Black Friday shopper already camped out at Best Buy
The wildest and most pathetic Black Friday stories are never mutually exclusive.
Earlier this week, for instance, we discussed how unemployed Americans were offering their services as satellite shoppers for consumers that didn’t want to brave store line-ups. It is a story that’s, at the core, both kinda wacky and kinda sad.
Yet the latest weird tale from Black Friday, which has endured its trampling deaths and gun threats, is the woman in Florida that’s already camped in line out front her local big box electronics store.
In other words, Occupy Wall Street is over. Occupy Best Buy has begun.
Yes, more than eight days until Black Friday, 2011, actually launched, Tampa’s NBC affiliate reports that one woman decided to set up shop in a tent at her neighbourhood Best Buy Wednesday night.
*Bing: Black Friday deals Canadians can take advantage of, too
“You can’t beat some of the deals they have on plasmas, flat screens and laptops,” she said. “You’ve got to pinch a penny; it’s affordable right now.”
In disclosure, the woman, a student, will be joined by two other families and claims the time spent waiting won’t entirely be lost: when she’s not playing games, she claims in the video, she’ll be studying.
But let’s apply that favourite high school economics principle, opportunity cost, to our friend sitting on a sidewalk as you read this.
Opportunity cost, of course, is the value lost in Scenario B when you choose Scenario A, and while the woman spoken to by Florida media says she’s a student, let’s give this rocket scientist a conservative-paying job just to see what kind of fool’s gold she’s chasing.
In eight-plus days of camping out, we’d be talking six work days normally, but American Thanksgiving (Thursday the 24th) bumps that down to five. So, five days of work will be missed by camping out early. Let’s give our Black Friday fanatic a job that pays her the average U.S. salary: $39,336. On a per week basis, accounting for two weeks annual vacation, we’re talking a $786.72 theoretical pre-tax paycheque being flushed down the drain.
In return, being first in line at Best Buy will give her primo access to the best of the store’s deals. Unfortunately, the most substantial savings may cap out at $300 – the price difference between a 55-inch Sony LED 3D TV regularly on BestBuy.com and in the retailer’s Black Friday ad.
Perhaps she’d be better off waiting at Sears, where a 55-inch Samsung 1080p LED TV will be $1,000 off and … alright, you know what? … she’s probably just nuts.
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: Debbie | Nov 18, 2021 2:28:29 PM
The average American makes $39,336?!?!?! Are you in denial?!?! Millions of Americans are starving, homeless, etc. Your average might be an average after taking into account the millions if not billions of dollars some Corporate Bigwigs bring home.
In reality, that person would probably average about $5/hour, x 40 hour week = $200 before taxes. That would be way more realistic for the type of people looking for deals on Black friday, especially in todays economy.
Posted by: Jack | Nov 18, 2021 8:22:55 PM
Average salary of $39,336??? I was earning that 30 years ago while I was a university student, through research grants doing and teaching assistantships. BTW, I came from a very poor family.
Posted by: Tats Magee | Nov 22, 2021 9:39:51 AM
thats just recockulous
Posted by: Pat | Nov 22, 2021 4:23:26 PM
Canadians should shop in Canada. Why support the American economy? We have our own economic problems and one step forward would be to start keeping our hard earned money in Canada. Next thing these same shoppers will be complaining about economic growth in Canada. The whole American shopping binge makes me ill.
Posted by: Route 66 | Nov 23, 2021 5:42:53 AM
I have already started my shopping before Black Friday. Usually you discover too late that the whole mess is ridiculous and you spent too much money. In my opinion, it is a lot like spending $3500 at a hunting lodge to save money on meat.
Posted by: Elmo | Nov 28, 2021 1:39:49 AM
LOLOLOL... if you read the latest... a record 11 BILLION was spent on Black Friday. 11 freekin' BILLION $$$$. So much for the downturn in the economy !! Of course, if these masses of shopaholic morons put those purchases "necessities" on their already obese credit card balances, maybe quite a few will get their homes repo'd 'cause they can't afford to pay their utilities. Enjoy watching the 55" TV until your hydro gets cut off. hehehehehe