Can someone explain the lure of "black friday" for me?

[dixiegrrrrl]

I do not get it. At all.
There are stories and pics of people camping out in front of stores so they can be among the first of the herd to burst thru the doors when they open.
Over the years it seems Black Friday has become some sort of a ritualistic contest.With fatalities.
but why?
I am clueless, I admit it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I admit, I did it once

When the crash started. I needed a new clothes washer. It was a loss leader for Sears...it was a 600 machine for 250, delivery included.

Did I mention it was the beginning of the crash? It was me, the Sears Staff and no crowds. I bought my machine and knew it was going to be real bad news. And...it was.

[oldhippydude]

2. it's patriotic Americans firing the opening salvos for Jesus..

the shock troops in the war on Christmas..

[madokie]

3. Three years ago we went to a sears black friday sale

got there at 4:30 in the morning and when they opened at 5 we were ready. We bought a new front load washer and dryer for less than what the washer alone normally sales for.

[randome]

4. Money and a chance to escape family get-togethers.

[Enrique]

5. a chance to use your pepper spray

what other occasions are there?

[treestar]

6. Not me.

To do it, I would have to be convinced I was going to save thousands of dollars. Even then I don't think there is anything I'd want that would be in those stores that would constitute the goods on which said savings was going to be made.

[GoCubsGo]

7. Nope. Sorry.

I don't get it, either. Even if I could afford any of that stuff, I still wouldn't stand in line for a crack at some super-duper deal. I love a deal, but nowhere near as much as I detest crowds, especially at stores.

[HereSince1628]

8. A chance for competitive consumerism...what more lure could an American need?

If you don't feel it, you've got a genetic problem. or maybe NOT

[Fire Walk With Me]

9. It is the belief that "things" can replace real human interaction, intimacy, and love.

Consumerism (and its parent, capitalism) unmasked.

[dixiegrrrrl]

12. I WILL admit to standing in lines for an hour or so...

back in the 70's
to see Star Wars and Rocky Horror
but did it with friends ( real human interaction!!!!)
and we had lovely special brownies to munch on while we waited
thus I cannot quite remember if I saw Star Wars 20 or 21 times that year.

or how long that hour wait really was...
but in any event, that was different.
Much much different.

[JHB]

28. Aw, geez. That makes me a piker with only 12 times...

...but I was still at an age where "special brownies" meant they had peanut butter mixed in.

[humanistcafe]

10. Never, Never, Never!

I spend my Black Friday's sippin' whiskey by the fire. Maybe smokin' a pipe and listening to John Coltrane. Let the loons go crazy.

My Friday will be all peace and quiet - there's no discount that will ever be worth more than that.

[BlueJazz]

14. What he said.

[Bluzmann57]

11. You're not alone

Beer and football sounds like an infinitely better thing than fighting crowds. So beer and football it is.

[Initech]

13. I went to a Best Buy one year. Saw the line that stretched at least a mile. Turned car around, went home

Haven't been back since.

[Johonny]

15. I usually show up about noon

after all the door buster people are gone. The store wide sales are still going. Before the economy crapped itself it was a great day to buy designer clothes and stuff for the cost of normal clothes in the nicer places around town.

These day it feels like beyond the door buster, which you generally didn't want anyways, the deals are the same a week before or after black friday so I don't care much.

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. Back in the day when I shopped, my favorite time was

after Jan. 1.
All the Christmas crap was on sale, great time to buy any Christmas cards, and there was plenty of 'stuff" at huge huge discounts.
'Course that was back when I had a job, money and the stores had decent "stuff".

[Lucinda]

17. Some people go so they can buy things for their families that they couldnt afford otherwise

Needed items, nice Christmas gifts.

Some people just love a bargain.

[railsback]

18. Its all a sham now

A while back, there were some actual deals, but if you keep up with deals throughout the year, there's nothing worth standing in line for. I did it a while back for a monitor, which seemed like a good deal at the time... except after that sale, the price never went up. Its generally the same price across the board for these specs now. Whatever. You'll have a better chance at getting better deals watching sites like bensbargains.

[datasuspect]

19. stupidity

too much tv

[leveymg]

20. It's like Marathon Dancing during the Great Depression. People are looking for deliverance from

boredom and dispair in their own lives with hopes of some sort of pittance reward for endurance. Some of the "campers" are paid line sitters and PR shills.

For most, however, it's their chance to take part in a publicity stunt, a mass spectacle, that draws in the Rubes to plunk down their hard-earned dollars. They are the audience to the Marathon Dancers and Flag Sitters.

They Shoot Horses Don't They (1969) (YouTube, Pt. 1)

[Fumesucker]

21. Shopping as a full contact martial art

When the going gets tough the tough go shopping.

[johnd83]

22. I looked though some ads

most of the "door busters" are really just clearance items. Oh, a really cheap 60 inch plasma with 720p resolution? Wow, that's really great in 2012... You can probably find the same prices online year round if you poke around a little.

[hamsterjill]

23. If you find out, please fill me in, okay?

I've never done it.

I would be pretty upset if I stood in line for an advertised item only to find that the first gazillion people in line before me bought them all! To me, it's just not worth it. I prefer to wait until the last weekend when so many retailers put out their best sale prices.

[LeftinOH]

24. Because there's a sale on the new u7NYxlI48O-ps.5r!!

Whatever the f*ck that is.

[dixiegrrrrl]

37. Well, yeah, but have you seen the size of that thing?

The batteries weigh 30 pounds (sold separately) and cost an arm and a leg.

[jeff47]

25. There's two parts.

There's two parts.
First, the absurd offers, such as a $500 TV for $50, but only 10 in stock.

People figured out pretty quickly that they'd have to arrive early to get that deal. And the stores ratcheted up the deals with limited quantity to keep that going. Along with a few "normal" sales. Which caused consumers to be even more crazy.

The second part is more about how we live today.
Lots of people have trouble being with their extended family for a long time. Back when we all lived in the same town, this was easy to deal with - you all just went home on the end of Thursday's festivities. But now travel is involved for most people. Which makes it kinda silly to just stay for one night. So people tend to stay the long weekend, and then that causes family friction. Going out to "black Friday" sales provides a "get out of the house" activity even if you're not trying to be "first in line" to get that great deal.

[get the red out]

26. I treat it like a snowstorm

Not a day to be out driving around town more than necessary.

[wryter2000]

27. Back in the olden days

People always wanted Christmas season to start after Thanksgiving, no matter what merchandisers wanted, so the logical day to kick off Christmas was to go shopping the day after Thanksgiving. Plus, in the olden days, that Friday wasn't an automatic holiday, so by taking vacation or playing hooky, you parlayed Thanksgiving into a four day weekend. Fun all around.

Even back then, it was a zoo in stores, and the one time I went shopping then, I vowed never to do it again.

Basically, merchandisers took over what was kind of a natural tradition and made it insanely commercial.

[defacto7]

29. Ditto !

[elfin]

30. No, I cannot. Thanksgiving and the days following are "sacred" to me

TG brings as much of the family together as is able to attend.

Yes, generational and political squabbles, but YES to memories past shared from the elders and memories made for the future for the youngsters. Plus all the food traditions!

This can last for one whole day and evening, and if you are lucky, for a day or so more.

The only other holiday I LOVE is July 4th with the kiddie parades and family barbecues. Christmas is a delight with lighted neighborhoods to sparkle a family stroll, but STUFF has overtaken its spirit, whether religious or solstice related.

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

31. Black Friday

America is the only place on the face of the earth where people stand in lines for hours waiting to get items they don't have.....a day after being thankful for what they already have!

[valerief]

32. I don't understand why people like to crowd together to watch sports games.

That baffles me.

[RebelOne]

33. Did once and never again. n/t

[ieoeja]

34. Sears is selling a $1000 dollar TV for $300.

But you can only buy it in-store. And they have a very limited supply in each store. If you are not one of the first handful of people in the store @ 8pm Thursday, they will be sold out before you get a chance.

Assuming, of course, employees/managers have not already purchased, or set aside for their friends, all such TVs in that store before the doors even open.

[DefenseLawyer]

35. It's not my bag, but I understand the prices are pretty good

If you are on a budget and want to have presents under the tree for the kids, I can understand standing in line to buy toys on sale that you otherwise couldn't afford.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

36. Did it once, 2 years ago...

Best Buy, middle of the day after the rush...$200 phone for free....

[JI7]

38. i can maybe see it's appeal if people have a lot of free time

whether it's because they haven't been able to find a job in which case they wouldn't have much money so the sales would appeal to them even more.

or just people who like crowds and shopping and sales.

[dixiegrrrrl]

39. I like ONE of the 3

Sales.
The other 2...shudder.
Thank Goddess for online shopping.

[BlueMan Votes]

40. some people just like the sense of competition- it's a societal thing, drilled in from an early age.

i'm with you on this one- I tend to lean more toward cooperation than competition.