Wal-Mart worker dies in Black Friday stampede

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by WinniBug

OK clearance items, I can see - yeah, costs more to keep them around than to get rid of them as cheaply as possible, but Wii's, iPods, other electronics...some of the doorbusters are current and in-demand. Why would they take a loss on items like these?

Because they only have a small number of them, and they know that once they sell out of those, people who waited in line and got up at the crack of dawn to get there will buy something else! These sales are just a ruse to get people into the stores...which is why they're all opening up even earlier this year. The frenzy they create is the ONLY way they're going to get people into the stores this year.

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Because they only have a small number of them, and they know that once they sell out of those, people who waited in line and got up at the crack of dawn to get there will buy something else! These sales are just a ruse to get people into the stores...which is why they're all opening up even earlier this year. The frenzy they create is the ONLY way they're going to get people into the stores this year.

I read on CNN that many early shoppers came in with lists, did not deviate from the lists, made their purchases, and left. We got to the mall at 5:15 (hubby needed new tires and sears auto had a great sale) and then did our shopping. I had coupons for the three stores I was going to, a list and price for each person on my list - immediate family only, and saved 62% off the bottom line price. That's the orinigal cost minus discounts minus my coupons. Our mall was pretty empty - people were leaving the parking lot as early as 5:20am.

This story breaks my heart, and further iterates my general sadness and distrust of the human conscience. I used to be an idealist; I still do hope for the best, and I continue to be disappointed by the horros I have seen, but I have lost a lot of faith in humanity.