Do you line up outside stores that are having a sale?

Bretrick said:
I see this so often here in Perth.
Long line of people waiting for store to open.
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No, never. I just wait until there's not a line, or more likely shop online. :) That said, I *did* stand in line once... just once. My daughter was about 4, so late '80s... and she seriously wanted a Cabbage Patch doll. A local store was having a really good sale on them... unfortunately, there were about a bajillion other kids who wanted one, too.
 

CallMeKate said:
No, never. I just wait until there's not a line, or more likely shop online. :) That said, I *did* stand in line once... just once. My daughter was about 4, so late '80s... and she seriously wanted a Cabbage Patch doll. A local store was having a really good sale on them... unfortunately, there were about a bajillion other kids who wanted one, too.
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Were you able to purchase one or did they run out?
 
I'm not fond of being in crowds & it seems that the crazies come out for the real big sales, like after Thanksgiving.

When I was about 20, I had just gotten off work on the midnight shift & decided only ONCE to go to the once-a-year big downtown sale. The "old ladies" were lined up at the Rike's door & barged through as soon as the manager unlocked it at 8AM. Both the manager & me were shoved behind the door & that kept us from getting run over.

About 10 years ago, my neighbor & his adult daughter was first in line at an appliance store to get a new washer/dryer (wifes had just died) that was on sale for Black Friday. They arrived at 1 am & waited in line until the doors opened up. Some female was dropped off at the front door just as they were opened & shoved him aside & walked in. Several other people behind my neighbors started yelling at her, but she continued & grabbed the "special sale envelope" from the manager's hand for the first few people.

Once inside she started more problems to the point they called the police. My neighbor told me she was arrested for having a warrant & removed. The manager, after witnessing him shoved aside, got a better deal on a nicer washer/dryer. He said he was happy he got a great deal, but said he wouldn't ever do that again.
 
I have. Looks like I'm the only one but I have waited in line at stores usually around the holidays. I've had some interesting conversations with other people in line too. It's okay with me to wait and talk with others. I cop the good bargains. :)
 

Do you line up outside stores that are having a sale?​


I was a witness to it........once

Story time

Years ago, my bride and I would find ourselves waiting for stores to open at 4 am.
It couldnā€™t be helped.
The glisten in her eyes from anticipation of early morning adventures swayed me to wake in the dead of night on black Friday eve, tiptoe past slumbering chickens, and sit in the mall parking lot, staring at the line of crazed humanity already encircling the electronics store like it was Jericho.

One time she joined the horde, unsuccessfully coaxing me to follow.
There I sat, flashlight and crossword in hand, hair askew, bedbeard looking like I was in a crosswindā€¦..stomach chatting with me.
Two minutes to 4, I rubbed the fog off the side window.
The crazies were jostling for position.
I lost sight of the wife somewhere around the corner of the building.
I slap on my fishing cap and begrudgingly leave the refuge of the Buick.

The doors open.

The guy with the keys gets carried away with the mob. Only thing you can see of him is his flailing arms.
I stroll in with the first 50 shoppers that will get the TV special, getting a glimpse of the wife swimming past, heading to the TV deptā€¦.only the specials were all up front. The guy with the keys and foot prints on his shirt, points me the way.
Half hour later, here she comes, TV in cart.
I, TV in trunk, am on the 2nd crossword.
Weā€™re not doneā€¦thereā€™s a mere 27 other stores that have free snow globes, free coffee, and free donutsā€¦ā€¦.the frenzy has only begun.
So we secure her TVs, and make our way upstream, pointing to the trunk as we stroll back inside, making sure the parking lot thieves can know where at least two of the 50 TVs can still be had.
Two hours later, with globes clutched by jittering caffeine induced hands, the furrowed brows on my powdered sugar countenance lets the wife know Iā€™m a couple clicks past jollyā€¦and we go homeā€¦.blessed homeā€¦..

Now, shopping for people at the mall has been great entertainment for my lady and I.
We just sit on a bench, munching on popcorn, and watch mothers drag their screaming little darlings along.....and their husbands (but less screaming...some).

We once set by one of those quarter horses (put a quarter in the slot), and noted the parent's varied techniques in skirting quarter out-put;

1st dad: DON'T TOUCH IT!!! Tazing his precious antiseptic germ distribution unit with his Neosporin gun.

2nd dad: sets his kid on and fakes putting a coin in, then shakes the crap outta the machine, making periodic wheenying noises.....

3rd dad: points the opposite direction, noting wonderful toy stores around the corner, while briskly whisking his kid by the horsey.


Its great fun.
ā€¦and it's quite thrifty.
 
Gary O' said:

Do you line up outside stores that are having a sale?​


I was a witness to it........once

Story time

Years ago, my bride and I would find ourselves waiting for stores to open at 4 am.
It couldnā€™t be helped.
The glisten in her eyes from anticipation of early morning adventures swayed me to wake in the dead of night on black Friday eve, tiptoe past slumbering chickens, and sit in the mall parking lot, staring at the line of crazed humanity already encircling the electronics store like it was Jericho.

One time she joined the horde, unsuccessfully coaxing me to follow.
There I sat, flashlight and crossword in hand, hair askew, bedbeard looking like I was in a crosswindā€¦..stomach chatting with me.
Two minutes to 4, I rubbed the fog off the side window.
The crazies were jostling for position.
I lost sight of the wife somewhere around the corner of the building.
I slap on my fishing cap and begrudgingly leave the refuge of the Buick.

The doors open.

The guy with the keys gets carried away with the mob. Only thing you can see of him is his flailing arms.
I stroll in with the first 50 shoppers that will get the TV special, getting a glimpse of the wife swimming past, heading to the TV deptā€¦.only the specials were all up front. The guy with the keys and foot prints on his shirt, points me the way.
Half hour later, here she comes, TV in cart.
I, TV in trunk, am on the 2nd crossword.
Weā€™re not doneā€¦thereā€™s a mere 27 other stores that have free snow globes, free coffee, and free donutsā€¦ā€¦.the frenzy has only begun.
So we secure her TVs, and make our way upstream, pointing to the trunk as we stroll back inside, making sure the parking lot thieves can know where at least two of the 50 TVs can still be had.
Two hours later, with globes clutched by jittering caffeine induced hands, the furrowed brows on my powdered sugar countenance lets the wife know Iā€™m a couple clicks past jollyā€¦and we go homeā€¦.blessed homeā€¦..

Now, shopping for people at the mall has been great entertainment for my lady and I.
We just sit on a bench, munching on popcorn, and watch mothers drag their screaming little darlings along.....and their husbands (but less screaming...some).

We once set by one of those quarter horses (put a quarter in the slot), and noted the parent's varied techniques in skirting quarter out-put;

1st dad: DON'T TOUCH IT!!! Tazing his precious antiseptic germ distribution unit with his Neosporin gun.

2nd dad: sets his kid on and fakes putting a coin in, then shakes the crap outta the machine, making periodic wheenying noises.....

3rd dad: points the opposite direction, noting wonderful toy stores around the corner, while briskly whisking his kid by the horsey.


Its great fun.
ā€¦and it's quite thrifty.
Click to expand...
Loved your story! The descriptions were great and I had a few chuckles in the process. Thanks!
 
No. However when PAWS thrift store re-opened during the pandemic, they were only allowing 5 customers in at a time. The store is not real small, they could have accommodated more. I'd wait outside as others did. Or I preferred to get there early and wait at the door before they opened. They were only open 11-3 at that time due to decreased volunteers.
 
I discovered an interesting difference in shopping between my old home in Hampshire and my new one in Scotland. Back down south, and my daughter says the same thing happens in Manchester, whenever Lidl had special offers on frozen goose or tuna steaks, there was always a queue before the shop opened, and then it was a mad dash. I like goose, so I had no real alternative but to queue. One minute late and they were all gone.

Here, I have never queued for anything. Shops either have what I want, or they don't.
 
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Years ago, I worked at an Ames Discount Store. We had a big summer sale. There was a large crowd outside the store. The manager was able to unlock one door, and people broke open the other doors. Opposite the doors were the cash registers. I was supposed to be the 'bagger', so I was standing there. People were jumping over the cash registers. There were bodies everywhere. It was kind of scary. I remember thinking, at the time, "it's just a few cents off, it's not free stuff".
 
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