[Taskiss]

So I just get a call from my wife.. she is also a consultant and when she tried to go into work today she was turned away by a guard 'cause MasterCard is officially closed and her work hours don't include holidays. No big deal. We talk and I ask her to think about going in to Best Buy and picking up two of the Tom Tom GPS devices as gifts for my kids for Christmas.

She gets to the store and it's not terribly busy. Looking around, she spots 2 large stacks of the things behind the "special" counter, so she goes up and asks for 2 of them.

They won't let her have them. Their story is, they passed out line tickets at 3:00 AM and won't release any of the special items 'till 9:00. She's pissed and is going to go down the road to Circuit City and buy a couple of their GPS and spend more, just to avoid patronage towards Best Buy.

Now, this just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I'm sure that Best Buy wasn't making any money off these things, but still. It's interesting that they feel the Better Business Bureau will give them a pass for this kind of business practice.

[SKMDC]

I don't get it, you get there at 3am and can't buy anything until after 9?
huh?

[Shades of Blue]

I guess their policy is to prevent "adults" from trampling each other and otherwise acting like kindergartners when Best Buy opens at 5 a.m. The real question is, what the heck is wrong with people that they'll stand in line in the freezing cold and then act like maniacs to save a couple hundred dollars at most?

[Taskiss]

Originally Posted by SKMDC I don't get it, you get there at 3am and can't buy anything until after 9? huh?

At 3:00 they handed out tickets for the "doorbuster" items, and won't sell those items to people without the coupon 'till 9:00.

[turtle]

We had the same policy at my store (not BEst Buy) and yeah, it's to help adults act like adults. We didn't pass out tickets until 5:30 and opened the doors once the tickets were all handed out.

All of our GPS units were sold within a hour.

[Schnauzer]

I just got back from Best Buy. You get the tickets to hold the product till you buy it at the cut off time, which was nine or ten. It is so the people that get there at 3:00 am (like me ) get the best sales first. Makes sense to me, but I am weird

[spotcatbug]

From the flyer:

Prior to opening, a line of customers will form outside the store. Starting at 3 A.M., with the front of the line, employees will hand out tickets to customers for Doorbusters (front cover and BestBuy.com limited items excluding CDs, DVDs and video game software). The tickets, limited to 1 ticket per customer per item, grant the customer the ability to buy the Doorbusters. We are unable to guarantee all customers in line will receive a ticket. Tickets are valid for a limited time. See a customer specialist for details.

[Freewell]

Actually, I think it is a very good thing. I have seen all kinds of wrong, rude behavior in adults when it comes to waiting their turn for just about anything. I have seen people get up at ungodly hours of the day to be first in line for something, just to have some asshat waltz up at the last minute and weasel in line in front of them, or just wait over to the side until the doors open and then 'blend' in to the front of the crowd. It is incredibly frustrating for those who have paid the price, while little mr. super-genius I'll-just-cheat-my-way-to-the-front-of-the-line executes his "suave" moves to circumvent the system. What really frosts my Wheaties is when it is for a major convention where the really good seating is limited, it is first come first seated, and said ass-clown not only cuts in line in front of everyone, but then pulls out a blanket and "claims" row upon row for his cohorts in crime who are still nestled snuggly in bed, while the rest of us have spent hours in the freezing cold, with no sleep or even a chance to sit down! I have even seen them do this blatantly to heavily pregnant women, who have *really* paid the price... That's when I want to do the world a favor...

So, yeah... I am totally for the whole ticket routine.

[Taskiss]

And had there been a line or whatever, I'd agree too. The crowd in the store at the checkout line was moderate at best (according to my wife) and there wasn't any crowds inside the store to speak of.

I'm thinking Black Friday will really be a black Friday for retailers.

She visited the store at 8:20 or so and it opened at 5:00. I just called to check and there's several of the GPS units still available.

My wife walked into Circuit City and bought the "better" version (it includes the voice navigation hints and the Best Buy one didn't) for about $30 more. AND she bought 2, and picked up a digital camera (Sony DSC S700) as an additional gift, total of close to $500 overall... Best Buy lost those sales. Eh, no skin off my nose, but I am surprised by them turning away a customer when they have no lines.

[ghoti]

Black Friday is a joke, anyway. Most of the discounted items are crap, and for more interesting stuff, you don't get much (if any) discount - see Apple. The whole thing is really just 99% hype over the same loss leaders you could get during the rest of the year, too.

[Freewell]

All in all, it sounds like you came out on the better side of the deal because the first establishment wouldn't sell her the ticketed items before 0900. That's one cool way of looking at it!

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by ghoti Black Friday is a joke, anyway. Most of the discounted items are crap, and for more interesting stuff, you don't get much (if any) discount - see Apple. The whole thing is really just 99% hype over the same loss leaders you could get during the rest of the year, too.

I agree. It's more of a trumped-up thing - a social event, to many - than any outright "savings bonanza", from all I've seen and read. A few good deals, sure. But few and far between, and most likely snatched up in the opening minutes of this morning's mad rush/insanity.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by Freewell Actually, I think it is a very good thing. I have seen all kinds of wrong, rude behavior in adults when it comes to waiting their turn for just about anything.

OMG. I had this conversation about 300 times (seriously!) today.

Me: Hi, welcome, here's our sales today, yada yada, can I help you find anyth-

Them: DO YOU HAVE WII?

Me: Yes we do! They'll be happy to help you purchase one up fron-

Them: WHERE ARE THEY?

Me: We keep them in the back of our store. They'll be happy to-

Them: CAN YOU GET ME ONE?

Me: They'll be happy to get you one at the registers.

Them: ... (*surveys store*)

Me: ... (*waits patiently*)

Them: BUT THERE'S A LINE.

(It's true. There was a line outside our store before my manager even got there to start setting up, and when I started work at 6:30 this morning I couldn't even get inside the store.)

Me: Yes there is. It starts at the front of the store.

Them: ...

Me: ...

Them: CAN'T YOU JUST GET ME ONE?

What I really want to say is this: Ma'am, even ignoring the fact that all of our registers are in use, and that's the only reason I'm dealing with...you, I'm not going to just sneak to a register and ring you up in front of everybody who's been waiting in line for a Wii. Because that means I might have to tell one of those people who's waited ever so patiently in line that, whoops, I already sold their Wii to some asshole who thought that they were above waiting in line like everybody else. Savvy?

What I say is: The line starts at the front of the store, ma'am, have a nice day! *scoots over to next customer*

They: *waddle away, breathing heavily*

Repeat times 300.

[DMBand0026]

I hate people.

[psmith2.0]

I see that sort of thing quite a bit, even at non-holiday/busy shopping times.

Some people - men and women - just seem to feel "entitled", for whatever reason, to special treatment, or to receive breaks, benefits, special considerations and/or perks that no one else is getting. That always amuses me, that some people just walk through life expecting everyone around them to clear a path and focus solely on them, no matter what. Idiots.

And yeah, it's often a certain type of person (those of the yuppie/well-heeled persuasion), but, sadly, I've seen all kinds of people get barky and snotty with employees. But four-out-of-five times it'll be the expected type, straight from Central Casting, totally living up to their image/potential, and making yet another stereotype ring horribly true.



I've always called those kind of people "Howells", as in Thurston and Lovey...and I will often mock/deride them openly, in their presence, when they're really showing their ass in public. I've got no problem doing that whatsoever...I'm just another customer, calling them on their horseshit. What are they going to do? They can't fire me or "complain to a manager" because I don't work there. Some of my happiest moments in stores have been mercilessly baiting and screwing with these types when they've richly deserved it. I know the poor employee can't, so I'll step in and make their day, poking a few holes and whatnot.

[DMBand0026]

After working in retail for years, I can attest to the fact that people think they're entitled to special treatment no matter what time of year it is, but it gets worse around Christmas. Amongst all the talk of the "spirit of the season" and things like that, people get more angry, more upset, more frazzled, and lose their temper so much more easily. I just don't get it.

At the bakery I work at we had a woman come in this year and proceed to get livid with us because we didn't make the kind of bread she wanted. She was upset because she (apparently) had driven a considerable distance in order to obtain this bread only to find out that we didn't make it. She didn't call ahead, she didn't go online to research, just came...and got upset.

She began by ripping into one of our younger employees, I heard the commotion from the back where I was kneading some bread and came up and asked the woman if there was a problem. She explained to me (in some not so nice words) that, "this little brat" (referring to our employee), "just told me that you don't make pretzel bread."

I calmly told her that there was no need to call anyone a brat and that our employee was correct, we don't make pretzel bread." She got even more angry and asked to see a manager, obviously not realizing that I am a manager. I told her she was speaking with one, she became very red in the face. I calmly asked her to leave our store and if she felt so inclined, apologize to the young girl she nearly brought to tears with her tirade about pretzel bread. She declined to apologize and left the bakery.

I hate people.

[SKMDC]

I never worked a big box place, My retail time was done in record stores, all kinds, chains, ma & pa's, a store in Milwaukee that specialized in Jazz and one that specialized in oldies.

I loved Christmas, I got such a charge out of helping little old ladies and mom and dads with their seemingly undecipherable lists....
Where is Ron Maiden? There's a group called Rubber Plant? What do you mean Metallica's Garage Days is out of print? (yes but we have some special copies behind the counter....)

Not that there weren't problems, like the time (in a very small store) I was helping a woman with classical stuff on the phone, I put her on hold and shouted to everyone in the store (an indie-head shop place) "Why are Classical customers so goddamn picky?"
Then a small voice came from the phone... "um I can still hear you..."
yes I hadn't put her on hold, I'd put her on speaker, everyone in the store busted out laughing, and thank goodness the lady was pretty amused, and I got her, her fucking Puccini with Beverly Sills in time for Christmas, and sold it to her for cost.

Anyway I loved Christmas, and I liked knowing I lightened a bunch of peoples loads, and made a big chore a little easier, and most importantly got their snot nosed git children the proper record for Christmas.
I had customers come back year to year and even followed me from store to store.

Like the lady who came in every year to get Elvis records for her Bridge Club friends, and the year she didn't come in, we found out she'd had stroke, so we got them for her wrapped them and took them to her house.
Where I found out she had the Largest Elvis Liquor Decanter collection know to man.

Like the guy who always brought in a Chocolate Pecan Pie Christmas Eve day, or the guy who always brought me a slug of Miles Davis bootlegs in a bag and would say "dig, I got you some rare cuts for Christmas"

or this lawyer guy who always came in Christmas Eve right as we were closing and tell us about who we needed gifts for and let us pick them out, he spent hundreds and always tried to tip us....we knew Christmas was over after him.

I sit here writing this and for the first time in a long time realize how much I miss it.

[psmith2.0]

Always the good with the bad, for sure.

I think, like DMB says, a lot of people just let the frenzy and pace get to them, and they just wig out over the little, goofy things. I'd like to think that the pretzel lady got home, realized how ridiculous and out-of-line she was and vowed to not ever be that way again.



But yeah, it sticks out a bit more this time of year because at the same time you're seeing people act like such raging dickheads, you're hearing all this "joy and peace" talk on commercials, TV shows, songs, etc. An odd juxtaposition...

"Joy to the wor...get the #$!%#@!%^ outta my way!"



Any other time, they're just a-holes. This time of year, they're a-holes with extra special sauce. Takes a special kind of person to reduce a young "seasonal help" employee to tears because *gasp* they couldn't read your mind or whatever. And I've seen it happen on more than one occasion, unfortunately.



I always did the Toys for Tots thing, and enjoyed working with the Marines in SoCal for that, putting stuff on a truck. To this day, I make my yearly trip to Toys R Us and get some things to drop in the donation barrel, knowing it'll get to someone. Every kid (especially those under 10-12) should have something to unwrap Christmas morning. When I see the unhinged, over-the-top gift-buying exhibited by some, it just makes me believe that even more. I realize some kid who has nothing would be thrilled to open a colorful Nerf football, a barnyard or dinosaur playset or a talking doll, so I do what I can to make that happen for a few kids. I enjoy that aspect of Christmas most of all...I really do.

In fact, I would encourage all my fellow 'Novans to maybe considering purchasing a toy of some sort and dropping it off at your closest Toys for Tots donation center. You can't imagine the difference it might make for someone. I've seen that on more than one occasion as well, and it's awesome.



http://www.toysfortots.org

[autodata]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Some people - men and women - just seem to feel "entitled", for whatever reason, to special treatment...And yeah, it's often a certain type of person (those of the yuppie/well-heeled persuasion)

I totally disagree. Two types that are notorious for it: upper middle class women and low class anyone. By avoiding places frequented by either of those two groups I haven't even seen or heard people act like this for years.

[psmith2.0]

Well I said "four-out-of-five" times, so I'm allowing for some variations. And I'm not making much of a distinction between "yuppie, well-heeled types" and "upper middle-class women"...I roll that in together. A yuppie can be "upper-middle class"...the Lexus SUV-driving, flippy-haired soccer mom in capri pants (rawwrrr) with kids in private school, a cell phone welded to her ear 19 hours a day and who is a spa/pedicure junkie? I know 'em when I see 'em...the precise classifications may vary a skootch, but you know what I'm saying (and who I'm talking about).



I've seen low class types carry on, but in a completely different sort of way. They're not the ones who exhibit the particular walk-between-the-raindrops, "you're here solely to wait on me and me alone" vibe, in my experience.

They show their butt in numerous other ways, no doubt, but they typically don't act like kings and senators, which is the specific behavior I'm talking about above.

[Souflay123]

Originally Posted by Taskiss And had there been a line or whatever, I'd agree too. The crowd in the store at the checkout line was moderate at best (according to my wife) and there wasn't any crowds inside the store to speak of. I'm thinking Black Friday will really be a black Friday for retailers. She visited the store at 8:20 or so and it opened at 5:00. I just called to check and there's several of the GPS units still available. My wife walked into Circuit City and bought the "better" version (it includes the voice navigation hints and the Best Buy one didn't) for about $30 more. AND she bought 2, and picked up a digital camera (Sony DSC S700) as an additional gift, total of close to $500 overall... Best Buy lost those sales. Eh, no skin off my nose, but I am surprised by them turning away a customer when they have no lines.

agreed, we went to circuit city at like 6 at night and they still had a ton of psp's and ds's along with many other there other items. we were going to wait in line but decided sleep was more important. But the sales were not that great over all, most of the sales were about the tv's but nothing really on blu-ray movies, just stores trying to get rid of there reg movies. meh, and all the deals you can get instore you pretty much could get on amazon.

[atomicbartbeans]

Speaking of Best Buy,

I had a terrible time there yesterday morning.

First, they cordoned off parts of the aisleways with employees and displays, so you couldn't simply walk to the part of the store you wanted to go directly... you had to weave through a mass of grumpy shoppers and employees holding up items in the air and yelling obnoxious things such as "hurry before it's gone! GPS for $169!" and getting all in people's faces to buy things that are "about to be sold out" despite the heaping pile of the same item on the floor. No matter where you went in the store to escape the madness, they had employees confront you holding items and saying such obnoxious things as "printer for 25 bucks! come on, this is a steal! it's the only one we have left [an obvious lie], do you want it?"

Some things appeared to be sold out; the shelves would be empty of a particular item and I even saw some "sold out of X" signs... but then 10 minutes later an employee would walk around holding that very item up in the air screaming "we have one left! who wants it!"... I assume they had plenty of the item in the stockroom and simply wanted to create the appearance of things being in very short supply.

Basically the employees tried to incite mass hysteria and buying frenzies despite most people knowing exactly what they want beforehand and going for only one specific item.

They simply would not leave us alone; I didn't stay for very long.