Ahh Black Friday. The day that kicks off the holiday explosion of consumerism in the United States that follows their Thanksgiving. Today in stores all over America there are people fighting tooth and nail to get in on deals that they’ll never see again. But what about us Canadians? We have to do our Christmas shopping too, so when’s our big sale day?
Boxing Day can offer up some fantastic deals, but that’s after the fact. Mind you I’ve known more than a few people that put off gift giving in their family until the 27th for this very reason.
When do you think the best time to Black Friday quality deals in Canada is?
first weekend of december would be nice. boxing day just doesnt work for me unless im buying stuff for myself.
Personally I’m GLAD we don’t have Black Friday or anything like it.
It’s disgusting to hear stories of people physically fighting over a pair of $2 jeans just because they’re $2.
And hello? All that these types of sales do is encourage rampant emotional spending without thought of budgets or ‘do I actually NEED this’.
What a GREAT WAY to push the already failing economy even further into despair.
And before anyone says “But it will BOOST the economy!”…what about AFTER the holiday season when everyone gets their bills and realizes oh crap now we can’t spend ANY money for the next 3 months?
http://www.amazon.com offers pretty good deals for canadians on Black Friday… i.e. Kund-Fu Panda DVD Blue-Ray: 14.99 (8.99 Regular DVD)!
Enjoy!
While there isn’t a definite day for holiday shopping. I always see a surge starting around Veteran Day. I live right across the mall, and I can see that the parking are always full between mid-Nov til Christmas.
I’m with Mama Bear up there, we don’t need Black Friday. I lived in the states for 8 years. Once, I decided to check out the sale. It was like Lord of the Flies at the mall! Took me 30 minutes to find a parking 2 miles away. The stores treat people like in Gitmo or something. They give you a trash bag to put your stuff in, you follow the direction of the flow and no going back. Unless you already know what to buy, and buy more than $500 and forget about hot items as they are never on sale. If you factor in your hourly salary, it is hardly a deal.
Save your time, give cash! When I was a kid, cash was my favorite gift.
its a chance for the stores to get rid of the junk. I personally stay home on days liek this.
There are some “Red Friday” specials advertised around here (Southern Ontario)..
Told you, it is Lord of the Flies down south!
“Surging shoppers kill New York Wal-Mart employee”
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/081128/us/usreport_us_usa_holidaysales_death_1
That’s pathetic.
anyone hear about the wal mart employee that got trampled to death in new york?
I think it’s a very sad state of affairs… no deal is ever worth a person’s life! Not even close! People need to get a grip.
I personally am very happy to live in Canada, and not the US.
I’m not sure about you guys, but if this hype is strong enough for people to injure pregnant women, and kill peoplee, then that just shows the greed in humanity.
I mean, even on Boxing Day in Canada, we don’t act like animals, charging in like bulls and breaking down the door. Sheesh
Last night on KTLA they talked to people that had been camping since monday night letting them know the tv they wanted was on bestbuy for the same price, and they said they were still going to camp.
Some do it for a rush, but theres no need for this madness.
I can’t think of a single day that Canadians go so crazy for shopping that they’re willing to trample a person to death just to get a good deal.
No, I find that the sales here in Canada simply aren’t as aggressive or dramatic as in the States where they will have items that are 80 – 90% off; here I find that’s virtually unheard of.
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/11/28/2008-11-28_worker_dies_at_long_island_walmart_after.html
After this senseless death, I think Canadians would be better off without a similar day.
We lived in the US for a while. In our first weeks, I saw all the ads for Black Friday and I thought it was the strangest thing ever. 5 a.m. door crashers at J.C. Penney? Radio Shack open at seven a.m.? And all I could think was, who in in the world wants to be at a Radio Shack at seven a.m.?? People stay up all night and line up for the deals and bring their own food.
I find this all ironic considering today is also Buy Nothing Day.
Went to only one boxing day event in my life, came home empty handed as everything I would try to lay my hands on, got ripped away from me, shoving, pushing, insulting and arguing as to who had laid their eyes on it first, wasn’t my type of fun shopping, I like to take my time and check out whatever I am buying before I head to the cashregister, what is the use of buying a sweater that the seams aren’t even sewn or that the 2 front panels of a jacket has one side longer than the other?
These big sales bring out the worst in people and I don’t want to be part of it. Over the years , in my area there are plenty of sales in the last few days before Christmas, people are more civilized at those. Every year there is always some stores that go bankrupt or closing down forever or because of a move, so I always bought my furnishings at these stores and got away with 10,000$ area rugs for 2500 $, a period Louis 1X desk for a fraction of the cost etc… so why would I go to these boxing day events ? To get clothing ? for 50 $ less ? It isn’t worth my time or my dignity or my life !
i find the best deals are the week AFTER boxing day… I have no problem saving it to giev next year:) and i but all our clothes then. I think it’s great – that’s when i spend my christmas cash. i don’t care about black friday, but hey i’m already done my Christmas shopping 🙂
We’re just very chillaz~ no trampling over ppl please!
but i do agree we should have an equivalent day
i really don’t buy xmas presents until after xmas…
i guess im just being cheap hahaha
&US always gets the better deal on everything =[
i never really buy much on boxing day
its the week after that gives great deals =)
Celebrate Ukrainian Christmas in January, then Boxing Day is great for gift deals!
I think that there are already lots of deals out there so we definately don’t need this. I just watch my flyers and of course the deals on here and save a bundle. I also do not shop on boxing day. I think that the shopping world controls way too much of our lives already and I enjoy christmas eve, christmas day and boxing day with my family. To me that is the true spirit of Christmas…the quality time spent with friends and family and no sale no matter how good it is will take that away from me!
I also find that the best deals are a week or two after Boxing Day, like one poster above mentioned. I’ve noticed that the Gap has some of their very best deals of the year (at least our local one does, I think it gets the leftovers from the other stores actually, after their Boxing Day sales are over) during the first weekend of the New Year. I got an entire new wardrobe of high end winter clothes last year for about $100. And I had a gift card to boot, so it was an extra sweet deal. 🙂
I think that we should swap our thanksgiving day celebration and move it to the same day as the Americans have it. Then would could make it a big shopping day like Americans.
Black Friday??? At a Walmart in the States…..’Shop till you drop’ turned into ‘buy till you die’
This kind way of doing business is irresponsible of Walmart.
That company should be held responsible for it’s part of this killing of an employee…Trying to create a zoo like experience by offering a few Door Crasher specials and poor crowd management makes Walmart responsible in my opinion.
November 29, 2008 — Updated 0024 GMT (0824 HKT)
Wal-Mart death preventable, union saysStory Highlights
Retail workers union says Wal-Mart showed “blatant irresponsibility”
LONG ISLAND, New York (CNN) — The death of a temporary Wal-Mart worker trampled by customers amid frantic Black Friday shopping could have been avoided, the union that represents retail workers said Saturday.
Customers rushing to get into a Valley Stream, New York, Wal-Mart damaged doors and trampled a worker.
Jdimytai Damour, 34, was crushed as he and other employees attempted to unlock the doors of a Long Island, New York, store at 5 a.m. Friday, police said.
“This incident was avoidable,” said Bruce Both, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, the state of New York’s largest grocery worker’s union. “Where were the safety barriers? Where was security? How did store management not see dangerous numbers of customers barreling down on the store in such an unsafe manner?
“This is not just tragic; it rises to a level of blatant irresponsibility by Wal-Mart,” he said.
To read the whole article click below:
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/11/29/black.friday.death/?iref=hpmostpop
I believe the people are responsible not walmart. Since when did we all turn into shopping maniacs who have no consideration for others.
I’m so curious to know why you hate walmart so much.
I really hope all people involved in the Black Friday injuries take a hard look at themselves because it was just plain ridiculous.
Get rid i Black Fridayare they that hard up to wait in line for hours to save a few dollrs? I think as Canadains we are a little bit more refined…
Three articles from the New York Daily News:
Slain Long Island man’s family awaiting autopsy results
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/11/29/2008-11-29_slain_long_island_mans_family_awaiting_a.html
Day after stampede … shopping: LI Wal-Mart reopens after worker fatally trampled
http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2008/11/29/2008-11-29_day_after_stampede__shopping_li_walmart_.html
Tension simmers beneath the kindness at death store
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/11/29/2008-11-29_tension_simmers_beneath_the_kindness_at_.html
http://minnesotaindependent.com/18967/aptly-named-black-friday-claims-a-life-but-is-the-media-to-blame
Aptly named, Black Friday claims a life, but is the media to blame?
By Paul Schmelzer 12/1/08 5:03 PM
Honestly, there is nothing in Canada remotely close to Black Friday. My parents make the trip each year and they always get their XMAS shopping done at a fraction of the cost.
The worst part about Black Friday is you feel ripped off when you have to buy things at such a higher price in Canada!
I personally try to make all my clothes shopping trips to be in the US because I can’t stand the CDN retail prices.
Macleans Magazine had an issue this year that focussed on the great discrepancy in costs between the same products in the US and Canada. We are getting ripped off – bad economy or not.
And, as for the Wal-Mart tragedy – I think its the corporations fault – use barriers or proper security personnel as its obviously a safety issue.
OMG…you cannot beat the sales! Even when the Canadian dollar is up, we still do not get the US price..WHY? I can go to US do all my shopping,have a couple days away,come back xmas shopping done at half the price.In all the years i’ve been going i only saw bad conduct once,i see more on a weekly basis in Canadian stores from customers and staff. I work hard for my money and pay all my Canadian bills,GST,HST and all,but for spending thrifty,it’s my option where to to get the best out of my dollar.