Shoppers already lining up for Black Friday deals

[RandySF]

Some shoppers refuse to lose out on a bargain — even if it means camping out 24/7 for more than a week.

Shoppers across the country are setting up camp in front of Best Buy electronics stores to snag the best deals on Black Friday.

Intrepid consumers started lining up Monday at a Best Buy in suburban Akron.

Jonas Allooh was first in line, putting up his 10-person tent to simulate the comforts of home: bed, generator, space heater, TV, game console and microwave oven. Allooh, who graduated in August from Kent State University with a doctorate in audiology, has some time on his hands as he looks for a job.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/11/21/black-friday-campers-lined-up-best-buy/3663811/

[NYC_SKP]

1. Googled "Black Friday Violence".... Plenty of hits.

[K.O. Stradivarius]

8. ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

[klook]

2. Pathetic.

I avoid all this shit like the plague, and urge everyone to do likewise.

[polly7]

3. I don't get it.

Are the sales that good? I suppose many do it just for the excitement and to experience it, but I can honestly say, it would probably be one of my worst nightmares come true.

[TreasonousBastard]

7. Ten TV's per store 75% off...

clearance junk for a couple of bucks... Sometimes the deals are good, but most people have no idea what they're buying or what it should cost. At least that's what it was last time I tried it. And that was the last time I'll ever try it.

I guess it beats staying home and watching the game, but some people really should get a productive hobby.

BTW, around here Black Friday starts at 8-10 PM Thursday. Can't even let you digest your damn turkey.

[polly7]

9. I imagine the items discounted the most go like lightning ...

which probably makes for a bunch of really angry shoppers.

I feel sorry for the workers, it can't be much fun for them .. or maybe it is, I dunno ... people amaze me.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

11. I worked Black Fridays for many years.

They were never fun and people were mean and downright vile to each-other, however, I needed the job while I was in school. I feel sorry for the people who have to work all day on Thanksgiving now (Walmart, Best Buy, Target) so these vultures can buy the discounted Chinese junk that these giant corporations are selling to them.

[polly7]

13. I thought that was probably the case ... that's too bad:(

[ForgoTheConsequence]

16. Undoubtedly someone will be killed or seriously injured.

It happens every year, and for what? A 20 dollar DVD player?

[polly7]

17. Horrible.

I hope WalMart is being made to pay that worker's family well, not that it'll make up for losing him. And the woman who miscarried .... Thousands of people waiting and only 20 or so workers, not even security, I bet they were petrified themselves. Crazy, crazy, crazy.

[Brigid]

37. Did that worker's family sue Wal-Mart?

I hope so.

[Le Taz Hot]

25. I live right behind a major shopping mall.

One year Penny's had Levi's jeans on sale, only from 5:00am to 7:00 am for $15.00 each. I couldn't pass that one up; HOWEVER, I DID NOT wait outside in the cold, I waited until 5:10 am, the lines were gone as everyone was already in the store, picked up 4 pairs of jeans for $60.00 and that was my Christmas shopping.

To stand outside for hours or even days? No. Way.

[BlueJazz]

4. What would really be fun is: Let all the shoppers in...close and lock the doors then ....

...let the 10 starving hungry Lions loose that you've had penned up in the rear of the store.

The rest of us could sit in chairs outside and watch the fun!

[NightWatcher]

15. Your sick in the head. I should alert

I'd watch that. Hell, I'd camp out for front row tix.

[BlueJazz]

18. There's a Comedian that has that "Stuff" as part of his act. Funny as hell. (In a sick way)

"Yes...think of if we had trained lions that worked in shopping malls." "They would make sure that people don't dilly-dally when they get to the check-out line." "Start holding up the people behind you?...send in a lion" "After awhile they actually WOULD be Shopping Mauls"

[ForgoTheConsequence]

5. So much "dumb" in that article.

"It's awful cold in that tent, even with the heater," Sebring says. Allooh says he hopes friends will relieve them so they can have Thanksgiving dinner at home.

Or you could just not sleep in front of Best Buy and choose to eat dinner at home. Dipshit.

[NuclearDem]

6. Consumerism at its most disgusting.

Seriously, fuck these kinds of people. This attitude is a big reason why big chain stories force their employees to work on Thanksgiving.

[pinboy3niner]

10. BETTER DEAL: To support WalMart worker strikes and protests, just show up--no waiting!

Attend a Wal-Mart Black Friday Protest Near You!

(Link to map and protest locator below.)

Join Walmart workers around the country on Black Friday (Nov. 29th), the biggest shopping day of the year, as they stand up to Walmart and call for an end to retaliation against those who bravely speak out and a real wage of $25,000/yr.

Don't forget to download all of your protest materials.

Last year you told us you wanted more support and training to make sure you knew what to do. We heard you - and so we're having trainings all across the country - check them out here. If you're not near these, we'll also be having a phone training too (details coming soon).

If you have any questions, email us at [e-mail]

Sign up to visit a store near you on Black Friday!

Map and protest locator at link:
https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/black-friday-near-you

[Vashta Nerada]

12. If those people work for a week instead of camp they could afford to buy one of those items

for full retail price. Seriously.

People are stupid.

[Journeyman]

14. I camped out for 4 days on the steps of The LA Forum in 1971, waiting for Who tickets . . .

hell of a party, great memories. Had front row seats. Well worth the wait. Shortly thereafter, the promoters instituted arm bands, then ceased selling tickets at the venues entirely.

Yeah, it's crazy to camp out for a week for a cheesy tv or laptop, but who am I to judge? The way the economy is structured, this sort of hyper sales effort is a critical part of the process. Something like one-quarter of all personal spending takes place during this "season." Were we to get rid of it without transitioning to something different, our economic model might collapse.

Ceaseless criticism is counterproductive. We need to focus our efforts as a society on building an alternate economic model, one that sustains us without forcing us to pursue such an unhealthy, non-productive cycle of somewhat mindless consumption.

[pinboy3niner]

19. My very pregnant wife waited overnight to score us tickets to Star Wars in Westwood CA

She jokingly blamed me for forcing her to do that, but in truth I had nothing to do with it. She volunteered, I objected, she insisted, I lost. She and my brother and I really enjoyed the movie. And though the marriage ended long ago, I think I still owe her for that heroic sacrifice.

You make a great point. Criticizing each other in the middle and lower classes for our consumerist or other behavior is not productive. That's not the real problem, and we should be leery about attempts to divide us.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

21. There is blame to go around.

And I'll criticize anyone, regardless of class. T

The consumers are guilty as are the CEOs and bosses, they're just guilty of different things.


There are plenty of middle and lower middle class people that don't participate in this bullshit (in fact the majority do not). These people are the equivalent of SCABs in my opinion.

[cynatnite]

20. I haven't seen anything in the ads that I'm willing to spend the night waiting for...

I'll just go shopping and if what I want is still there, great. If not...oh, well.

[Warren DeMontague]

22. I don't consider buying shit a sport, or particularly entertaining.

That said, I also don't consider wagging my finger at people for buying shit particularly entertaining, either.

[eridani]

23. O Come Ye Investors

O come, ye investors, captains of our commerce,
Come build your factories in Bangladesh
Come for the people, peaceful and compliant
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them because we can!

Child, in our sweatshops, make designer dresses,
So we get richer from your twelve-hour days!
Who would not hire you for ten cents an hour?
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them because we can!

See how consumers, blinded by low prices,
Leaving their consciences, come here to buy.
Into our pockets they will pour their dollars.
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them because we can!

[Brigid]

36. We have our thread winner.

Yes indeed.

[gollygee]

24. They're going to spend their Thanksgiving in line out in the cold to buy stuff?

Thanksgiving should be a holiday about gratitude for what we have, not about wanting more.

[Half-Century Man]

26. "Intrepid Consumers"??!!!

It is spelled insipid, not intrepid. It is in the thesaurus, reference pointless.

[hobbit709]

27. "has some time on his hands as he looks for a job."

But evidently he has money enough to own a fancy tent, etc., and can't wait to buy more crap.

[liberal N proud]

28. Can't think of anything that I need or want that badly.

[malaise]

29. If only they'd line up to protest their working conditions and salaries

They might not have to line up for bargains a week before a sale.

[polichick]

31. True - why are Americans so bad at protesting?

[malaise]

34. Jamaicans are worse

I'll never get it

[MrMickeysMom]

30. Ya mean, Black Thursday deals, right?

Perhaps we should all stay home.

[PeaceNikki]

32. I wonder if those criticizing shoppers read the HuffPo "This Is Why Poor People's Bad Decisions...

Make Perfect Sense"?

These are likely people with time, but no money. People who may not be able to typically afford the extravagant purchases for themselves or loved ones.

meh, I wouldn't/couldn't do it, but I won't judge.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

38. I don't read celebrity gossip, so I don't visit HuffPo.

And I'm not ready to exonerate people for all their bad decisions. A good chunk of the Tea Party are lower middle class. This is the same mentality that spawns SCABs. Fuck em'.

[PeaceNikki]

40. OK, just don't let anyone label *YOU* a "bleeding heart", buddy!

[TBF]

33. If we happen to have any strikers (I kind of doubt it here in Texas) I pledge to take sandwiches

for them. Otherwise I am avoiding all that nonsense like the plague.

[treestar]

39. How good are these deals?

Like 98% off? How is it worth it?