I remember clear as a bell my junior high P.E. teacher remarking to a student prone to braggadocio that he was a "Big tent, no show." That pretty much sums up my reaction to this year's Black Friday hype. Lots of talk, very little substance, per anything I was hoping to find.
Not that there aren't those 'incredible' sales at certain stores; for instance, if you're looking for a 42" class LCD TV, there are some really good deals for that particular size. For a couple of days I've been using Black Friday ad websites simply to satisfy my curiousity on how the current economic downturn/avalanche would affect after-Thanksgiving sales, in terms of product offerings. People are clearly clutching more tightly their monies; businesses are hurting, in some cases failing, and want to generate cash flow and inventory reduction (at least in my way of thinking).
I always tell people I'm an unusual male in that I don't watch sports and I love to shop...even if just window shopping and comparing items. I don't go bonkers on Black Fridays, but if there is something I decide is worth putting up with the hoardes of early shoppers, I'll carefully research the product and jump in the fray if it gets my two thumbs up. In short, and in general, this Black Friday's offerings are as dull as dishwater.
Of the most ho-hum store offerings is the on-their-way-out Circuit City. Understand I'm a big customer of theirs, get their constant barrage of sales emails, and I'm familiar with their prices the past couple of months...alas, I was disappointed to see what cards they were going to play today. Oh, the numbers may look good in how they're displayed, but I've seen no significant discounting beyond 'normal' worthy of such a legendary day, especially from a company soon to be closing its doors.
On the flip side, K-mart has some very interesting sales 'hooks'...they're offering a Sony Blu-Ray disc player for $179 instead of $300; Best Buy has it today for $199, and Circuit City has it for it's regular $299. I haven't been in a K-Mart in quite some time, but I will go in one today. Their bigger box competition, Wally World (WalMart), failed to impress me with their Friday offerings, either, though I'll go in to pick up a couple of smaller items that jump out - like $20 for a set of 500-thread count sheets.
Interesting it will be to see the bottom line after today. Many, many of us are paring down this holiday, and for good reason...hunkering down for a lean winter and then some...
(UPDATE: Just returned from a quick foray into the busy-ness of the day...electronics are hot (especially games/software, and the few listed TVs) - Wally World was a zoo, and actually too crowded to feel comfortable in...what sale items I was looking for were long gone by 5:30a. Went to K-Mart to stand in line 10 minutes before they opened, and what overwhelmed me most was the sheer number of cigarette smokers standing there, as well. I detest 'coffin nails' - sadly I watched a van park, as 3 young children climbed out with 2 adults, fully puffing away...and I mused how tragic it was those little ones had no choice but to inhale all that second-hand smoke trapped in the van. Unfathomable an adult could be so unthinking. I did go in and check on the Blu-ray DVD player, which I was told sold out on Thanksgiving day...hmmmm...the flyer I had did not mention it was on sale Thursday, just Friday at 6am, and so the marketing game goes. Did get a great deal on a Calphalon omelette pan at Belk's - normally I just can't pay the price for their sets, but you can watch carefully and pick up individual pieces for a great deal. The normally $70 pan/lid was just $20...and with that, I'm going to go crack some eggs and put some turkey bacon in the microwave!)
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This was an especially nice Thanksgiving as my brother and his wife brought Willie Boo and Ellie Sue down from Boston...couldn't resist the opportunity to post a few pics from the past couple of days. They're at that newly-ambling age where you can't let them out of your sight for a second lest they tumble or find things around the house best not in the hands of +15 month old chilluns!
Ellen catching on to silly Uncle Bob...
William practicing Rock Climbing 101...
Ellen giving a new meaning to 'pail-face'...
William the Actor making a curtain call....
Not that there aren't those 'incredible' sales at certain stores; for instance, if you're looking for a 42" class LCD TV, there are some really good deals for that particular size. For a couple of days I've been using Black Friday ad websites simply to satisfy my curiousity on how the current economic downturn/avalanche would affect after-Thanksgiving sales, in terms of product offerings. People are clearly clutching more tightly their monies; businesses are hurting, in some cases failing, and want to generate cash flow and inventory reduction (at least in my way of thinking).
I always tell people I'm an unusual male in that I don't watch sports and I love to shop...even if just window shopping and comparing items. I don't go bonkers on Black Fridays, but if there is something I decide is worth putting up with the hoardes of early shoppers, I'll carefully research the product and jump in the fray if it gets my two thumbs up. In short, and in general, this Black Friday's offerings are as dull as dishwater.
Of the most ho-hum store offerings is the on-their-way-out Circuit City. Understand I'm a big customer of theirs, get their constant barrage of sales emails, and I'm familiar with their prices the past couple of months...alas, I was disappointed to see what cards they were going to play today. Oh, the numbers may look good in how they're displayed, but I've seen no significant discounting beyond 'normal' worthy of such a legendary day, especially from a company soon to be closing its doors.
On the flip side, K-mart has some very interesting sales 'hooks'...they're offering a Sony Blu-Ray disc player for $179 instead of $300; Best Buy has it today for $199, and Circuit City has it for it's regular $299. I haven't been in a K-Mart in quite some time, but I will go in one today. Their bigger box competition, Wally World (WalMart), failed to impress me with their Friday offerings, either, though I'll go in to pick up a couple of smaller items that jump out - like $20 for a set of 500-thread count sheets.
Interesting it will be to see the bottom line after today. Many, many of us are paring down this holiday, and for good reason...hunkering down for a lean winter and then some...
(UPDATE: Just returned from a quick foray into the busy-ness of the day...electronics are hot (especially games/software, and the few listed TVs) - Wally World was a zoo, and actually too crowded to feel comfortable in...what sale items I was looking for were long gone by 5:30a. Went to K-Mart to stand in line 10 minutes before they opened, and what overwhelmed me most was the sheer number of cigarette smokers standing there, as well. I detest 'coffin nails' - sadly I watched a van park, as 3 young children climbed out with 2 adults, fully puffing away...and I mused how tragic it was those little ones had no choice but to inhale all that second-hand smoke trapped in the van. Unfathomable an adult could be so unthinking. I did go in and check on the Blu-ray DVD player, which I was told sold out on Thanksgiving day...hmmmm...the flyer I had did not mention it was on sale Thursday, just Friday at 6am, and so the marketing game goes. Did get a great deal on a Calphalon omelette pan at Belk's - normally I just can't pay the price for their sets, but you can watch carefully and pick up individual pieces for a great deal. The normally $70 pan/lid was just $20...and with that, I'm going to go crack some eggs and put some turkey bacon in the microwave!)
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This was an especially nice Thanksgiving as my brother and his wife brought Willie Boo and Ellie Sue down from Boston...couldn't resist the opportunity to post a few pics from the past couple of days. They're at that newly-ambling age where you can't let them out of your sight for a second lest they tumble or find things around the house best not in the hands of +15 month old chilluns!
Ellen catching on to silly Uncle Bob...
William practicing Rock Climbing 101...
Ellen giving a new meaning to 'pail-face'...
William the Actor making a curtain call....
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