Walmart's Black Friday Going About As Badly As You'd Expect

[7962]

Source: Huffington Post

The above video was taken at a Walmart in Johnson City, Tenn., according to Instagram user jcooper770. Such instances weren't limited to a single Walmart store, according to various Internet users:
Walmart spokesperson Brooke Buchanan told The Huffington Post such incidents don't accurately depict what she describes as a successful Black Friday for the retailer.

"We've got great feedback from customers and associates across the country," Buchanan told The Huffington Post. "A few tweets aren't representative of what's actually happening at 4,600 stores."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/28/walmart-fight-black-friday_n_4357939.html

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Headline is a bit misleading; this was from last night.
I actually dont blame WM here, you'll see these stories from all over today. Idiot "shoppers" are who is to blame.

[ashling]

1. Don't forget that

"Headline is a bit misleading; this was from last night. "

it was Walmart that chose to begin "Black Friday" on Thursday morning. They are misleading.

[rtassi]

2. We deserve what we get ...

[Jamaal510]

3. Wal-Mart is like a war-zone on BF;

people are literally fighting over junk they don't need like the new GTA game and tablets. That's why for the sake of my dignity, I never shop there on that day. Fuck that shit.

[Lucky Luciano]

4. Hoy shit. Everyone that goes shopping like that is a loser. nt

[RBInMaine]

5. I hope you only mean people who are being rude, pushy, etc. Most are GOOD people. Clarify yourself.

[heaven05]

6. This is extremely sad to me

all this over 'things' that will be, with the quality control over the manufacture of these items being virtually non-existant, non-working, broken and forgotten about sooner or later. What people think is important now is very sad indeed.

[grilled onions]

14. It's The MADterial World

People are mad they don't have it. Mad when they can't get it. Mad with themselves for buying another great bargain from the Chinese frontier. Yet next year they will start this insane process all over again....and get mad.

[George II]

7. Looks like some here are gloating about fights and rooting for them at Walmart?

Stuff like that happens at stores all over the country - there just are more Walmart stores so finding them at Walmart is more likely, and they symbolize the lunacy of shopping at this time of year.

It's not the store, and it's not even the people themselves - its the economic condition of so many people in this country!

Nothing about this?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2515454/Black-Friday-frenzy-shoppers-fight-Britains-best-discounted-deals.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Black Friday frenzy: Man arrested as shoppers across the UK fight it out for the best bargains with shelves cleared in just ONE MINUTE

- Male shopper arrested following a row at Asda store in Bristol this morning

- Trouble flared up when man, 35, was told he couldn't buy two 60-inch TVs

- Frenzied shoppers across the country clear shelves within minutes

- Televisions, DVD players, phones and tablets discounted by up to 70%

- 'They were like locusts. It was madness,' one witness said

- 'It was like a pack of savages looking for a bargain,' said another

[Swede Atlanta]

13. I'm not sure this is due to the current state of the economy...........

Our consumer culture is now invested in unbridled greed and instant gratification.

It permeates the very essence of our economy from big banks to energy giants to big box stores that force their workers to work on Thanksgiving, a holiday established to be thankful for what we already have. It was expected this would be a day away from work to be spent with family and/or friends to feast but also to be grateful. I am not singling out banks, energy companies and box stores but use them as examples of the greed and love of money.

I am not a Catholic but I agree with Pope Francis that unbridled capitalism is evil. Individuals see the behavior of companies and corporations and have now come to believe that greed is good. They have been told it is good by the GOP. They have been told that GOD = MONEY = GOD by the GOP. The GOP's god is money and greed.

So the behavior of consumers is driven by this greed-infected culture and fed by stores that create ludicrous "door busters" to get people to stand in line for days or weeks. I do not believe that most of those people sitting and sleeping in line for days or weeks actually need anything they eventually purchase. I don't believe the reason they are there is because it is the only way they could afford a meaningful present for a friend or a loved one.

I stopped exchanging gifts for the holiday season about 5 years ago. It was the best decision I ever made. I have absolutely no stress during the holidays except for dodging the traffic. I never go near any shopping center or strip mail, except as absolutely needed, from Thanksgiving to the 27th of December. I have no credit card hangover.

What I do instead is when I see something during the year that is "special" or just right for a friend or someone in my family, I purchase it and give it to them one on one. I don't spent a lot of money but rather than buying things just to be buying things because our consumer culture tells us we have to, I buy and give things that are much more appreciated.

[wickerwoman]

21. I agree.

It's not just, or I suspect even primarily, about poverty.

I was unemployed and poor for four years. During that time, I wasn't smashing down the doors at Walmart to spend $300 on the latest XBox instead of $600. I was schlepping 30 pounds of discount chicken parts home on the bus and looking forward to something besides beans.

Black Friday is all about hype and hysteria not about actual needs or even wants.

[7962]

23. Pre----cisely!!!! +a bunch

[Jesus Malverde]

8. Fighting over a toaster....

Capitalism defined.

[ctsnowman]

9. lol Love it.

[pangaia]

10. If it were a red toaster...humm....

[PrestonLocke]

11. We reap what we sow

these videos are disgusting to watch.

[DWinNJ]

12. HOW TO SAVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS

Why spend thousands of dollars flying to Spain and booking a hotel to see the running of the bulls.
Just visit your local Walmart

[polly7]

15. Whoa ...

I can't believe how many people were waiting outside in the third video at that link! It's amazing more don't get hurt.

edit: 'third' video.

[Retrograde]

16. I think Walmart secretly likes the publicity

It gets them on the news and usually doesn't cost them anything. I was watching a local news program last night that showed the "Senior Customer Management Specialist" or some such title explaining how there were extra police on hand - at taxpayer expense, of course - to prevent incidents. It apparently didn't work.

[world wide wally]

17. The truth of the matter is that when the money is all counted at the end of the year, there won't be

one dime's worth of difference for their bottom line whether people buy this shit today or two weeks from now.

[Lancero]

18. Honestly...

I want to work retail on Black Friday, just for the laughs.

I can't help but laugh at cases like this. People over reacting like this, just to save 50% on cheap chinese made crap. It's hilarious.

[OnlinePoker]

19. I like this idea

I'm glad I wasn't the only one to think about it and it could be something the occupy movement (whatever is left of it) could get behind.

http://www.change.org/petitions/occupy-black-friday-fill-the-stores-to-maximum-occupancy-and-dont-buy-anything-all-day

[awoke_in_2003]

20. How do people let themselves get like this?...

I cannot understand the need to fight the mobs to save a few extra bucks. My stepdaughter went to a Walmart yesterday, and people were getting arrested. "Remember that time when mom went to Walmart and got arrested?" One hell of a family memory there.

[TomCADem]

22. Its the stupid doorbuster sales. They are designed to cause a frenzy...

...the sale ends within a few hours and there is limited merchandise. It is a bait and switch, but of course, people get upset when the item that was advertised for sale runs out and there are no rain checks.

[bunnies]

24. and the 1% sits back, points and laughs.

Wonder why.

[4dsc]

25. Consumerism gone mad

no wonder there is no hope for a consumer based society in this world.