Comments on: Why Black Friday Should be a Tailgating Party with Fans

By: Mid-Week Eye Candy Wrapper #27: Ashlynn Brooke Edition — Don’t Just Tailgate, Tailgate Better - Tailgating Ideas

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:52:55 +0000

[...] Why Black Friday Should be a Tailgating Party with Fans [...]

By: Amber

Amber — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:04:01 +0000

Fabulous idea. That would definitely get me to stand in line. I always forgo the craziness of black friday, but if there was a tailgate party I wouldn’t definitely be there. Especially if there was an Irish coffee in the mix!

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:40:14 +0000

A party is a good idea, but it doesn’t even have to be as extravagant.

One of my aunts was telling me over the Thanksgiving holiday that at her store, hundreds of people were lined up outside on Black Friday. She went out and asked the people what they were there to buy. It turned out the majority were there for the Wii. She went back inside, counted how many Wiis there were and came back out and gave tickets to everyone in line.

Those who were in line after the last ticket were able to leave if they wanted and those in the front were able to relax and didn’t feel like they had to rush in and compete with each other (avoiding threats to safety, etc.) She said she saw a lot of people with tickets getting coffee once inside and just relaxing. I think it’s a very fair and smart way to go about it.

By: Tom Asacker

Tom Asacker — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:24:25 +0000

I see that you’re wearing those new “value” glasses, Chris. Kudos!

By: Garret Ohm

Garret Ohm — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:46:00 +0000

Damn good idea, Chris.

By: jrob

jrob — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:04:43 +0000

I do agree that the stores should use a strategy to entertain and add incentive to wait, but why not twist it even more, screw Friday, Allow their sales to happen Saturday, or later in the day on Friday. It would draw in more people and have no tim expiration in the day. I also agree that the should hand out vouchers for people in line for the “big items” so there are no people trampled in the craze.

By: Chris Wilson

Chris Wilson — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:49:55 +0000

Bill,

You make a good point. I think Black Friday typically draws two types of people to these early openings and in extreme cases, camp outs.

Type A – People who are cheap, greedy and just looking for steals.

Type B – People that love shopping and find it thrilling just to be out there with the crowds. Great deals are really just a bonus benefit to this group.

The idea is to make it draw more of the B type people and make it less about what the A type people are there for. Make people driving by on Thursday night wonder what they are missing.

With that said, creating an invite only V.I.P. area is an amazing idea, and there is probably a way to combine these two ideas.

By: Bill Gammell

Bill Gammell — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:33:54 +0000

You’ll need to take my comments with a grain of salt as I have never been to a Black Friday anything.

I’d say do an event as you have described, but only for your most loyal customers (by invitation only and bring 2 friends). It appears to me that Black Friday is not so much a celebration of loyalty as it is a day for those with the sharpest elbows and littlest respect for decency to try their bullying techniques (I’m not saying that everyone that participates on Black Friday is a bully. Far from it. It just appears to me that there always seems to be those few jerks that have a way of ruining it for the many).

But make it a fun reward for those that have given you so much through the year.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:26:24 +0000

I love the idea. First one to set up camp… they should run an extension cord out there for a tv and a gaming system. Let em play all night and then let them keep the stuff!

Give away alarm clocks to the first 50 people in line

It could be really fun

By: Jackie Huba

Jackie Huba — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:45:34 +0000

Love this idea!