I look forward to Black Friday all year. It’s the day that all my favorite tech-toys go on sale.
Last year my son and I were in the Best Buy line at 8:00 PM Thursday night. This year I had planned on being there at 6:00 PM. Jason figured it out. If you know what number that you are it’s hard for people to sneak in line in front of you.
I ended up not camping out this year after I heard about the number of campers that started camping in line on Wednesday. I figured that they were all after the same Sony $500 laptop that I was. We had Thanksgiving dinner in Fargo and at 6:00 on the way home I was surprised that there weren't that many people in line as I expected.... in fact the line was still just to the corner of the building. I told Dave that had I known that, I would have followed thru with my original plan and planted myself out there at 6:00. (I had already twisted my daughter, Jen's arm to do it with me.)
Anyway, I got online....... To my surprise most of Best Buy's ad was already available online! The laptop and camera that I wanted were not...... BUT after googling the laptop, I found it on CompUSA's site. (they are one of BB's competitors) They were running the same sale as BB. Same laptop except in "Granite" instead of white.... same 3-in-1 printer.... just no mouse...and it cost $50 more....but it was available! Had I been in line, it still wasn't a sure thing. So I ordered it. I emailed my friend, Kathi, about the "find". Kathi went online to look at it and it was sold out already. I felt very blessed!
Then Black Friday morning about 8:45, Kathi called me while I happened to be in BB. She knew about a 16yr old kid that was in line since noon on Wednesday. He Had gotten a ticket for the $500 laptop. This 16yr old stayed in line for two days, got the ticket and then went home because he was literally sick from being outside that long. Then HE LOST THE TICKET!
The kid had called BB and they told him... ”Sorry, no ticket, no sale.” The kid was no longer interested in the laptop. (He was planning on just passing it on anyway.) Kathi had called me to tell me that laptop would be returned to the shelf at 9:00. Kathi told me to snatch it up if I wanted it. (It was 15 min. to 9:00) So in the end.... I could have had that laptop anyway! Wow. I didn't want to go to the hassle of returning the other one, etc. Granted, I did kind of prefer a white laptop instead of Granite...... Oh well.
Anyway the story isn't over. (I hope you weren't in the middle of anything) The camera that I wanted.... I should say "we" wanted...... this was Dave's idea and I ran with it.... It was an EOS Cannon D-SLR Rebel XT bundle...... two lens, a case, UV filter and extra battery .. (a savings of $249) They were only promising 8 per store so I knew that you had to be in line to get a ticket. I stayed up all night trying to get one online. They kept saying "Sold Out" but I hoped that
when the ad went online so would the camera. All the stores went online with their ads at different times..... and I was able to purchase all the items that I had planned.....except the camera. It never became available.
Friday morning, Dave told me that when I got to Fargo that I should just stop in BB and see if there might still be one. He said "stranger things have happened” so I chuckled and said "I suppose so. Why not." So I stopped by Best Buy. The camera was not on display, which didn't surprise me but then...... I saw a woman holding THE CAMERA. The lady was complaining that the camera doesn't take videos so she wasn't sure that she wanted it. I kept thinking..... Put the camera down .... Lady, you don't want it .....walk away.... then if she chooses not to take it, I'll snatch it up! So while this lady is discussing things with the sales guy, I commented to her husband "How long did you have to wait in line for this camera?" He answered that they didn't! The cameras were not on display, but if you asked for one, they’ll give you one from under the counter! I asked the sales guy right away if this was true. He said yes. HE GAVE ME THE LAST CAMERA! He told me that they ended up getting more cameras than they expected.
Wow! I got everything on my wish list! (And didn't have to sleep outside in the cold!)
