Black Friday 'Doorbusters' Don't Always Hold Up

[Onkel Neal]

Man, people really are nuts! Camping out to buy a TV?

Every Black Friday, retailers lure shoppers in the cold, predawn hours to wait in long lines with the promise of one-day-only deals that can't be beat. And every year, shoppers ask themselves, "Is this really worth it?"

The answer, it turns out, often is, "No."

An analysis by pricing research firm Decide Inc. and The Wall Street Journal of this year's most-touted Black Friday deals found that many of the bargains advertised as "doorbusters" were available at lower prices at other times of the year, sometimes even at the same retailer.

Sears, for example, is advertising a KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer for $319.99 this Black Friday. Decide found that the retailer offered the same mixer for $296 in March.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324851704578133530559716180.html

[danlisa]

I have noticed quite a few instances of "Price increases" just before a sale price, myself.

Most shoppers are drawn by a % discount thinking they're getting a better cash sale but in the end 75% Off is only as good as the starting price.

Would be nice if (online at least) retailers offered a historical price tracker, but then they wouldn't make as much money.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Would be nice if (online at least) retailers offered a historical price tracker, but then they wouldn't make as much money.

For the last couple of days I've been following SSD prices on Ebuyer ready for today, payday. Wednesday, 128 Gb £48, Thursday £57, today advertised at £64 - cleared my cookies and went via topcashback (woohoo 1.51%) I got it for £53. :o They know what you look at and push the price up.

I've a nice little add-on for FF/Amazon called Camelizer, it doesn't work for all products but still for quite a lot. It tracks the price of new from Amazon, new 3rd party, and used 3rd party. For instance, this morning I bought (via Subsim :D ) a pci to sata card, cost £5.85. I thought that was a real bargain when I'd seen many others starting at three times that price, then I discovered that it was only £2 last December, but £7.49 only a month or so ago.

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/3561/camelizercut.jpg

Grey line is just where I cut out a few months of no change in price.

If any UK-ers out there want to get cash back please use my referal http://www.topcashback.co.uk/ref/herrb to earn me some extra pennies. :D

[Jimbuna]

I use that site on occasion :yep:

[Platapus]

There was a news report last Sunday reporting people camping out in front of a local Best Buy......6 days before "black Friday".

Even the reporter had to comment that there was nothing at best buy worth camping out for.

Unless a store is offering 90% off, I can't see the purpose. It is not like these same stores won't have similar sales in the coming month. :nope:

[Stealhead]

I wonder what dose a person that can afford to camp out at a store for six days do for a living?:hmmm: If they missed work to camp out I would fire them unless they took time off to do so other wise surely they either skipped on work or lied about an illness.

Black Friday is just a gimmick for suckers.Of course now that many places open on Thursday why even call it Black Friday.

It is a reflection of what is wrong with our society I think.People in lines to buy stuff that they dont really need and often times they could have purchased at a lower price if they truly shopped around all the time.You dont have to buy a gift at a certain time of year.

[eddie]

I wonder how many times people have been in line what seems like forever, only to hear the famous words, "We sold out of that item already!"

[Betonov]

I'm not buying anyone anything, and I don't want anything

http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2012/09/Grumpy-Cat-Tadar-Sauce.jpg

[Stealhead]

Man that is one sad looking cat.

[Betonov]

Man that is one sad looking cat.

http://www.inquisitr.com/345077/meet-tardar-sauce-the-internets-favorite-grumpy-cat/

[eddie]

Then there are good reasons for some people who should not be parents. Go to the sale, get want you want, but leave the kid at the store!:doh:

http://news.msn.com/us/black-friday-bargain-hunter-took-home-tv-left-tot-behind

[Jimbuna]

Then there are good reasons for some people who should not be parents. Go to the sale, get want you want, but leave the kid at the store!:doh:

http://news.msn.com/us/black-friday-bargain-hunter-took-home-tv-left-tot-behind

Nothing like getting one's priorities right :huh:

[Oberon]

Apocalypse Walmart:

http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/23/a-glimpse-of-the-apocalypse-walmart-customers-fight-over-phones-on-black-friday/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvmCuosF0Xo

[Jimbuna]

Apocalypse Walmart:

http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/23/a-glimpse-of-the-apocalypse-walmart-customers-fight-over-phones-on-black-friday/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvmCuosF0Xo

I see even ModelZone are having a 'Black Friday' 20% off sale :)

[em2nought]

That video is good argument for supporting the 2nd amendment. :D Wonder if Sportsmansguide has bulk ammo in their black friday sale? :up:

[Platapus]

http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2012/09/Grumpy-Cat-Tadar-Sauce.jpg

Serious Cat thinks this is serious

[Herr-Berbunch]

Further to my previous post, Amazon have pulled a blinder - the dirt-cheap part I bought yesterday (Black Friday - surely one of their busiest days?) and chose the super-saver (free, 3-5 business days) for arrived on my doorstep today. Thanks you Amazon. :yeah: