Monday, November 23, 2009

Black Friday? Seriously?


I don't like crowds. Ask Amy, I avoid dinners that involve more than 8 people. 15 people at my table in a restaurant and I want to crawl under it. The only crowds I ever want to get packed in involve loud, live music pouring out of huge speakers. I just don't get it. So I really, really don't get Black Friday.


Please someone help me understand how I'm going to head to Old Navy at 3 AM on Friday when I usually leave that same store frustrated without finding anything I like a couple of times during the year? Or Best Buy? Do I really need a huge flat screen TV? Maybe this is weird but we actually size our TV around the room and the furniture in it. We went without a TV at all downstairs for months and it was great. Anyway, Black Friday is a scam as far as I'm concerned and I'm apparently not the only person that believes it.


According to an article on CNN Money this morning, most of these deals are pretty impossible to come by based on some shady retail practices. There is fine print that says "minimum 3 per store." That means that they might only have 3 of the flat screen that you and 1000 of your closest friends are pressing your faces against the glass for at 3 am outside Sears. Also, they have some items called "derivatives" of popular products. So... maybe the TV doesn't have quite the resolution of the standard product, but they assure us "most consumers can't tell." I guess we're pretty dumb as far as they are concerned.


Do yourselves a favor and skip the whole ridiculous thing. Buy Nothing if you want. If you need to get out of the house, go for a bike ride or a walk to unload some of those pumpkin pie pounds. If you want to get a jump on the shopping list then visit an independent shop far far from the mall. We'll be having a little gathering at our shop involving some tasty cookies and cider. Come on down if you're in the 'hood and leave that stressful mall to the crazies.

3 comments:

  1. I'm very disappointed. I was ready to camp in front of your store Thursday night to be sure to be the first in line at 3am to get this beautiful bench for $29.99.
    So that's mean you are not even going to be open on Friday.
    Like I said, very disappointed.

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  2. Don't worry Alain, we'll be there but I will definitely be asleep at 3 am. While you're not getting that bench for 29.99 though, I'll offer you some cookies for consolation. If you do decide to camp out, I'll be sure to leave a sleeping bag out for you.
    -Charles

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  3. You might have to share the sidewalk with the homeless guy that usually sleeps there though.

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