Americans Desperate For Deals Camp Out For Black Friday Sales

Shoppers in tents outside a Florida Best Buy—yes, they are actually Occupying Best Buy (AP)

While tomorrow is "Black Friday," the official start of the Christmas shopping season, many retailers have been opening their doors today, on the Thanksgiving federal holiday, to give Americans a chance to spend their money without going to the 5 a.m. doorbusters and not killing workers in a stampede. And, retail experts say, it's the 99% who are the Black Friday fiends.

The NY Times has a big article about Black Friday this year with a retail consultant explaining, "Those in a more modest income situation are the people who are going to the Wal-Marts and the Best Buys and the Targets at 8, 9, 10, 11 p.m. with little kids in tow because they can’t afford a baby sitter. It’s a very unpleasant shopping experience, frankly, for a lot of people... The women who are shopping the fourth floor at Saks are not Black Friday shopper." Oh and:

Still, a deal is a deal. High-end consumers and the people racing for the Black Friday special on $9.44 blenders at Wal-Mart continue to have at least one thing in common: they know hot holiday products go quickly.

For that reason, lines outside some Best Buy stores began forming Wednesday morning (the chain will sell a limited number of $500 high-definition televisions for $200 starting at midnight Thursday). And Neiman Marcus sold out of pewter-color Ferraris (luggage set matching the interior included) at $395,000 each within 50 minutes of making 10 of them available through its “fantasy” holiday catalog late last month.

Occupy Wall Street is encouraging people to Buy Nothing tomorrow, "On Nov 25/26th we escape the mayhem and unease of the biggest shopping day in North America and put the breaks on rabid consumerism for 24 hours. Flash mobs, consumer fasts, mall sit-ins, community events, credit card-ups, whirly-marts and jams, jams, jams! We don’t camp on the sidewalk for a reduced price tag on a flat screen TV or psycho-killer video game. Instead, we occupy the very paradigm that is fueling our eco, social and political decline."

Occupy groups in Seattle are protesting Wal-Marts while Occupy Des Moines is planning to send "zombies" into malls.

For those of you shopping today and tomorrow, here's a roundup of tips from Consumer Reports, plus some tips on what not to buy.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on November 24, 2011 5:32 PM

Comments [rss]

pendejito

Look at all those BUMS! Maybe if they were out there looking for jobs they wouldn't be complaining and having to camp out for those cheap deals. My whole family has always worked hard for what we have! I've had to work two jobs to pay for my education!

While all those bums are out there camping and using our tax dollars for increased police presence in the mall lines, I am typing this from work!

Fofofofofo

They are creating jobs for the police. Glass half full, son!

Bernie_Geotz_Squirrel_Luv

I don't remember the last time I bought a major purchase. I get stuff that's handed down from family or stuff people throw away. People throw away perfectly good items.

Aconservativeteacher Atgmail

So... there is a great opportunity today for workers and the poor to save money by getting bargains... and the Occupy Wall Street movement is against it? At what point do the OWS people realize that everything they are suggesting to help out the poor and working man is in fact hurting them?

pendejito

Why arent YOU complaining that these people should be at work instead of camping out?!?!?

I mean, Friday, IS a work day isn't it?

SFNY

The point of a sale is to drive more foot traffic into the store, not to benefit the consumer. Drive more foot traffic and the likelihood of spending on non-sales items dramatically increase.

Loss leaders lure in customers looking for a deal, and limited item availability ensures only a one or two will get that $200 TV. A sale mentality creates pressure to purchase that lowers judgement/restraint and drives consumers to overextend their budgets. The thrill of getting a deal actually makes the brain release endorphins, so shoppers keep doing it, which benefits the retailer and the credit card company.

cr17

"opportunity today for workers and the poor to save money by getting bargains" - Bargains on stuff on they need? Or just crap they think they need? The things we tend to need are food, shelter, and weather-appropriate clothing, and I'm having a hard time figuring out an how a laptop that's $100 off or big screen HDTV fits into one of those categories. And if one happens to *need* clothing, you'd do a lot better to wait until Xmas, or even after, for deals on that.

pavvv

"black friday, A holy day of obligation in the Church of the Almighty Dollar"

Pisces Virgo Rising

This Macy's holiday commercial parody pretty much sums it up: http://youtu.be/GYhWqKng39s

antimisogynycrusader

Hilarious - who else had to watch it more than once?

"Tim Osman"

Consumerism is a psychological disorder

luke_1

This just in: increasing income inequality means more schmucks at Walmart AND more filthy rich people buying luxury goods. Only neoliberal publications like NY Times are surprised. Neo-cons just hoping no one notices.