Are these people nuts!? Call me Scrooge, but I just don't get into the whole get up at 4 a.m. and go stand in line for hours just to get a discount on a DVD player thing. And here in Shreveport, it is raining, thundering and lightening, just to make things more fun. Shopping is just not my thing, anyway. I love finding the perfect gift but it's even better if I can find it online. I'll pay the extra bucks for shipping just so I don't have to go out, fight traffic, find a parking place and go get it. If I can order it online and have someone bring it to me, all the better.
As far as I know, nobody has been mauled here locally but in New York some poor guy, a store worker trying to hold back unruly crowds, DIED as they ran over him. That is just SICK. And another woman had a miscarriage in the same melee.
No, I will stay in today, out of the rain and away from the over zealous crowds and traffic! I have lots of research papers still to grade, lots of good books to read, Christmas decorations to drag out, and Thanksgiving leftovers to eat.
(Photo credit: Val Horvath, The Shreveport Times)
That story about the worker dying completely pisses me off. That is ridiculous. I hate Black Friday and these greedy retailers that promote these mob scenes. I think Black Friday should stop. I do not understand why a store opens at 4 AM. That's so freaking stupid. Why can't they open at 9 AM or even 7 AM, a decent hour, and have their sales then. But by opening so early and promoting this "early bird gets the work" crap, they promote mob scenes with people getting in fights and now death. When kids misbehave you take away the toy. Clearly there are too many greedy Americans and greedy retailers who can't handle Black Friday responsibly, so it needs to stop, or change. Something has to be done. It has officially gone to far. It makes me SO mad.
ReplyDeletei meant to say "early bird gets the worm," not work. i don't type well when i'm mad.
ReplyDeleteWhat slays me is that these people, who wouldn't work for less than $25 an hour will stay up all night and stand in line with other people who wouldn't work for less than $25 an hour, will fight and almost (and have on occasion) kill each other to save $25 when the door to the store opens.
ReplyDeleteBut then there are those who act like it's Black Friday every day. Civility doesn't mean a thing to these people, and a trained animal has better manners.
I totally agree - I think they should open at reasonable hours, too. I think the retailer should be held responsible for creating such a mob scene. You want to offer sales? Fine, offer them, but have security there to control the scene and open at a decent hour. I wonder if the original thought was if they open at 4am that would discourage bigger mobs. I don't know but I DO know if it had been my child there, working his minimum wage job, trying to control those freaks, and he got stampeded - there would be HELL to pay!
ReplyDeleteOMG I just read on CNN that two people were shot and killed inside a Toys R Us store this morning. Seriously? What's it going to take for retailers to get this madness under control?
ReplyDeleteAnd Wal-Mart released a statement:
ReplyDelete"We are saddened to report that a gentleman who was working for a temporary agency on our behalf died at the store and a few other customers were injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families at this difficult time."
I'm sorry, Wal-Mart, but I don't think his family really wants or needs your thoughts and prayers right now. I think you've done enough.
See, I HATE Wal-Mart. I haven't been in years and I will never set foot inside that store again.
jordan creek in des moines opened at midnight. my neighbor across the street, her daughter and son left before midnight to get to the mall. she had her night all planned out. jordan creek at midnight; kohl's at 4...
ReplyDeletethe news had a clip on thanksgiving night that people started lining up at 7 p.m. for the stores to open. you had rain but we had 20 degree weather!
they are nuts!
i looked at the thursday paper. it was loaded w/ adds. the news reported said the paper was the largest ever and weighed 3# (can't remember)oz.
i meant "ads" not "adds." didn't want you to think i didn't know the difference.
ReplyDeletewith that many customer ads the stores are trying to add customers. :)
ReplyDelete