FSTDT Forums
Community => Society and History => Topic started by: Fpqxz on November 24, 2012, 08:46:43 pm
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From the Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324851704578133530559716180.html?mod=rss_Today%27s_Most_Popular):
Every Black Friday, retailers lure shoppers in the cold, predawn hours to wait in long lines with the promise of one-day-only deals that can't be beat. And every year, shoppers ask themselves, "Is this really worth it?"
The answer, it turns out, often is, "No."
An analysis by pricing research firm Decide Inc. and The Wall Street Journal of this year's most-touted Black Friday deals found that many of the bargains advertised as "doorbusters" were available at lower prices at other times of the year—sometimes even at the same retailer.
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Rob Docters, a senior member of McKinsey & Co.'s pricing practice, said retailers are likely counting on consumers to assume that this week's advertised sales are the year's best. "People associate Black Friday with good prices, and that eliminates the need to check price," he said.
The article lists a bunch of examples from Decide's research. Basically, big retailers are counting on consumers to be a bunch of mindless sheep who don't do their homework.
Never give a sucker an even break.
(To the mods: I wasn't really sure where to put this, so move it to another forum if you deem it appropriate.)
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Like I've said before: P. T. Barnum was right.
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Don't people say that every year? I remember a story like this last year, and the year before. It mentions do your research before shopping. Christmas Eve is still the biggest shopping of the year, so its silly anyways.
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Really?? Of course it's a scam. It's the dumbest shit ever thought up. Nothing says Happy Holidays like people beating the crap out of everyone else for some crap you don't really need.
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This is why I'll never understand some of the hardcore Black Friday shoppers. I guess they're that fucking stupid.
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Even if the prices are lower, I'd rather pay more some other day than to be in that mass of idiots.
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The aggregate IQ of the Black Friday shoppers is that of a Tootsie Roll. I love that it's devolving into Gray Thursday. Pathological greed accommodating pathological greed.
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Seeing as that weekend their are countless better deals if you know where to look online where you don't have to bite people.....yeah .
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This is admittedly more speculation than fact, but I think that since the beginning of the financial crisis/recession, Black Friday and its sales have become more important because
1) Retailers will do literally anything to squeeze more money out of consumers before the end of the fiscal year, in order to look good for investors and regulators.
and
2) Those same consumers who wait special deals such as Black Friday to buy things are probably buying on credit and/or have drawn down much of their savings, making them less able to "time" the market for the optimal time for big-ticket purchases. In other words, these people probably didn't have much money to spend earlier in the year, due to unemployment or some other factor, and now feel that they have to buy stuff for the holidays that they had previously put off getting.
But maybe I'm wrong. ???
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Black Friday: Because nothing says "Happy Holidays" like rushing out to buy crap you don't need only hours after giving thanks for everything you have.
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Black Friday: Because nothing says "Happy Holidays" like rushing out to buy crap you don't need only hours after giving thanks for everything you have.
This has been stated in many forms to the point of being trite.
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NSFW
Dead Babies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nTTy4RLcFA
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I do my Black Friday shopping online and I generally keep an eye on prices throughout the year so I know if I'm being ripped off or not.
And I've not experienced 'rabid Black Friday shopping' myself.
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I do my Black Friday shopping online and I generally keep an eye on prices throughout the year so I know if I'm being ripped off or not.
Same here. It is only a scam if you don't do your homework. I mean, I ended up landing an Assassin's Creed PS Vita bundle for 179.99, and Amazon threw in a game code for Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale for free. I can't think of many other deals for the PS Vita so far that are as good.
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This is exactly why I only shop at big box stores when I have to. I try to go to independent retailers as much as possible.