Black Friday Debriefing Thread 2010

[AyreBiskits]

good luck guys!!! hope you don't have to deal with too many SC and EW. i worked retail a few years ago, christmas season at a toy store in a major metro city - was NOT fun.

i don't even go to the sales on black friday now. just being a shopper and having to compete with 500 insane people waiting outside the store for the chance to buy 1 of the 5 ultra-hot GOTTAHAVEIT toys/electronics is frakking ridiculous. and having to wake up so freaking early? no way!!! i'll just catch a sale online.

[angelicafire]

I would like to apologize now for the folks I had to visit today. The Pharmacy at CVS, where I grovelled and apologized for filling the prescription my boyfriend got from the ER late last night, and also at the Mart of Walls for having to go buy sandwiches, since I missed dinner because of the aforementioned hospital visit.

[ravevolution]

Today for the first time in history the company I work for was open on Thanksgiving from 7am till noon, luckily for me the autocenter (my department) was closed

However I will be in for 'black' Friday We have a special from open to noon for when ya buy 4 select name brand name tires (Michelin,Goodyear,Bridgestone BFG) You get a $70 dollar gift card (but the gift card cannot be used towards the purchase)

I and another CW are not working till noon and working the closing shift so partially a suck cause we will be missing out on the sales in the morning

But I do however foresee a few sucks tomorrow, from people demanding the gift card way after the cutoff to people trying to use the gift card on the purchase and the typical suckyness of customers we see coming to the autocenter.

Oh well I had 3 days off to relax and prepare and 5 days later will be on vacation for 2 weeks (to the pissed off attitude of my manager, but I let him know 4 months before) oh well

I would like to apologize now for the folks I had to visit today. The Pharmacy at CVS, where I grovelled and apologized for filling the prescription my boyfriend got from the ER late last night, and also at the Mart of Walls for having to go buy sandwiches, since I missed dinner because of the aforementioned hospital visit.

Don't feel you should be apologizing for that, stuff happens. I can only assume you were nice and polite to the people who were helping you during this ordeal. I'm sure you were the few 'polite' people they had to help today

[raw456]

Good Luck to you all! Hoping you pass the day quickly and with minimal suckage.

Here is OZ the closest we come to "Black Friday" is the Boxing Day sales. Nothing shows the spirit of the season of good will like self-entitled whores pushing and fighting each other for goods they dont even need but "must have" simply because it's 70% off.

I have never had the pleasure of working front line retail over this period and extend my sympathies to those that do.

[KaeZoo]

As of 2am Wednesday night, when I left work, we had five tents set up in the line outside the front doors. (There was already one in place when I came in at 6pm Wednesday).

I guess some folks have a new Thanksgiving tradition: camping on cold concrete for two nights and a day, to be among the first in line on Black Friday.

[ExArtShopSlave]

Hey all!

This is my first post! In Canada, we don't have Black Friday, but we do have Boxing Day! Its pretty insane, but from what I hear it isn't as crazy as Black Friday. I no longer work in retail, but from my past experiences working Boxing Day, I send out well wishes to all that are working on Black Friday!

[Sapphire Silk]

In the UK we don't have a 'black friday' type event - however anyone who is working it in the US has my sympathies, by the sounds of it it's to be avoided more than ebola.

I usually avoid it like the Plague, if I can.

I won't be hitting the mall tomorrow, but I will have to deal with the traffic . . . I'm up here in Maryland spending Thanksgiving with my Mom. I always take her grocery shopping before I head back to North Carolina (gives my brother a break). <sigh>

I'm really wishing I could go to Best Buy tomorrow. Mom's computer is on its last legs, and she finally agrees its time to replace it! But there's no way in h*** I'm going into Best Buy on Black Friday, so it will have to wait.

Best wishes to those of you who have to deal with Black Friday Suckiness.

E nominae Gravekeeper, et Khiras et Spiritu Jester . . . .

[Victory Sabre]

I work all day tomorrow, but our restaurant /gas station is nowhere near the shopping centers in town, so it will be a typical Friday.

Been at work today. Working 9a-7(or 8)p today. Can't wait to get done with work.

I truly feel for those who have to deal with the Black Friday suckitude. The only silver lining is that many of you will ruin a SC's Christmas.

Good luck all tomorrow.

[Hermione]

Ah yes Black Friday, wherein I will hear "I got a new tv and it's a snowy screen" about 20 or so times.

[ShootMePlease]

I'll be working from 2am-12pm at the big yellow box. If I encounter any SC's I will be sure to share with the group

[JustaCashier]

Just a few minutes ago, I lol'ed at a report on the local TV news, that sales were disappointing at one of our area's (where ravevolution works) stores.

Promptly after that, I clarified (again outloud, and I'm here alone) that I was not laughing at the employees that got stuck working today, but at the corporate bean counters for the low sales.

Mike

[Jay 2K Winger]

Working at the wholesale club, manning the front door as FDLP from open (7am) to 3:15pm.

Fortunately, BL, our regular FDLP during the week, comes in at 8:45am until 4:45pm, so there'll be two of us on the door. And then Hoss comes in behind him at 2:30pm, and will be there until close.

As I'll be the one opening the doors, I may need to have a blunt instrument or something to beat any potential mobs back with.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I go in to work in about two hours. I'm in housewares this year, along with the housewares specialist, who you may remember being generally useless and always getting other people to do her work.

Last year, instead of running to the back to get merchandise herself, she just wrote down skus and quantities and had the guy working with her run to the back. So I probably get to be her bitch this year. Fuck.

Friday night we may or may not be unloading a truck. Normally we don't take trucks the night of Black Friday, but this year we are. If it happens to have a lot of ad product for Sunday's ad we'll have to unload it that night, instead of cleaning up and re-merchandising for Saturday.

I'm crossing my fingers that doesn't happen, but given everything else that's happened this year I have a feeling we're going to jailsexed hard this weekend.

[MoonCat]

Good luck to everyone who has to work tomorrow! Our weather is going to suck here on Friday so I'm hoping the crowds won't be too bad at my sister's store. She has asked that we have hot coffee and cold wine ready for when she gets home, so she can choose based on how bad the day is.

[Amusement Gal]

At Eye of the Bull, I'm a lackey on the floor. I have the dreadful feeling I'll be in the Toy section. The only shining light is that I don't come in at the ass-crack of dawn, and arrive at a more favorable, less crazy time. No doubt I'll still get the naysayers who think there's extra stuff in the back.