Boot Camp Before the Blitz

[DealMonkey]

Slow news day? Really, this just seemed a relevant news item for this forum. Not sure why. Hmmm... Anyway, is there anyone I can hire to camp out in front of Circuit City for me? I pay $20/hr. All you have to do is buy me a 40" Sony Bravia LCD for $1100. LOL.

Boot Camp Before the Blitz
Retailers Ready Their Workers for 'Black Friday,' the Post-Thanksgiving Rush

By Ylan Q. Mui
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 22, 2006; Page D01

Madness reigned at the Best Buy at the Potomac Yard shopping center in Alexandria the other morning. And 27-year-old Shawn Tillery was caught in the middle of it.

One person grabbed an armload of CDs while another tried to stuff Nintendo's new Wii gaming console into his shopping cart. A poster was nearly knocked to the ground.

"My cart got stolen," a voice wailed.

"Traffic jam!" another person called out.

"I know y'all got some PS3s in the back," someone else yelled at Tillery accusingly.

Early Friday morning, stores will be opening their doors to determined hordes of bargain hunters. When the shoppers rush in, what's a poor salesperson to do?

Tillery just laughed out loud.

He could afford to, surrounded as he was by role-playing co-workers. Some played shoppers, others played beleaguered salespeople, all part of Best Buy's strategy to train front-line employees for the annual onslaught of shoppers who lay siege to its stores the day after Thanksgiving. Some of the employees were veterans, but others were seasonal, facing the holiday assault for the first time.

"Until you experience one," said Cindy Wojnar, a Best Buy training manager, "people never grasp what's about to occur."

Employee Pamela Murray, a 46-year-old Forrestville resident who was playing the role of a customer, said she hoped those zealous shoppers would keep one thing in mind:

"We're not here to fight," she said. "We're here to serve."

The day after Thanksgiving earned its moniker of Black Friday because it marked the day when retailers traditionally went from being in debt to making money -- going from the red to the black. The day has now become the symbolic kickoff to the holiday season, when retailers open their doors early and unleash blockbuster discounts. The National Retail Federation, a trade group, estimates more than 137 million people will go shopping between Friday and Sunday.

[...]

Linkage

 

[ayabe]

As a former BBY employee in my college days I can tell you that I feel for all retail workers at this time of the year, it's absolutely crazy. BF means basically a 16 hour day for these people, dealing with rowdy consumers the entire time.

Orgy of capitalism thy name is Black Friday.

 

[aka1nas]

Originally posted by: ayabe
As a former BBY employee in my college days I can tell you that I feel for all retail workers at this time of the year, it's absolutely crazy. BF means basically a 16 hour day for these people, dealing with rowdy consumers the entire time.

Orgy of capitalism thy name is Black Friday.

The three Black Fridays I worked at BB when I was in college were the three worst days of my life. shudder

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

I worked five BFs at a box store before I switched over to the Mom & Pop side of the business.

There aren't many things that are worse than the day after TG in the retail world for a front line worker. It's miserable, draining work. Shoppers are in full combat mode. Front line workers are shell shocked. Everyone is miserable.

God willing this is my last Black Friday in retail. Next year I can sit at home and give thanks for my good fortune.

 

[aka1nas]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
I worked five BFs at a box store before I switched over to the Mom & Pop side of the business.

There aren't many things that are worse than the day after TG in the retail world for a front line worker. It's miserable, draining work. Shoppers are in full combat mode. Front line workers are shell shocked. Everyone is miserable.

God willing this is my last Black Friday in retail. Next year I can sit at home and give thanks for my good fortune.

I make it a point now to never wake up before 11am on a Black Friday.

 

[conjur]

I did a BF 3 years ago.

I hit Circuit City, Target, Toys 'R Us, Kay-Bee toys, took all the booty to my Dad's 15 miles away, went back to CC to get a TV and was home before 11am. It was....exhilarating but not about to repeated any time soon.

 

[DealMonkey]

Originally posted by: conjur
I did a BF 3 years ago.

I hit Circuit City, Target, Toys 'R Us, Kay-Bee toys, took all the booty to my Dad's 15 miles away, went back to CC to get a TV and was home before 11am. It was....exhilarating but not about to repeated any time soon.

I hear ya. It goes without saying that I'm a big fan of hot deals, but even I won't venture anywhere near a big box store on BF. Noooooo wayyyyy. Not worth it.

 

[Starbuck1975]

:roll:Holiday spirit my left foot. I witnessed it first hand today, and it wasn't even Black Friday yet.

I was at a local Target in the electonics section, and it seemed like they brought in some extra hands to help stock shelves and mark sale items in preparation for Friday...well one poor stockboy made the mistake of opening a box with some PS3s in it...a teenager, who was playing on a demo Wii at the time, saw the PS3s and yelled to his friend in the next aisle.

Of course, people heard PS3, and a stampede quickly followed. Within seconds, about 20 people were at the counter literally demanding to purchase these PS3s.

The store only received six units...SIX UNITS!!! Some people gave up and walked away...others started an argument that lasted for quite some time, which got quite heated, as the attending manager tried to find an equitable way to determine who got there first...security was called, kids were calling their parents to complain of being treated "unfairly" and the drama unfolded. Security guards actually escorted the lucky six who purchased the units to their cars.

Watching this whole scene unfold made me quite sad...is this what our society has become? I guarantee half of those units are already on eBay.