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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 5:34:12 PM
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lexie
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From: Toronto
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quote:
The commentators I heard last night were talking about how this is further proof of how overwhelmingly wealthy America is. In other places, people are killed in stampedes for food, water and medicine. In America (and some other developed countries I imagine) it's for DVD players, plasma screen TVs and video game systems.
Disclaimer: I'm not making this out to be a we're better than you post, ok?
BUT, honestly, I have never seen anything like that here. We don't have Black Friday obviously, but we having Boxing Day and in places here in Toronto, things can get pretty bad on Boxing Day. I've worked retail for many holidays and experienced it. I have never seen any problems like we read about in the papers.
My mom was in Vegas last week and she said that while she didn't go into malls, she saw just the crush of people in the parking lot and on the bus with them, and she could not get over the mentality that some people had (on the bus seeing the people who just had to have everything.)
Obviously I don't think all Americans would behave the way these people at the Walmart did, but the mentality of average Americans who do Black Friday shopping is hard to understand sometimes, that I can't even fathom what was going through the heads of those people at the Walmart.
It is truly a North American thing, and it's so unfortunate where our priorities lie.
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 5:44:50 PM
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pumpkin
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I am a black Friday shopper, although not the type to wait in line until a store opens in order to grab that $1200 TV for $200, I figure I don't want stuff that bad. =)
I did go shopping this past Black Friday, and bought an electronic item. I had the personal attention of a very knowledgeable salesperson, and I did not have to wait in line at all to get to the item, nor to purchase the item. Funny thing? It was also a Walmart. Only, it was about 10:30am instead of when the store "opened."
I used to work retail, and I enjoyed Black Friday. I liked the challenge of getting the line down, and seeing how fast and yet accurate I could check people out. Plus, I liked all the energy of the crowds. I never encountered a mass of rude people, no moreso than on an average day. (there's always someone!) I used to LOVE it! I did that at both JCPenney and at Sears. I still enjoy going out on Black Friday (obviously) eventhough I no longer work in retail. I'm never rude, and I try to stay as pleasant as possible. I've never seen shoving or grabbing things. I have seen rushing in front of others to get in line, but... people are people. They do that all the time on the highway.
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 5:57:26 PM
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lexie
Posts: 2951
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From: Toronto
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quote:
Obviously I don't think all Americans would behave the way these people at the Walmart did, but the mentality of average Americans who do Black Friday shopping is hard to understand sometimes, that I can't even fathom what was going through the heads of those people at the Walmart.
After reading Gina's post I realize that I should clarify by average Americans, I just mean the people who line up hours before the store opens and then run inside like there's a mass murderer behind them.
I apologize for saying that all Americans are like that, because I didn't mean that, however, they don't show the well-mannered shoppers on the news!
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 6:05:25 PM
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lexie
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Nicole - you worked in the big mall at your province right? I can imagine that they would need to have a good security plan there.
I worked at a smaller mall in the city which still got pretty busy and we did the same thing as your mall, kept the doors closed all day long, and let a certain number of people in at a time. Two people at cash, two in the back, one on a ladder at the front of the store doing security, and everyone else on the floor. We were a small store and every employee worked that day.
I was amazed at how well people would line up outside the door of the store they wanted to go to. It happened all throughout the mall. Go to one store, wait in line, go to the next, wait in line and people did it all day long without complaining.
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 6:29:49 PM
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lexie
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From: Toronto
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Ok, but someone around here used to work at the mall right? They're not here though anymore, am I correct in my thinking or just plain wrong.
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 6:46:50 PM
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Nicole_Michelle
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Yes, a lady that used to post here worked at that mall. She was a mascot.
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 7:06:55 PM
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Mrs.Wifey
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I shopped on Black Friday as well, but didn't go until about 2pm since I worked in the morning. I love working on major retail days because it's so busy. It's TONS of fun. Well... except for the woman who told me where to put a coupon(the violate TOS type of place).
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 7:37:54 PM
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nicole6598
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LOL Ryanne. What did you say back to her?
I don't really get what the Black Friday thing is all about. I guess its like our boxing day where everything is like half price, or a range of different discounts. is that right?
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 7:44:18 PM
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Mrs.Wifey
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Pretty much, Nicole. There were some really good discounts, I got jeans and sweaters for 50% off, which from Old Navy is a big deal since their normal jeans rarely go on sale.
As for the nasty lady, I just told her to have a nice day. She was complaining about something that I have absolutely zero control over...
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 7:50:33 PM
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nicole6598
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Uh huh, so its like our post Christmas sales. People have got hurt in the big stores in the city but noone ever killed. I like to get to the Target Toy Sale early, but I have never seen anyone storming in or running around, its all very calm. However, like I said, it gets crazy in the city!!
LOL have a nice day was the best response you could give really huh? I used to find it so amusing when customers would scream their heads off at me for things when I worked in the supermarket. Just because I was managing the front section didn't mean I was the one who made decisions in the fruit and veg etc etc. I remember one man, we wouldn't let him hire the carpet cleaner as he didn't have a drivers licence. The abuse he hurled at me when I said no was horrible. That's until my friend who is like 6ft 3 came up, big stocky guy and said "is there a problem here Nic?" LOL the guy swore, then walked off!
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 8:14:12 PM
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Mrs.Wifey
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Yeah, I was so flabbergasted about her being nasty that I couldn't think of anything to say. If she hadn't been leaving then I would have asked her to leave, but that's about all I can do.
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 8:28:03 PM
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nicole6598
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How is your work going? Did you find a good replacement boss?
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 9:30:02 PM
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nicole6598
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Donna that is sad they keep saying he is a temporary employee. Although maybe they are saying it in a way that its sad that he was only just working there and this happened? Or do you only think its giving it a negative spin?
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 10:25:56 PM
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lexie
Posts: 2951
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From: Toronto
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quote:
Yeah, I was so flabbergasted about her being nasty that I couldn't think of anything to say. If she hadn't been leaving then I would have asked her to leave, but that's about all I can do.
We used to always say, smile at the person like you have GET LOST written across your teeth.
It's fun telling people to have a nice day when they've just told you off, it makes them angrier! I had a rather large man tell me off once when he tried to return obviously worn merchandise and I wouldn't do it. I smiled at him while he screamed at me, and then as he was just about to leave the store, I yelled from the back "thank you very much sir, and you have a nice day as well!" Everyone in the store burst out laughing at him, and even his friends did. I could hear him swearing as he went around the corner.
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/2/2008 11:16:51 PM
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uponeagleswings
Posts: 1626
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From: Out here in the desert
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I heard about the Wal Mart thing- horrible. Both for the employee who was killed, and for the lady who was trampled and had a miscarriage. Really makes me wonder about breathing the same air as people who could get so carried away. My hubby says that they should use security cameras or whatever they can to find out who was in the crowd, charge them with something, fine them, then give the money to the employee's family. Not that it makes up for what happened, but something has to be done so people get the idea that its not ok.
DH and I went to the mall on Black Friday, but we went at about 9:30am. After all of the doorbusters had gone back to bed. It was crowded, but not unmanageably so. We actually only went to see a friend who works in the mall and had to be at work at 4am. We felt bad for her, so we brought her some tea and brownies. Oddly enough, her store (Stride Rite) was pretty much empty when we walked in, and she said it had been slow all morning.
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/3/2008 1:15:41 AM
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magdaleine
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I was reading that they have the trampling on video camera and are trying to identify the ones responsible for trampling the employee to death, but it seems that they're having a hard time, probably because they don't have a full view of most faces. Greed. Sometimes it can be hard to see how greed is just as bad as some other sins but here we have a good example of why it is. In this case greed = murder.
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/3/2008 2:19:14 AM
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nicole6598
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They didn't shut down that walmart?!! Oh my goodness.
We had someone who commited suicide in a mall, the MAJOR mall in the heart of the city, it was closed for the day, perhaps even the next day. That is just SHOCKING!!
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/3/2008 2:25:25 AM
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OneOfHisJewels
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I think it is time to boycott wal mart.
I also wish their employees could go on strike..but they're not unionized, so it's hard for them to do.
Donna, I hated that they kept bringing the "temporary employee" thing up, too. I mean, what's next, "Oh, he was just a fast food worker, not a doctor?"
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/3/2008 7:16:24 AM
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Nicole_Michelle
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Mrs.Wifey
Pretty much, Nicole. There were some really good discounts, I got jeans and sweaters for 50% off, which from Old Navy is a big deal since their normal jeans rarely go on sale.
As for the nasty lady, I just told her to have a nice day. She was complaining about something that I have absolutely zero control over...
Sweet! The sad thing (well I guess it isn't actually sad) is that a lot of our stores are already having boxing day sales. And yes, they are calling them early boxing day sales. So I am wondering what is going to happen on boxing day this year. Maybe they will give things away for free!  Old Navy has SO many good deals right now! I am buying presents for my parents from there. Their sweaters are dirt cheap right now so I will find a nice one for my daddy-o. And probably pj pants for my mom since she loves pj pants!
What a nasty lady! I used to tell people to have a nice day or "God bless" after they were rude to me. That always shut them up and made them angrier, but they would at least leave the store! 
quote:
That's until my friend who is like 6ft 3 came up, big stocky guy and said "is there a problem here Nic?" LOL the guy swore, then walked off!
Haha that's awesome! I always worked with guys or knew guys in other stores near me that were very protective of me. It was always nice when they would stick up for me so I could just walk away. But no one was scarier than me. Watch out people!
Donna, it happens too often... there are so many nutso drivers here. On the news for the last few months they have been talking about all the driver's under the influence of drugs or alcohol in our city. They believe that 10% of all high end business people who work downtown are addicted to cocaine.  They said it is because they have too much income that is disposable, they have stressful jobs, they can easily get the drugs so they do drugs. Also, they talked about how many people are on so many medications that they are in a constant fog and don't notice their surroundings when they are driving. We have seen too many people with glazed eyes going through red lights and almost hitting us. Some days when we drive I feel so stressed out avoiding car after car after car. 
quote:
I had a rather large man tell me off once when he tried to return obviously worn merchandise and I wouldn't do it.
I had more than one person try to return an item that was worn so much there were holes in it! And then they would tell me that their dryer did it after one wash. I would always say something like "So, you wore it for a few months and then washed it?" The clothing would be so worn and old looking... like the material would be thin. If a washer or dryer tore holes into them they would look totally different. Haha about the guy's friends laughing at him!
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<---Genevieve tried to escape but got stuck! She's a crazy, hyper hamster!
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RE: Kicka - #4 - 12/3/2008 8:40:48 AM
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KatMack
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We do have to remember that this was ONE STORE out of 1000s that were open on Friday. I understand the frustration, the anger, the disappointment, but to take this one incident and extrapolate that all Americans or all people are like this isn't the answer. Yes a man lost his life and it's horribly tragic.
--Kat
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around like idiots and people trampling Walmart employees and pregnant women. 
