After the church Thanksgiving dinner, exbf dropped me off at my house. I went to bathroom and sat a minute, then decided I needed Cream Cheese. I headed to WM. They were setting up for Black Friday. I got and paid for the cream cheese.
I wandered for an hour, watching people put up displays as I tried to move on and get out of their way. Finally, an employee told me there was a flyer at the front of the store with all the deals listed and it had been there for a few days. Well, that just shows you how uninterested I am in all this hullaballoo.
After I looked over the ad, I went around and looked at some of the items. Before that, I had looked at the small electronics and found interesting items. That proved useful as frantic people were looking for the Google version of Alexis. I gave lots of directions...lol.
As it was nearing 4 pm, I saw a printer and was talking to a teen waiting by it. She said there was a $19 printer down a few feet. She asked me to get one for her, too, in case she did not make it down to the one I wanted. So, from about 4:10 until 6 pm, I sat in the electric cart in front of the stack of printers, waiting, waiting, waiting. I needed to go to the bathroom as I had drunk a bottle of water and a Coke. I was to the desperate point where I get chills on my arms and face because I have to go so badly.
I really wanted this printer!
Near 3 pm a woman who was a WM driver started talking as we both looked at things. We would cross paths often. She saw me stalking the printers and came at the right time to make sure I got one since I was in the electric cart and was saying I hoped no one walked on me and it got one. Well, until about 6 pm, not a soul was interested except me. Okay, this was on an end of a display out in the aisle, so I could only see my side and the end, not the other side.
She rushed back and helped me along with another woman to get my printer and the one for the teen. The whole place let out a uniform roar as the getting ensued. The WM driver was going to go with me to bathroom and guard my printer while I went to family bathroom. She thought I was going to leave it outside. However, I had already decided to drive the cart in the bathroom or haul in the printer. She waited with my purse and printer.
Instead of trying to get into the regular register lines or the temporary lines, I headed to electronics, the nearest cash register, and found one person ahead of me. At 6:11, my job was done. The whole store was in chaos with people not able to move at all for the crush of grocery buggies and people. I must say, all the little children were at home or contained in the buggies.
The only way I got out whole was my plan that worked perfectly. I drove along the walls of WM. I never met anyone that caused me to cut the power to wait or slow down. NO ONE was at the wall aisles. I got out of there easily and looked at the sea of people and carts. The only place that slowed me was getting into the area to enter and exit the store. No one was entering.
So, that was my first Black Friday sale. I could never have made it by standing at the door and trying to endure the mad dash. Everyone, mostly, was stationed by what they wanted. Couples and friends were dividing up and getting items both wanted. The printers were stacked over 6 feet high in about 6 stacks. Before I could leave with my two, they were waist high all around.
I left with a printer (HP) and the cream cheese that had been in my cart for over five hours. I have not opened it, but I hope it is good still.
Well, this is out of order, but.... The woman trucker was determined to protect me and my stuff. When the teen came to me and got the printer, thanking me, the woman yelled at her and tried to take it back before I could intervene and say I was getting one for her.
Still, I have never camped out for a Black Friday Sale anywhere. I don't see one in my future.
Did you shop in a store on Friday or Saturday for BFS?
We don't have thanksgiving here so we have never had black friday but this year we seemed to import the b lack friday without the thanksgiving. My daughters bought clothing in black friday sales.
ReplyDeleteI avoid all those kinds of things, i can't stand crowds and i don't have need of much.
Your sales shopping went well, I'm pleased for you. I am seriously impressed with your wait for the bathroom!
kylie,
DeleteI had on black pants and was sitting on black vinyl seat...lol. I kept kidding about someone bringing me adult diapers. I felt almost ill when I finally got to drive to the bathroom. I hope to never have to wait to go so long. I had not gone since before I left the house at about 12:30 pm. This is not my normal shopping mode with lines for things. I think I should have gone for a TV since mine is broken. I thought it was just a glitch that the remote would fix. NOPE
I am glad your daughters got good deals. I did when I was young at after Christmas sales.
No, never waited Black Friday although when Cabbage Patch dolls were popular I did wait in the rain to get one at a Montgomery Ward (remember those stores). My sis and I went out later and no lines at all. We didn't see any great deals though. My shopping is pretty much done- cash, gift cards and some things for our Christmas Eve game we play so I can just bake and enjoy the music.
ReplyDeleteNAN,
DeleteI do remember the name but cannot remember ever going to one, but I probably did and forgot. I got someone to hold a CP for me, and I drove to get it. I am surprised they held it. I am not nearly as done as you.
I'm glad you got the new printer! Sounds like you survived it pretty well by being smart.
ReplyDeleteOne,
DeleteThanks. Next time, I will wear adult diapers...lol.
I have never shopped on Thanksgiving or Black Friday and don't plan to ever do that. But I am glad you got your printer. I love having a printer and it is such a good investment. Printing off the internet and copying important documents. You will love it if you have never had one. If you have had one, you know how handy they are.
ReplyDeletetana,
DeleteI didn't plan it either until I saw the printer deal. I got my fist printer in 1992. It was the kind that has wings on each side and the whole top slides back and forth. I paid $20 for it and then paid $50 to have it repaired. It took me two months to save to get it out of the shop. I loved it. I was so proud and the envy of all my fellow English majors at UAB. This is an HP. The dud I had was a Kodak.