BLACK FRIDAY - - AND SATURDAY - - AND SUNDAY - - NOT SO BLACK

[The Burgomaster]

My wife and I arrived at the Rockingham Mall in New Hampshire at 4:45 a.m. on Black Friday.  When we got there, the parking lot seemed to be pretty full.  However, I was able to get a parking space about 8 spaces from Macy's entrance.  When we got inside, it really wasn't busy at all.  Most of the sales clerks were hanging around talking to each other because they didn't have any customers to wait on.  We bought a toaster oven in Macy's and went straight to the cashier . . . no line, no waiting.  Most of the smaller stores in the mall had only 1 or 2 customers in them.  We were out of there by 7:15 a.m.

On Saturday, we went to Best Buy around 3:30 in the afternoon.  I parked in one of several available parking spaces.  The store was reasonably busy, but certainly not what you would expect on "Black Saturday."  Similar to my experience at Macy's the day before, I went straight to a cashier . . . no lines, no waiting.

Today (Sunday) I returned to Best Buy at 11:30 a.m. to exchange a defective blu-ray movie I bought yesterday.  I parked very close to the store, there were very few customers inside, and I went straight to customer service . . . no lines, no waiting.

So, I have shopped on 3 different days at 3 different times of day during "Black Weekend" and encoutered only moderate crowds and NO WAITING at cash registers.  So far, it doesn't look like brick-and-mortar retailers are having a big Christmas Season.  Maybe online sales are better.  If not, I think the economy will continue to decline in the coming months.  Not good.

[Flick James]

I wouldn't know. I've been in the house almost the entire weekend. I saw article stating that retailers were 6.6% up from last year, so they must be doing alright.

[The Burgomaster]

I wouldn't know. I've been in the house almost the entire weekend. I saw article stating that retailers were 6.6% up from last year, so they must be doing alright.

It must be online sales or maybe other areas of the country have been busier.  I went to the same mall at around the same time on Black Friday last year and it was significantly more crowded than this year.

[Jack]

On Black Friday around here it wasn't much busier than an average weekend really.  I think people are figuring out that if you're not standing in line for 8 hours before the store opens, there's not much point in showing up at all.  Get another 5% off on some crap that was already on clearance, that's about it.

[The Burgomaster]

On Black Friday around here it wasn't much busier than an average weekend really.  I think people are figuring out that if you're not standing in line for 8 hours before the store opens, there's not much point in showing up at all.  Get another 5% off on some crap that was already on clearance, that's about it.

I got a couple blu-ray movies at Best Buy yesterday for $6.99 and $7.99 and they were back up to at least $19.99 apiece when I went there again this morning!

[Mr. DS]

Cyber Monday tommorow......yippie.

[InformationGeek]

After finishing dinner with my family on Thanksgiving, I was driving home and passed by Best Buy.  The entire parking lot was filled to the brim with people and even some makeshift tents were in front of the building.  Quite crazy if I do say so myself.

I did go out on Black Friday, but about 7 in the morning.  By then, the crowds have cleared and I was able to get whatever I wanted or was looking for (which wasn't that much since I'm only after particular products).  Pretty good haul if I say so myself.  Saved at least 100 dollars.

[Allhallowsday]

I don't shop on any of those days, but it's less avoidance than merely consideration.  I don't have very much Christmas shopping to do, and pair back every year anyway.  Where's Darksider's cheapskate thread...???