Black Friday

[GatwickDepress]

I went out shopping on Friday (for groceries, I hasten to add) and didn't see anything untoward in Hastings town centre. Perhaps we're just not ready for those dangerous bargains here just yet.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I went out shopping on Friday (for groceries, I hasten to add) and didn't see anything untoward in Hastings town centre. Perhaps we're just not ready for those dangerous bargains here just yet.

Is Frinton-on-Sea still full of more discerning shoppers who most probably have accounts with Fortnum and Mason who would not tolerate such poor retail behaviour in the town?

 

[jon0844]

Waitrose has its own mini Black Friday struggles every day since it offered free coffee.

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[455driver]

Was yesterday called-

Why the f=== did I buy that crap, Saturday?

 

[jon0844]

Tomorrow is 'Can I return it Monday'

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[Xenophon PCDGS]

Be guided by the old adage...."If it looks too good to be true, it probably is"..:roll:

 

[Kite159]

How long before it gets renamed "Black Weekend" with the 'offers' available all weekend?

Although some people already treat the original UK Black Friday (last Friday before Christmas) like that [and try to work out how a table works on a Mk4 coach]

 

[Johnuk123]

How long before it gets renamed "Black Weekend" with the 'offers' available all weekend?

Quite a few sites are doing it all over the weekend.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It's a wonder that the first complaints about the word "black" being used have not been heard yet.

 

[Johnuk123]

It's a wonder that the first complaints about the word "black" being used have not been heard yet.

You need to get out more as it's been discussed and complained about at length for quite some time - just google it you'll see.

 

[Butts]

You need to get out more as it's been discussed and complained about at length for quite some time - just google it you'll see.

Surprise Surprise :roll:

Is White Christmas ok these days

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

You need to get out more as it's been discussed and complained about at length for quite some time - just google it you'll see.

The post-chaise from Macclesfield does not call in our rural area with news until Monday, so I may well be a week out of date....

Have any previous postings about the matter been made upon this thread?
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Surprise Surprise :roll:

Is White Christmas ok these days

How many Klan members in a gathering can you see in a blizzard?

 

[Springs Branch]

Tomorrow is 'Can I return it Monday'

I'd imagine today should be called "Moët Monday", because all around the western world, marketing executives and their highly-paid manipulation consultants will be sitting around the conference room table on the 27th floor at BigCorp Inc. HQ, high-fiving and cracking open the Krug at the success of their strategies to persuade all those mug punters to get into a frenzy and fight each other to buy the crap they wanted to sell.

 

[Morden Via CHX]

I've done my Proper Black Friday, I had a couple of pints of Doncaster Brewery's Stirling Single Coffee Porter:

Nice drink, railway link

I am at work and that looks lovely. I would love a pint of that right now.

 

[bnm]

I remember the chaos and human carnage of many a Black Friday in Bridgwater, Somerset.

This was the Friday nearest 5th November following the Bridgwater Carnival on the Thursday evening. Carnival participants were traditionally given (or took) the Friday off from work and went on an all day pub crawl around Bridgwater. Prior to changes in licensing laws in 1988 pubs in Bridgwater were permitted to open all day on Black Friday.

Things have changed now. Bridgwater Carnival moved, in 2001, first to the Friday nearest 5th November, and then, in 2012, to the Saturday nearest. Better for families with children (both as participants and spectators) and a recognition that it was getting harder for Carnival participants to take a weekday off work. Post Carnival celebrations are now a more muted affair on the Sunday after Bridgwater Carnival. Black Friday is no more.

 

[DelayRepay]

Although some people already treat the original UK Black Friday (last Friday before Christmas) like that [and try to work out how a table works on a Mk4 coach]

That was always "Mad Friday" in South Yorkshire.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I'd imagine today should be called "Moët Monday", because all around the western world, marketing executives and their highly-paid manipulation consultants will be sitting around the conference room table on the 27th floor at BigCorp Inc. HQ, high-fiving and cracking open the Krug at the success of their strategies to persuade all those mug punters to get into a frenzy and fight each other to buy the crap they wanted to sell.

They're not really bothered about the sales on the day, it's for the PR value of who is the cheapest place to get your Christmas crap. People fighting each other in Tesco because their deals are so brilliant is advertising that money can't buy.

I think most of the so-called riots were staged, tbh.

 

[Johnuk123]

I think most of the so-called riots were staged, tbh.

Staged by who ? - Tesco and Asda ?

 

[jon0844]

I don't think they were staged at all, but they were certainly expected (and hoped for).

It's dangerous though, as there have been at least nine deaths in the US and if the supermarkets want to keep doing this then sooner or later there will be a serious injury or death here.

Ikea discovered it was stupid to sell sofas for £40 when it opened its store in Tottenham and has never done anything like that since. But I have a feeling that the likes of Asda will not be put off and may just hire a few more security guards and have done with it.

Tesco might perhaps reconsider, in light of all the other negative press attention - and where all the publicity it is getting isn't doing it much good.

 

[WelshBluebird]

I don't think they were staged at all, but they were certainly expected (and hoped for).

It's dangerous though, as there have been at least nine deaths in the US and if the supermarkets want to keep doing this then sooner or later there will be a serious injury or death here.

Ikea discovered it was stupid to sell sofas for £40 when it opened its store in Tottenham and has never done anything like that since. But I have a feeling that the likes of Asda will not be put off and may just hire a few more security guards and have done with it.

Tesco might perhaps reconsider, in light of all the other negative press attention - and where all the publicity it is getting isn't doing it much good.

I don't think extreme special discounts like the black friday stuff (or the £40 sofa you mention) are specifically that bad. However they do need to be organised, controlled and well managed. You can't just let large numbers of people descend on a store, then open the doors to them and see what happens. Anyone with half a brain can see the result. From accounts I have read, some of the supermarket branches did actually have good organisation and crowd management so didn't experience the crazy scenes other less well organised stores did.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I don't think they were staged at all, but they were certainly expected (and hoped for).

They were definitely "encouraged". "TV deals worth fighting over!" is great PR whichever way you slice it. It didn't do Ikea any harm either.

 

[jon0844]

Enough harm that they've never done it again here or abroad. I doubt Tesco will risk fights breaking out again, but of course they'll still source cheap goods to sell at huge discounts (despite not being on sale before at any price).

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[455driver]

Surprise Surprise :roll:

Is White Christmas ok these days

Yes because only white people can be racist! :roll:
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Staged by who ? - Tesco and Asda ?

I hear that Al Ikea had a hand in some of them!
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Enough harm that they've never done it again here or abroad. I doubt Tesco will risk fights breaking out again, but of course they'll still source cheap goods to sell at huge discounts (despite not being on sale before at any price).

Not very good advertising is it-

Come to Tescos for your black pudding with a free black eye thrown in!

 

[Aldaniti]

I wonder how many of those Dolce Whatever coffee machines are now gathering dust in peoples sheds/cupboards? A terrific money-spinning idea by someone, put the coffee is a capsule that only fits a glorified kettle that you will sell at an apparent knock down price. Perhaps they were head-hunted by the bottled water or inkjet printer industry?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I wonder how many of those Dolce Whatever coffee machines are now gathering dust in peoples sheds/cupboards? A terrific money-spinning idea by someone, put the coffee is a capsule that only fits a glorified kettle that you will sell at an apparent knock down price. Perhaps they were head-hunted by the bottled water or inkjet printer industry?

Try Googling "Dolce Gusto" and you will find these products are still being actively marketed these days.

 

[carriageline]

Any time I have had one of them coffees, it's been 10x better than any instant coffee I have had.


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[Donny Dave]

I'd imagine today should be called "Moët Monday", because all around the western world, marketing executives and their highly-paid manipulation consultants will be sitting around the conference room table on the 27th floor at BigCorp Inc. HQ, high-fiving and cracking open the Krug at the success of their strategies to persuade all those mug punters to get into a frenzy and fight each other to buy the crap they wanted to sell.

Except they won't be ....

Black Friday sales disappoint.

US retailers reported sluggish Black Friday spending, with sales falling 11% from the same period last year, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).

US consumers spent on average $380.95 per person, down 6.4% from a year ago.

Overall, total holiday weekend sales were estimated to be $50.9bn.

The NRF attributed the decline to shifting consumer habits, such as earlier promotions and the growth of online shopping.

"A strengthening economy that changes consumers' reliance on deep discounts, a highly competitive environment, early promotions and the ability to shop 24/7 online all contributed to the shift witnessed this weekend," said NRF president and chief executive Matthew Shay in a statement.

Once more, retailers chose to open earlier on Thanksgiving Thursday in the hope of luring in more shoppers, with Wal-Mart, Target, Macy's and others offering special promotions for those first through the door.

However, those deals and earlier hours appear not to have convinced shoppers to spend, perhaps because they expect further deals as the holiday shopping period progresses.

The decline in sales surprised many, who had seen increasingly positive US economic data as well as lower gas prices as signs that the US holiday shopping season would be better than it has been in the past.

 

[amateur]

Cyber Monday today

 

[Aldaniti]

Any time I have had one of them coffees, it's been 10x better than any instant coffee I have had.


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But you don't need a coffee maker to make latte, cappuccino etc. etc. A bit like you don't need a piemaker to make a pie, or a soup maker to make soup....

 

[jon0844]

I love my Nespresso machine and, what's more, it's been used regularly since I got it. Expensive, sure, but so nice!

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