Black Friday Deals

[JulieB]

I got a wireless mouse at staples for $14.94. Sweet

[Bcahn836]

Originally Posted by Billfred

With 20/20 hindsight, this might just be the best idea.

I got to Staples at 4:30 AM for a 6:00 AM opening. The waiting outside wasn't bad, but waiting for an hour and a half in the checkout line was.

On the up side, I got my 512 MB flash drive ($10), HP digital camera ($80), 512 MB SD card for the camera ($15), and surge protector (fuh-reebie!). And I bumped into my AFJROTC instructor while getting breakfast. Woot.

I work at staples here in maryland. i got to work at like 520 and there was a line of atleast 80 people there for the opening at 6 am. it was a freaking zoo in there. . . we sold out of the flash and SD cards in 45 mins, good thing i got mine at 530 am this morning.

[Bill Moore]

Originally Posted by Wetzel

We also found one of the door buster desktop computers sitting in a random spot in the store. We ended up deciding not to take it, but I was surprised that Best Buy let a computer sit out in the middle of the store.
Wetzel

My one experience with Black Friday happened in 2001. Best Buy had none of their "door-buster" specials on the floor. You had to stand in line at the computer section and tell this punk behind the counter what you wanted. [NOTE: "Punk" opinion formed after the purchase, not prejudged.] Then he started adding items onto the basic list . . .
"A USB printer cable."
"I don't need that, I have one."
"But you need an A-B USB cable."
"I already have one."
"Does it have gold plated connectors. We cannot guarantee that this setup will work if you don't have the correct cables."
"Look, I don't need any additional cables, I just need the monitor, printer and computer. Can you just bring the boxes out and I can leave."
"I have to go through these forms and make sure you have everything you need to make this work. Is your USB cable gold plated."
"Yes, it's gold plated", I lied.
"Okay, you'll need a surge supressor to protect your warranty."
"I already have one."
"But it needs to be 1600 joules."
"It is", I once again lied.
"You see, if your surge supressor isn't 1600 joules, and something happens to this system, we cannot honor the warranty or any extended warranty."
"Look, once I walk out with this system, you will never see it again. If it needs any repair, I'll buy what I need and install it myself."
"You really shouldn't do that, you will void your warranty, and you should have an expert work on any repairs you need."
"It's a stinkin' PC!!! People are building them everyday from components!!"
"Then why don't you build your own?"
"Because I want this system, and I don't want to buy additional items I don't need."
"But you do need these items on this list."
Yada . . . yada . . . yada . . .
I finally just shut up and let him add everything to the cart, cables, supressor, CD's, NAV, etc. I did refuse the bloated extended warranty (another 5 minute lecture on how wrong that decision was).

Once everything was loaded in the cart, I took everything except the monitor, printer and computer out and stacked it all in a blank spot on the shelf.

First and last time dealing with the Black Friday phenomenon. It would be troublesome enough dealing with the crowds, but when you have stores and clerks trying to force unnecessary purchases onto customers it becomes maddening. I will never do the Black Friday dance again.

It's definitely much more relaxing to stay home and have a slice of leftover pumpkin pie for breakfast.

Hope all who went out today had much easier experience than I had, and that you actually got the items you were trying to purchase.

--Bill

[KenWittlief]

OK, I have officially been dragged into the 21st century (screaming and kicking the whole way).

Im posting this with my new Compaq notebook. Went on sale today at Circuit City: AMD sempron, 512MB ram, 60GB HD, wireless, DVD player w/CD writer, 1024 15" display, lithium Ion battery: $649 (NO rebates - instant savings, what we use to call "on sale!")

Ive been an electrical / HW / SW engineer for 21 years, and this is the first notebook PC Ive bought new (had a 133pentium thinkpad I got on ebay cheap for a while, not real usefull).

Ive always thought of laptops as being flimsy, expensive and somewhat of a show-off toy, but last month the sale of laptops exceeded the sale of desktop computers for the first time in history, so I guess its about time I got with the program :^)