and early Mrs. Grunt had to wrassle with Mrs. Org, Mrs. Grog, and a bevy of others, with all of their litters of chilluns.... over those oh so sweet berries.
> 
> Most humans thumb their noses at the thought of being just a step above a caveman/woman. Sorry, it's in the genes. There's little difference between a flat screen tv and a nice patch of berries. If it's a deal, it's worth fighting for.
> 
> ...


I disegree a little..there is a HUGE diffrence between a basket of sweet berries and a TV...

I'd fight over the berries. TV is worthless to me.


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## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

Like I said yest, I went about 2:30





In the afternoon. Not too bad.


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## unregistered65598 (Oct 4, 2010)

I went out on BF but not for any of the deals. I needed some other things and it being my only day off work I had to go. But I waited till those sales were over thinking things wouldn't be so bad. Boy was I wrong!!!! I took my dd 9 and ds 11 with me. They know I get cranky when in stores anyway, so I warned them to be good and we would all come home alive. It was awful, I got what I wanted and then kids wanted to show me somethings they might like for x-mas. I said ok but if it got to much worse we were out of there. While they were showing me, people were shoving and pushing to get by (we weren't in the way). I just looked at my son and he Said ok mom lets go. I told him lead us outta here and he did a great job of it. Got into the car, took a deep breath and thanked them for being so good, and ds for getting me outta there, treated them to MD's. Something they only get every few months or so.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

My DH went out Friday to run errands... Post Office, Bank,Drug store, etc. He said the ONLY place he went, that was not a flipping zoo, was the feed store.


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## Wilbur (May 7, 2004)

Stampede's aren't new...well maybe stampedes over toys are new. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stampede

Funny...I had NO line waiting for my keyboard and mouse.


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## Qhorseman (Jul 9, 2010)

I lived in the Philippines when Mt Pinatubo erupted, everythin came to a grinding halt inside of 12 hours, it became the law of the jungle very quickly, dog-eat-dog in no time


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

NickieL said:


> I disegree a little..there is a HUGE diffrence between a basket of sweet berries and a TV...
> 
> I'd fight over the berries. TV is worthless to me.


Berries just happen to be one of the things 'you'd' fight over... the fact you'd be willing to fight over anything is the point.

I'm sure some hunter/gatherers couldn't tolerate skunk meat if they had plenty of fish that was easier to get...

If it comes down to 'combat shopping' one day a year to get something you couldn't afford at any other time, you'd have to go for it.

If they had $400 grain grinders on sale at Lehmans (or another homesteading/old fashioned type store) for $100, and a couple other 'deals' that homesteaders love to have, at 75% off, would you or others wait the line the night before? I certainly would.

Commercial society isn't set up for our kind of folks...


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Texasdirtdigger said:


> My DH went out Friday to run errands... Post Office, Bank,Drug store, etc. He said the ONLY place he went, that was not a flipping zoo, was the feed store.


Local feedstore was closed... so I had to venture into TSC and run through the temptations, back to the hen scratch.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Texican.....My local Feed Store has many temptations....as well. If I can make it to the back wall..... with out something tempting catching my eye......It's a miracle. Luckily, they know me there.....and will say" We have your feed order ready.", Thus, saving me from myself!! 
Ahhhhh yes....Hen Scratch.....That's why I am here.


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## reluctantpatriot (Mar 9, 2003)

It doesn't have to be Black Friday sales that cause a stir. I braved a Christmas sale last weekend at Cabela's to purchase a good canvas work coat for my mother so she has something sturdy when caring for the livestock.

The store opened at 8 a.m. and I was there by 8:15 a.m. I obtained the next to the last coat in my mother's size and people were like wolves around the clothing areas. It was almost impossible to get anywhere in that area so I obtained the coat and moved to less populated real estate in the store. 

Their Bargain Cave area didn't have anything, but I did track down a nice Bulldog brand semi-hard case for a Colt 1911 style pistol which was on sale. It has room for the pistol, two spare magazines, a holster place (with a holster included - which also can hold a spare magazine) and two 20 round boxes of ammo. I used a gift card I won at work for one of our performance contests to pay for it.

Despite 40 mph wind gusts that made the windchill fall to the below zero mark it was busy inside.

The local Wal-Mart my wife and I went to for Black Friday was filled with ruder than expected people in a small city that supposedly prides itself on its highly educated, well mannered people, being a university town and all.

I learned quite a bit about humanity in our area after that hour in the midnight chaos. Hope I never need to shop for essentials when they are scarce.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Reckon it's better to learn now that the kind natured folks that live around us are only days away from becoming monsters. It was mentioned earlier, if folks will 'wrassle' over dvd players or other fooferall, imagine what they'll do when their babies haven't eaten for a couple of days.


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## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

I reiterate what my son saw at the Wally world he stocks shelves at: On Blk friday/ early bird special on cheapo bath towels... A man dove into the pile as they became available and threatened to kill *KILL *anyone who tried to take one from him. $2.00 bath towels! This was at a Wally World in a mid-west state's University town also. 
-scrt crk


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