Gothamist: Stores Hope for Big Black Friday Sales

JenChungsBra

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:44:43 -0500

Regarding HDTVs, the only Friday sale I saw that was really worthwhile seemed to be at P.C. Richards. Every other one is advertising prices that you can always get on sites like Newegg.com and Abes of Maine. And on those sites you're not paying for tax or delivery and you don't have to haul home a big heavy box. Abes of Maine will also throw in a free wall mount, so why go to a store?

SourApple

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:46:53 -0500

Trains were strangely empty this morning. I was expecting at least some crowds, but nope. So I was surprised to see the huge line of people outside of J&R this morning down near City Hall. Found pic here: http://flickr.com/photos/rnyk/3065215791/

ab_bklyn

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:34:04 -0500

Coming home from Thanksgiving dinner last night in a taxi at 11PM, we saw about 30 people camping out in front of the Best Buy just north of Houston. Really? For an $899 TV? Idiots.

babyhitler

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:00:02 -0500

it's funny, but all the stuff you can get at bestbuy you can get at amazon this morning with free shipping. It took me 15 minutes of non-hassle free shopping. LOL at all the suckers who are waiting on line at BB for scraps.

JacqueMehoff

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:54:12 -0500

I know a guy who owns a Mercedes Benz dealership. He tells me people do buy them for Christmas gifts. so those car ads do work, if you're ultra rich.

Mr Mel

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:18:21 -0500

Yesterday Afternoon, I drove past a Best Buy in Rockville,Md, there were at least a dozen people camped out in front of the store. What an awful way to spend Thanksgiving.

rumaeCollective

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:50:17 -0500

for how long can you even live in this city if you don't have a job? heck, i can barely afford to live here and i have a (to my eyes) stable job. maybe if there's a spouse/partner making some money. Well I think you basically they milk the unemployment insurance if they can, then either move in with other people until back on their feet, or leave the city for new opportunities. I would think a majority of people in this city live month to month with no savings to coast months with no work.

babyhitler

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:43:38 -0500

thank the lord I ain't christian. the best part of being a heathen is that I don't need to send christmas cards

r1b2

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 07:51:59 -0500

And I want one of them big TVs, like 300 or 400 inches of plasma. Yeah, that's the stuff.

r1b2

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 07:51:21 -0500

This country has been way too focused on consumption for too long. I have a great job but my apetite for spending has really waned. It's frustrating, because my kids want reasonable stuff for the holidays, and they're really good kids, but there's so much uncertainty creating stress and apprehension. It does us good to spend less time and money shopping for the sake of shopping, shopping because our collective low self esteem needs to see us walking with shopping bags to feel good about ourselves. Well, it does us good unless we work in retail. If that's you, sorry.

chris lee

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 06:12:56 -0500

Our banking system as we know it is unsustainable at it's current level. There is a glut of consumer goods and services. There are way TOO many restaurants and retail outlets in Manhattan alone. The idea of people paying more than half their monthly wages for rent is an obscene commonplace, and the level of indebtedness and taxation is grotesque.

longacre

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 02:30:29 -0500

It doesn't look good for retailers. Not only are people hoarding cash or just not spending it, banks are cutting everyone's credit limits out of fear cardholders will lose their jobs, even if they have great credit. I would expect to see a frightening number of stores go under in January...the banks are just keeping them open for the holidays to wring as much cash as possible out of them.

roxxan23

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 00:48:32 -0500

the circuit city around the block has a line of about 50 people currently and the kb toys has about 100! people are crazy!!

aveB4life

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 23:51:11 -0500

i like the ginger chicks

supernova

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 22:37:57 -0500

r1b2

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 21:34:43 -0500

These sales are only meaningful if you've still got a job.

cucarachita

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 21:28:18 -0500

Yeah, because at $899 the flat screen TV is so much more affordable! Not.