Do you shop black Friday?

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by Patricia

I honestly have some trouble understanding this mysterious idea.

Why, it's the hunt! The laying out of clothes and brushing of boots the night before. Getting up before dawn with a hot cup of coffee. Listening to the sounds of restless hounds while the horses are being saddled. Then it's off into the fields to hunt the buggers down, the chase, the sound of the horns, the kill, and the triumphant return home.

Either that or someone just wanted a cheap toaster for their Aunt Emily.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

We don't have it here either obviously, but what I've found amusing is that Apple Australia are having it, but calling it something like "TGI Friday Sale". It's cultural imperialism by stealth, I tells ya! (<--- this emoticon means I'm joking, okay?).

Cheers,
Marc

Apple DK had it here, too. Now I've just realised why it was a one-day thing Very pathetic sale though, something like 5% off at the most.

[Falbe Publishing]

I didn't vote because the choices didn't match me. I did go shopping on Black Friday, but I waited until evening. I had ZERO desire to get up at dawn and face crowds of shoppers. This only makes sense if you need a specific thing that is specifically on sale at a special price only in the morning. Otherwise, just wait until later in the day when the crowds thin out. The stores will likely be open all evening with everything on sale. When I was shopping last night, it was only a little busy. When I used to work retail I would always conveniently volunteer for the late shift on Black Friday, so I could sleep in and avoid wrangling with the insane people at 6 a.m.

If there is some super special item for a gift that you are worried will run out, go buy it a day or two before Thanksgiving. Stores usually have pre-Thanksgiving sales too. And, from my experience in retail, stores have good sales all the way through the shopping season. Black Friday is not even necessarily the day with the best prices.

[Falbe Publishing]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Is it illegal for shops to open on public holidays in the US?

Hell No! Scrooge is a revered saint in the U.S. Christmas off indeed! Be glad you have a job Cratchet. I'm trying like hell to outsource you to India as it is.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by Falbe Publishing

Hell No! Scrooge is a revered saint in the U.S. Christmas off indeed! Be glad you have a job Cratchet. I'm trying like hell to outsource you to India as it is.

I guess it could also be considered religious discrimination in a sense to have a christian holiday off? I don't know how large the non-christian percentage of the USA population is though.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by neilmarr

Talking about this membership milestone being a reflection of the popularity of ebooks generally; there was a clip on our morning TV news here in Francetoday showing the Black Friday rush on one big US store. It lasted just a few seconds, but of all the tens of thousands of items that must have been available, when the camera was focussed on a checkout till, what should be rung up but a Sony reader! Neil

heh. they talked about it on the radio as well with a few interviews of shoppers, but obviously i didn't see what people were buying.

[pshrynk]

The best day to go shopping is next Wednesday, which is the tradtional slowest day of teh Christmas Season. I intend to get the gifts I need that night after work. Then, I intend to not go near the mall for the next four weeks.

[BearMountainBooks]

We went to get a faucet today (saturday). Not busy at all. Normally I don't go on this weekend as I said earlier, but when the faucet springs a leak (too much cleaning I think during Thanksgiving prep!) you kinda gotta get to it. I was pleased the store was mostly empty this morning. We put off getting it yesterday to avoid the crowds. Nothing on sale at the home improvement centers that was worth mentioning (they always have "sales" but nothing that was a huge improvement over any other day.)

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by Ea

I guess it could also be considered religious discrimination in a sense to have a christian holiday off? I don't know how large the non-christian percentage of the USA population is though.

I guess the only "christian holiday" that is legally observed here is christmas. easter is a sunday so that remains safe for the mainstream public. the issue becomes a pay issue. any legal, "bank" holidays would require holiday pay. that can get VERY pricey for and employer.

one of the things I loved about living in Germany was all of the religious holidays everyone would have off! getting to work was VERY easy those days!

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

I guess the only "christian holiday" that is legally observed here is christmas. easter is a sunday so that remains safe for the mainstream public. the issue becomes a pay issue. any legal, "bank" holidays would require holiday pay. that can get VERY pricey for and employer.

one of the things I loved about living in Germany was all of the religious holidays everyone would have off! getting to work was VERY easy those days!

I once almost moved to Australia to work. One thing I used to hear from our office there was that they really liked the American work ethic in that we don't take much time off for vacation (standard two weeks per year for 9-to-5ers which don't all take) or holidays. Nearly everyday is a work day.

About 10 years ago I was in London on Boxing Day and it seemed like the city was dead (at least the parts I was in). It was so surreal to me because nearly everything was closed and it was so quiet.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

About 10 years ago I was in London on Boxing Day and it seemed like the city was dead (at least the parts I was in). It was so surreal to me because nearly everything was closed and it was so quiet.

LOL That's like sundays here (and holidays as well). Only small convenience stores, cafes, and such are open on sundays. And when the weather is cold, no-one goes out much. It's rather nice that at least one day of the week is 'quiet'.

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by Patricia

This all seems really weird to me. How did you people let shopping become a leisure activity, rather than a dreary chore? Whatever possessed you to get up so early in the morning? Don't you have nice warm husbands/cats/ dogs in bed with you? If so, why get up at an unspeakable hour to go shopping, of all things? If you are bored then you could read, sleep, do housework, etc. But why add to the list of things that require cleaning, insuring and other attention?
I honestly have some trouble understanding this mysterious idea.

I'm actually with you on the! I hate shopping. I much prefer to find things on-line and have them delivered to my home. My mother, on the other hand, has made shopping practically an Olympic event. She never pays full price for anything and will take days shopping to find the perfect item at the price she thinks is fair. It does tend to get a little old, though. She could shop all day every day! For someone like me who gets bored with shopping very quickly, it's like a prison sentence when she drags me with her. She's still trying to figure out where she went wrong with my upbringing!

[Spectrum]

Spent about $250.00 at Target..trying to help the Economy..Chinese one!

[FlorenceArt]

Originally Posted by Spectrum

Spent about $250.00 at Target..trying to help the Economy..Chinese one!

Well it's all connected anyway, right?

[Spartacus2112]

I just wonder if any of the people shopping would make the same effort to find a job if faced with unemployment?