Black Friday

Started by abefroman329, November 23, 2018, 07:39:31 AM

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hbelkins

My parents always went shopping on the day after Thanksgiving when I was growing up, but it wasn't called Black Friday then. They were just called after-Thanksgiving sales. We usually had our letters to Santa written before then, my brother and I having perused the Sears, Montgomery Ward and JC Penney Christmas catalogs to find things we wanted.

Last time I went out into the mess was in 1980 (yes, that's not a typo) when I was a sophomore in college. I rode to Lexington with a friend of mine, and we actually ran into my parents and his parents in Fayette Mall. I also think I went to Walmart once or twice during the 1995-2001 period when we lived in Winchester and I was off, my wife had to work, and there was something she wanted me to pick up, but even 20 years ago it wasn't the exercise in lunacy it was back then.

My aversion to crowds and traffic jams means there's no way I would venture out into that madness. My wife loves it, more for the people-watching than finding bargains. I have neither the patience nor the tolerance for it.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.


ce929wax

Quote from: hbelkins on November 23, 2018, 09:04:43 PMMy aversion to crowds and traffic jams means there's no way I would venture out into that madness. My wife loves it, more for the people-watching than finding bargains. I have neither the patience nor the tolerance for it.

I hear you, I hate crowds and shopping.  Usually if I want to shop for something, I hit up Amazon, unless it is something small. 

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: kphoger on November 23, 2018, 03:47:22 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 23, 2018, 03:38:08 PM
To a lesser degree I'm not exactly a fan of commercializing holidays. 

Same here.  It's one of the reasons I like Thanksgiving so much.  Pretty much all people do is get together, have a banquet, and sit around talking.  If they take the "thanksgiving" part seriously, then it only encourages them to be grateful for what they already have instead of rushing out to buy more stuff.  If only Black Friday weren't the total opposite of that...

I wasn't even aware that there was such a thing called "Black Friday" until I stumbled upon it going into a Meijer in Michigan when I was 16.  I was just looking to get a soda and all I ended up with was an onslaught.  I didn't understand why anyone would want put themselves in crowds like that, nor do I now.  Thankfully when I was growing up my family never bothered with crap like Black Friday shopping, it was always about spending the entire weekend with family. 

wanderer2575

Please be responsible:  Hold your phone horizontally when shooting video of other shoppers brawling.

hbelkins

Quote from: wanderer2575 on November 24, 2018, 10:52:45 AM
Please be responsible:  Hold your phone horizontally when shooting video of other shoppers brawling.

So, how much violence was there this year? I heard a report of a fight at the Prestonsburg, Ky. Walmart. And saw a glimpse of a blurb about a shooting in Alabama somewhere.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

hotdogPi

Quote from: hbelkins on November 24, 2018, 05:41:43 PM
Quote from: wanderer2575 on November 24, 2018, 10:52:45 AM
Please be responsible:  Hold your phone horizontally when shooting video of other shoppers brawling.

So, how much violence was there this year? I heard a report of a fight at the Prestonsburg, Ky. Walmart. And saw a glimpse of a blurb about a shooting in Alabama somewhere.

42 million people dead, according to The Onion.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

abefroman329

Quote from: 1 on November 24, 2018, 05:46:33 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on November 24, 2018, 05:41:43 PM
Quote from: wanderer2575 on November 24, 2018, 10:52:45 AM
Please be responsible:  Hold your phone horizontally when shooting video of other shoppers brawling.

So, how much violence was there this year? I heard a report of a fight at the Prestonsburg, Ky. Walmart. And saw a glimpse of a blurb about a shooting in Alabama somewhere.

42 million people dead, according to The Onion.
1 million dead would be a tragedy, 42 million is a statistic.

cjk374

My father-in-law is an asst. mgr. at the Wally-Hell in Jonesboro, LA. He went to work at 11:30 a.m. Thanksgiving day. He called at 2:15, checking on the status of the delivery of his turkey dinner. He said tons of people had already filled their buggies with Black Friday merchandise, and planned on roaming around the store for 4 more hours waiting for the 6 p.m. sale start time so they could check out! That is freaking ridiculous!  :angry: :banghead:

I did not participate in Black Friday (or Thursday) anything. I was too busy frying turkeys. :cheers:
Runnin' roads and polishin' rails.

Rothman

Shop online.  I finally got sick of shopping and not finding what I wanted.  Online, ypu can find anything.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

cjk374

Quote from: Rothman on November 25, 2018, 12:58:06 PM
Shop online.  I finally got sick of shopping and not finding what I wanted.  Online, ypu can find anything.

Including peace & quiet. Wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit if "cyber-Monday" completely replaced "black Friday"...I know it won't, but dreams can come true occasionally.
Runnin' roads and polishin' rails.

abefroman329

Quote from: Rothman on November 25, 2018, 12:58:06 PM
Shop online.  I finally got sick of shopping and not finding what I wanted.  Online, ypu can find anything.
Listen, it was a REALLY good deal on that carseat.

Tonytone

Ahh the commercialization of everything that requires spending money, I remember many years ago black friday started @12 Thursday night & maybe that caused more mess then starting @6 so multiple waves of people can go. But I also remember the holidays having more meaning then just shopping & eating, it was about seeing family & enjoying time off, as the jobs people have, only allow 5 real days off a year. Sheesh at least I work the other 360.


iPhone
Promoting Cities since 1998!

Rothman



Quote from: Tonytone on November 25, 2018, 02:44:54 PM
Ahh the commercialization of everything that requires spending money


iPhone

Imagine that.

Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

Brandon

Quote from: Rothman on November 25, 2018, 12:58:06 PM
Shop online.  I finally got sick of shopping and not finding what I wanted.  Online, ypu can find anything.

Then you get it, find it's broken from the shipment, find it doesn't fit, & then you've got to return it.  I'd rather see it, touch it, then buy it.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

abefroman329

Quote from: Brandon on November 25, 2018, 04:31:58 PMThen you get it, find it's broken from the shipment, find it doesn't fit, & then you've got to return it.
And if you're lucky, you can return it to a brick and mortar store; if not, you have to pay to ship it back. Recently I bought some shirts from the Hanes website, realized upon delivery they were the wrong kind, and had to drive from Rogers Park to Aurora rather than pay an arm and a leg to return them by mail.

Tonytone

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 25, 2018, 05:45:09 PM
Quote from: Brandon on November 25, 2018, 04:31:58 PMThen you get it, find it's broken from the shipment, find it doesn't fit, & then you've got to return it.
And if you're lucky, you can return it to a brick and mortar store; if not, you have to pay to ship it back. Recently I bought some shirts from the Hanes website, realized upon delivery they were the wrong kind, and had to drive from Rogers Park to Aurora rather than pay an arm and a leg to return them by mail.
These two things right here ^^^ Online shopping is good for buying things for home & gifts, clothes is terrible to buy online, especially overseas. But if you have a store around, it would be easier.


iPhone
Promoting Cities since 1998!

jon daly

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 25, 2018, 05:45:09 PM
Quote from: Brandon on November 25, 2018, 04:31:58 PMThen you get it, find it's broken from the shipment, find it doesn't fit, & then you've got to return it.
And if you're lucky, you can return it to a brick and mortar store; if not, you have to pay to ship it back. Recently I bought some shirts from the Hanes website, realized upon delivery they were the wrong kind, and had to drive from Rogers Park to Aurora rather than pay an arm and a leg to return them by mail.

My wife doesn't like trying on clothes in a store, so she buy's them online. I'm the opposite.

MantyMadTown

I avoid any store that does their Black Friday on Thursday. I think it's wrong to make people work during Thanksgiving dinner so they can satisfy the needs of shoppers who aren't patient enough to wait a couple extra hours until midnight on Friday. They should be staying home with their families instead of doing shopping.
Forget the I-41 haters

kphoger

Quote from: Tonytone on November 25, 2018, 05:57:22 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on November 25, 2018, 05:45:09 PM
Quote from: Brandon on November 25, 2018, 04:31:58 PMThen you get it, find it's broken from the shipment, find it doesn't fit, & then you've got to return it.
And if you're lucky, you can return it to a brick and mortar store; if not, you have to pay to ship it back. Recently I bought some shirts from the Hanes website, realized upon delivery they were the wrong kind, and had to drive from Rogers Park to Aurora rather than pay an arm and a leg to return them by mail.
These two things right here ^^^ Online shopping is good for buying things for home & gifts, clothes is terrible to buy online, especially overseas. But if you have a store around, it would be easier.

I'm tall and skinny, so finding pants in a store that actually fit me is nearly impossible.  Western wear stores are my best bet, but the best one for that is about three hours away from me.  I wear a 29x34.  I think this year will be the first time I buy jeans online since high school (when I lived in a town of 1300 people, a couple of hours from the nearest mall, and was already tall and skinny).
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

abefroman329

Quote from: kphoger on November 26, 2018, 01:31:52 PMI wear a 29x34
Yeah, that's an unusual size, all right.

Somehow I've found it even more difficult to shop for clothing online in smaller sizes than bigger sizes.  I don't know if bigger sizes are more consistent than smaller sizes, or if I just cared less about how clothing in bigger sizes looked on me, or what.

SSOWorld

Stores have been moving anything except the most-selling off floor inventory and encouraging use of online shopping for the removed items. 
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

abefroman329

Quote from: SSOWorld on November 27, 2018, 04:17:16 AM
Stores have been moving anything except the most-selling off floor inventory and encouraging use of online shopping for the removed items.
Old Navy sure has - they've gone so far as to only sell slim-fit Oxford men's shirts in stores and direct customers to their website for regular-fit. Makes total sense from a business perspective, why waste retail store floor space on anything but the most popular items?

Rothman

Quote from: Brandon on November 25, 2018, 04:31:58 PM
Quote from: Rothman on November 25, 2018, 12:58:06 PM
Shop online.  I finally got sick of shopping and not finding what I wanted.  Online, ypu can find anything.

Then you get it, find it's broken from the shipment, find it doesn't fit, & then you've got to return it.  I'd rather see it, touch it, then buy it.
I haven't had any issues with the few times I have had to return things.  Don't think I ever paid anything to return something to Amazon.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

abefroman329

Quote from: Rothman on November 27, 2018, 09:01:58 AM
Quote from: Brandon on November 25, 2018, 04:31:58 PM
Quote from: Rothman on November 25, 2018, 12:58:06 PM
Shop online.  I finally got sick of shopping and not finding what I wanted.  Online, ypu can find anything.

Then you get it, find it's broken from the shipment, find it doesn't fit, & then you've got to return it.  I'd rather see it, touch it, then buy it.
I haven't had any issues with the few times I have had to return things.  Don't think I ever paid anything to return something to Amazon.
We had this delicate glass teapot that was on our Amazon wedding registry and one of our guests bought it.  Amazon had to send one to us three times because, the first two times, it wasn't packaged properly and it was in pieces by the time we got it.

Rothman

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 27, 2018, 09:11:23 AM
Quote from: Rothman on November 27, 2018, 09:01:58 AM
Quote from: Brandon on November 25, 2018, 04:31:58 PM
Quote from: Rothman on November 25, 2018, 12:58:06 PM
Shop online.  I finally got sick of shopping and not finding what I wanted.  Online, ypu can find anything.

Then you get it, find it's broken from the shipment, find it doesn't fit, & then you've got to return it.  I'd rather see it, touch it, then buy it.
I haven't had any issues with the few times I have had to return things.  Don't think I ever paid anything to return something to Amazon.
We had this delicate glass teapot that was on our Amazon wedding registry and one of our guests bought it.  Amazon had to send one to us three times because, the first two times, it wasn't packaged properly and it was in pieces by the time we got it.
Ouch.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.



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