Shoppers snap up Black Friday deals as stores hope

[Xipe Totec]

Source: Associated Press

NEW YORK – Shoppers, who had snapped their wallets shut since September, flocked to stores and malls before dawn Friday to grab deals on everything from TVs to toys for the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, feared to be the weakest in decades.

Retailers extended their hours — some opening at midnight — and offered deals that promised to be even deeper and wider than even the deep discounts that shoppers found throughout November. Best Buy, which threw its doors open at 5 a.m. offered such early morning specials as a 49-inch Panasonic plasma HDTV for $899.99 and a $189.99 GPS device by Garmin, while Toys "R" Us, was offering up to 60 percent discounts from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.

But the question remains whether many people will be spending much money on holiday gifts as a recession nears, credit markets remain frozen, layoffs loom and consumer spending shrinks.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081128/ap_on_bi_ge/holiday_shopping_black_friday_9

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My wife just did a two-way commute on I-93 (normally, one of the most congested freeways in Boston).

She usually travels on surface streets to avoid the congestion, especially near the hollidays.

Well, it was practically deserted today, and the mall parking lots were half filled.


I don't know who is snapping up those black Friday deals, but I don't see any evidence in Boston.

Let the bullshit games begin:

[geckosfeet]

1. I agree. AP and MSM happy face people will be out in force for a few days.

The real numbers won't leak out for several days.

[Mudoria]

2. Super busy in the Charlotte area..

I guess the world isn't coming to an end because you didn't see enough shoppers :eyes:

[Bombero1956]

3. drove by a Walmart at 4:30 this morning

there was a line at least a 1/4 mile long waiting to go in. This was in Chicopee Mass.

[blue_onyx]

5. That's crazy

We've only had a Supercenter Walmart for a little over a year and I haven't experienced the Christmas shopping experience there. The Walmart by us is always busy so I can't even imagine what it was like today.

[Xenotime]

4. People are dying in Long Island

Wal-Mart just ruined several families lives.

[Midlodemocrat]

6. I'm no fan of WalMart, but the people who showed up

to 'snap up' those bargains are just as culpable. Wal Mart wouldn't open its doors at 5 if there were no demand for it.

It's disgusting. The lengths people go to to save a few dollars.

[Hugin]

8. Around here Wal-Mart was open yesterday, too.

Very slow customer wise from what I understand.

[Midlodemocrat]

9. d00d!! Where have you been??? Missed you.

How are things in Tam Tameroo?

:hug:

[Hugin]

10. I've been out trying to turn the Titanic with a canoe paddle...

Nobody can say I don't enjoy a challenge. ;)

Nice to see you too, Midlo. :D

:hug:

[silverojo]

20. What about Toys R Us?

The double shooting? Remember? Or isn't Toys R Us the favorite object of hate, as Wal-Mart is?

The Black Friday sales intentionally force people to do competitive shopping for insanely short periods of time--often only a few hours.

I also agree with the poster below...if people would be halfway civilized, stores wouldn't NEED extra security.

I guess these assholes never learned anything from all those fire drills in school....

[PSPS]

7. It's ostensibly very busy here

According to the "news," the parking lots at the malls are pretty full already at 7 AM. But based on the advertising I've been seeing, this is the standard result when retailers offer 70% discounts on a limited number of items, hoping to flesh out the purchase with overpriced "accessories" and otherwise take advantage of a shoper's buying trance. Also, Obama's election has, I'm sure, brought a jolt to people's feelings about the future. A leadership vacuum will do that.

What's remarkable is how the corporate media is hyping "black friday" in even more than its usual whorish fashion. But they live and breathe by retailers' advertising revenue, so I shouldn't be surprised. The "news" these days is just one long advertisement anyway. They should just call it the shopping news.

[Xipe Totec]

11. Magical Thinking from the MSM

If you think about it, it will happen!

[lebkuchen]

12. are guns allowed in stores during times like these?

or at least a flaregun should someone find themselves being trampled?

[Xipe Totec]

13. Yes, but you're allowed to shoot to maim only

Deadly force allowed at the checkout counter only.

[lebkuchen]

16. Toys -R-Us may have a different policy

according to news reports.

[Xipe Totec]

18. Toys -R-Us?

Then youre' not refering to this WallMart story...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/29/business/29walmart.html?

[lebkuchen]

19. I'm referring to the Toys r Us story now

gun(s) used to settle store dispute...two killed.

and so it is.

[qanda]

14. I went out and it was pretty busy, but there weren't any good deals

I came home pretty much empty handed. The stores don't seem to be coming down off the prices.

[Pharlo]

15. I have no idea what the stores were like around here at those

ungodly hours. But the local mall was friggen FULL at about noon. Wal Mart, on the other hand, not bad at all. But, like I said, that was at about noon.

[Lithos]

17. Black Friday sales are not sustainable sales

They are the sizzle, but I'm afraid there is no one interested in actually buying the beef.

L-