Let's pretend they were to change the standard rules of Black Friday. Let's say the first 50 customers to enter a specific store receive cold hard cash instead of some perceived discount price a few selected items.
How many dollars would need to be the prize in order to get you to leave now to go get in line for a 5:00 a.m. store opening? $25? $50? $100? $300? over $500?
Its -1F out and snowing. Put me down for over $500, way over.
I get my money the old fashion way, I earn it rather than take it as handouts.
Too Late!
The lines are already more than 50 long.
Paul in PA
The weather around here usually is not an issue....my problem is standing elbow to elbow with rude, pushy people. That pretty well knocks me out of black Friday sales, any property owned by Disney, and just about anything that attracts tourist.
Cabela's is giving away $100 gift cards to the first 800 shoppers......
Here in Oregon, some of them are starting at 9 PM. We're headed off to Toys R Us to try to score some sort of video game system, then Wendell and his buddy Dave are off to Wal Mart to score more boy gadgety type of stuff, and Miranda, Brandon and I are off to Target, Kohls, and wherever else the kids wanna go. If there's too many crowds, forget it...I'm coming home!! 🙂
Especially after thanksgiving when they have turkey farts.
Your example is inconsistent. First, you say, "Let's say the first 50 customers to enter a specific store receive cold hard cash."
Then you say, "How many dollars would need to be the prize in order to get you to leave now to go get in line..."
Getting in line is not the same thing as being first to enter the store.
I haven't participated in the Black Friday scrum for several years, but when I did, I never waited in line. I milled around in the shadows in the parking lot. When they opened the doors, I walked in. Of course, those who waited in line didn't like it, but my philosophy is, if the doors are open, the store is open. I can enter and buy stuff just like any other day.
Last time, I almost got into a fist fight until I reminded the gentleman following me down the aisle that, while he was berating me, all those people he waited in line with were snapping up the bargains he waited in line for.
Which brings me to your cold, hard cash scenario. First, as Paul in PA points out, there would already be 50 people in line, so leaving right now (or even 3 hours ago, when you first posted the question) would be pointless. Second, as the amount of cold, hard cash increased, so would the aggressiveness with which people would pursue it, correlating the dollar amount with the likelihood of mayhem. The more money offered, the more likely you would sustain bodily harm in the pursuit of it.
So, for me, no amount of money would get me to leave right now.
They couldn't pay me enough to be out with all the crazies on Black Friday. I hate crowds, especially grubby, pushy ones. I will continue to do my shopping on 12/24, with all the men. 😉
Malls track shoppers' cell phones on Black Friday
Make informed purchases this season.
I support Internet commerce... No way me go to any store this week
As the crow flies I live about 1.3 miles from the Lacey Cabela's... probably won't get there on black Friday, but you suppose they will be over 800 customers by Tuesday after 5:00 pm when I might go?
:-/
I with you Daryl, its either small shops that I know the owners and that don't play the mega sale bait and switch game, or internet commerce.
You couldn't drag me near one of the big boxes that thrives on these tactics tomorrow or any other day of the year. I will however be prepared for traffic jams at 5:30am tomorrow when I head to work for the masses that drink the koolaid and chase the good deal at 5am that is never there.
🙂
:good: :good: :good:
I'm thinking the "Prize Patrol" would have to be there ...
AND I'd have to figure out how to get around the 47th, 48th and 49th person(s) just to make sure I'd be in the first 50. But that would probably get me in trouble ... lol.
(JUST KIDDING !)
The last and only time we went out on "Black Friday" was a few years ago when someone handed me a couple of hundred dollars to buy toys for donation. It was cold that year.
Kind of fun - Definitely rewarding ...
I'm thinking about doing some "on-line" shopping. But even that gives me reason to pause today. Sooooo, maybe this evening or tomorrow might be better.
It's the manly thing to do...but for manly men only.;-)
Are you implying there are other ways to get that job done? Never considered it to be manly, just the way it was done. Black Friday, to me, means to buck up and not fall for the hype and subject myself to the whims of the inconsiderate crowds that fall for the hype of a sales gimmick for little gain.
jud
> It's the manly thing to do...but for manly men only.;-)
🙂
I ended up having to go to Walmart today to buy dog food, poor planning on my part :star:
