Black Friday 2008

[mjb2124]

Re: Black Friday 2008

I got a good GPS off of Amazon, no getting up early or anything. Granted, I had to work today, but still wouldn't have done the 4am thing, nothing else I really want (and all the GPS's I could get in person were ok, but was worth spending a bit more for what I get)

My wife's aunts all get up at 4am and shop till they drop. Of course, they don't work so they have nothing better to do. They're the type that will buy things just because they're on sale...regardless of need. The sad part is, they aren't wealthy enough to do it.

[Scott]

Re: Black Friday 2008

Yesterday while waiting in line, me and my roommate got interview...its actually up on the local news channel right now and we'll be on tv tonight also.

[sportznut02]

Re: Black Friday 2008

Picked up the Nintendo DS light blue with Brain Age and a case for the wife at Best Buy for $150 also ending up picking a PS3 Dual Shock controller at radio shack for $30. Still need to do some online shopping tonight and definately getting a few things off Eastbay since they have $25 off $100 spent

[fistofrage]

Re: Black Friday 2008

The only thing I really wanted to get was a Garmin 205W for 149. I was going to stay up and head out at 4am and go to a few stores and then staples. I fell asleep. When I woke up it was 7:30am and my daughter was bouncing around. Anyway, after eating breakfast and such I headed out at 9:30 for the hell of it. Went into staples and asked the guy if he had any left. He reappeared from the back room with it and somehow I was escorted by him to the cash register. I was out of there in about 5 minutes total. No BS, no lack of sleep. I never get this lucky.

[Eton Rifles]

Re: Black Friday 2008

I went to Radio shack and got a tomtom 125 gps for $99. Also, Last Sunday I ordered the New 40 inch Samsung LCD(a500 model) online at 6TH ave. electronics. I found out today that they would not be getting anymore so I had to choose between a Sony 40 inch and a 42 inch Sharp. I chose the Sony so I am getting that at $799 with no shipping or tax next week.

[Blzer]

Re: Black Friday 2008

Okay, time for my Fry's story. It's long and probably unnecessary (mostly a play-by-play), so don't read unless you're bored. I just need to vent, or something:



So after a disappointing five hour wait and four purchases at Best Buy, I proceeded to Fry's at 6:00 AM. According to my confirmation printout after ordering the Die Hard Collection (1 - 4) and requesting for in-store pickup, I was supposed to proceed directly to the in-store pickup counter. It says on the site that it's beneficial because you don't have to wait in line. So I go in and try to find the counter, nary such luck. So I ask the guy at the front, and he said that they were doing in-store pickup at cashiers 9 and 17, so I asked if I could go straight through, and he said yes and to tell the guy who directs the customers which way to go about my situation.

So I cut through everybody, sort of holding out the paper trying to show that I'm not simply cutting everybody, you know? I tell the guy about my in-store pickup, and he goes, "Great, now why don't you wait in line like everybody else?" I say, "I didn't think I was supposed to. The guy in the front said they were at counters 9 and 17, and it said so online that I didn't need to wait in line." He says, "It doesn't say that they are counters 9 and 17 online." Idiot, I reply, "... I didn't say that. Look, I'll just be in and out, no worries, man. I'm not buying out the store like everybody else and the guy in the front even said I can go straight to the cashier." Then he just tells me with his pointing finger to find the back of the line.

So when I finally reach the back and see the rate at which the line is moving, I realized I wasn't about to leave the store any time soon. Thankfully, we were weaving through lines with shelves of items to pick up along the way, and I found this Dark Knight feature hard copy with production and storyboard photos and such, and that occupied a good amount of time. However, at one point I came across the Blu-ray section, and I also saw Knocked Up for $8.99 and Spider-Man 1 - 3 for $37.99, so I got those as well. I saw my Die Hard Collection and there was one left, but since I knew I was picking one up, I didn't bother with it.

Two hours and seventeen minutes later (checked my phone to confirm), I made it to the front of the line and to the guy again. I muttered, "In-store pickup...?" and he points me to the direction like he doesn't remember who I was. I see the cashier, give her the confirmation paper, and she goes to look for it. She can't find it, then asks some other people. Ten minutes after them talking things over, searching around, passing the paper back and forth, and checking out their computer, she comes back with another lady, and the other lady says, "Sir, we don't have your copy. We sent you an e-mail this morning telling you this." I say, "Well, there's a copy on your shelf and I ordered this yesterday, so I don't see why there wouldn't be one reserved for me. Besides, this morning I was in line at Best Buy since midnight, so I couldn't check my e-mail." She then replies, "Sir, this isn't Best Buy, this is Fry's." Again another idiot, and I go, "... I know that. What does that have to do with anything?"

After that conversation, the lady leaves, so I'm with the other lady again. She's lost, and she finds another lady and tells her the situation, and that other lady says that the reason is probably because they can't reserve any for Black Friday. I was saying that mine wasn't reserved, it was ordered and needed to be picked up. Then she said it wasn't ordered and I still have to pay, and that the credit card stuff is just simply for confirmation, so I guess I still had to pay in cash or credit card if I wanted to. I didn't believe her, but either way I needed to get past the first situation.

I explained to her that, as she may well know, this is a Black Friday deal only where I'm getting 65% off my purchase with this discount, and it should be very understandable that I cannot let this pass, especially when I took precedence in purchasing this before anybody else. So I brought up two hypothetical situations and asked her to answer Yes or No: 1) "Say I grab the Die Hard Collection on the shelf. May I bring that up here without having to get back in line?" 2) "Say that the item isn't on the shelf anymore and you guys will be sold out of it for the rest of the day. Because I actually reserved this first and you guys are to blame for not holding a copy for me when you obviously had copies, could I return another day to this Fry's or another Fry's store, explain the situation, and get the same credit toward this purchase with the same discount?" She answered Yes to the first one, but held off on the second one and said she'd be right back (I'm thinking she's looking for the answer).

Fifteen minutes later, the original lady notices that I'm still standing there, waiting, and tries to find the person that said she'd be right back. She finds out that she was in the bathroom (WTF?!), and still was as we spoke. I wait another five minutes, and see the woman assisting somebody else. At that moment, I was just about to snap, and the lady that originally told me they didn't have any more copies came back with the copy that was on the shelf. At least she was nice enough to help me out in this situation, even though they didn't have my copy.



I had to pay cash there, and I needed to make sure that I wouldn't be billed on my credit card (and hopefully they can void it if I am). So, what should have been not five minutes at Fry's ended up being three hours. Thankfully however, I walked out of there with eight Blu-ray movies for only $85. To me, that's a steal, and in the end it was worth waiting in line. Plus I got to read The Dark Knight thing. Either way, it really did not end up going well with Fry's, and I hope the manager took notice. I didn't want to stay in that store for a second longer, so I didn't bother requesting to tell their manager about their poor service. I'll save it for another day.

[Jistic]

Re: Black Friday 2008

Had a great day today.

Ended up with.

Brothers in Arms - $20
Dead Rising - $9
GHII Controller - $10
Lego Batman - $30
Lego Starwars Complete Saga - $20
Christmas tree from the Home Depot - Normally $200, got it for $50 (They sold out quick!)
Christmas Train (for my son) - $20
(2)16gb Ipod Nanos - $188 a piece, not gonna get too much off of those, but I got the red one at the Apple store. Traded in some points with my bank ended up getting both for a total of $114 with tax out the door.

Yeah, it was a good day.

[GAMEC0CK2002]

Re: Black Friday 2008

Made out like a bandit. Gonna have to sell some of my collection to make up for the feeding frenzy:
blu rays
Rambo Trilogy $18
Transformers $10 x 2
Bank Job $9
Fantastic Four 2 $9
Hustle and Flow $9
Reservoir Dogs $12
Iron Man $15

$74 for this BR 10 pack:
5 bond flicks, phone booth, daredevil, windtalkers, man on fire, street kings

$58 for this BR 10 pack:
8 bond flicks (2 doubles), windtalkers x 2

Resistance 1 PS3 $15
MLB the show PS3 $21

Sammy 10.2MP digital camera $69

Best thing: All online. Priceless...

[The Chef]

Re: Black Friday 2008

Bought nothing, worked 5:30-2:30 and had no desire to purcahse a single thing today. Some of the TV's were somewhat tempting and Im always down for a good deal on a movie but not enough to fight anyone over them.

[Blzer]

Re: Black Friday 2008

Yeah, so let me actually compile my official list:

Cars (Blu-ray): $19.99
Die Hard Collection (Blu-ray): $37.99
Knocked Up (Blu-ray): $8.99
I Am Legend (Blu-ray): $16.99
National Treasure (Blu-ray): $19.99
Saw (Blu-ray): $11.99
Saw II (Blu-ray): $11.99
Spider-Man Collection (Blu-ray): $37.99
Superbad (Blu-ray): $16.99
Swordfish (Blu-ray): $11.99
S.W.A.T. (Blu-ray): $22.99 (meh, but this is better than Walmart retail and I already sold my DVD copy)

SanDisk Cruzer 4GB USB mini-drive: $12.99

Western Digital 750 GB external HDD: $88.88



Total: $345.34 (tax included)


Not bad at all... I just wish I could've bought more.

[Mike Lowe]

Re: Black Friday 2008

Now I know I am in the minority so please, no one take this as an insult, but what is the obsession with DVD's/movies?

You watch them once, twice, and they sit there. Does it just boost your ego or something when people come over and you have a huge (tacky looking) collection sitting in your living room?

Again, I'm just curious because all of these "deals" just seem like a huge waste of money especially since DVD's etc. are (very) soon to be the new VHS (digital downloads etc.)

[GAMEC0CK2002]

Re: Black Friday 2008

Bought nothing, worked 5:30-2:30 and had no desire to purcahse a single thing today. Some of the TV's were somewhat tempting and Im always down for a good deal on a movie but not enough to fight anyone over them.

Yep. Read that Walmart story in the other thread. That's crazy. I'm totally sold on online BF'ing.

[GAMEC0CK2002]

Re: Black Friday 2008

Now I know I am in the minority so please, no one take this as an insult, but what is the obsession with DVD's/movies?

You watch them once, twice, and they sit there. Does it just boost your ego or something when people come over and you have a huge (tacky looking) collection sitting in your living room?

Again, I'm just curious because all of these "deals" just seem like a huge waste of money especially since DVD's etc. are (very) soon to be the new VHS (digital downloads etc.)

For me, I'm a movie fan and appreciate having a decent selection to choose from without having to go to blockbuster, hollywood video. I rarely blind buy a movie, so all the ones i have i've already seen in the theater or rented and liked/loved. IMO, we are at least a few years away before HD downloading of movies becomes mainstream.

Oh yeah, I'm also pretty cheap. Iron Man and I Robot are the only time I've paid over $13. 75% of my HD library has been $11 or less.

[Mike Lowe]

Re: Black Friday 2008

For me, I'm a movie fan and appreciate having a decent selection to choose from without having to go to blockbuster, hollywood video. I rarely blind buy a movie, so all the ones i have i've already seen in the theater or rented and liked/loved. IMO, we are at least a few years away before HD downloading of movies becomes mainstream.

Oh yeah, I'm also pretty cheap. Iron Man and I Robot are the only time I've paid over $13. 75% of my HD library has been $11 or less.

Cool, thanks for sharing. That's what I was sort of thinking about the reasons and the time frame on DVD's.

[The Chef]

Re: Black Friday 2008

Now I know I am in the minority so please, no one take this as an insult, but what is the obsession with DVD's/movies?

You watch them once, twice, and they sit there. Does it just boost your ego or something when people come over and you have a huge (tacky looking) collection sitting in your living room?

Again, I'm just curious because all of these "deals" just seem like a huge waste of money especially since DVD's etc. are (very) soon to be the new VHS (digital downloads etc.)

I dont understand how its tacky looking, does it look tacky if someone has a large video game collection? I buy movies because we watch a lot of movies, I despise going to the video store and havent done so in years unless I have a coupon for a free rental there. I consider myself somewhat of a collector but I watch 95% of everything Ive bought with the exception on some movies that I just havent gotten around to watching as of yet. Some people collect sports cards, stamps, coins, video games etc so I dont see how collecting movies is such a negative thing.