Walmart employee killed in Balck Friday stampede

[jft158]

Reason number 179 not to go shopping on Black Friday...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/29/business/29walmart.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

[Sp00ks]

I love the holidays, I love the holidays, I love the holidays......

[cdifoto]

The sad part it wasn't even at a good store ------- like B&H.

[John E]

Stores have got to stop doing this. Do a lottery, hand out tickets to people in line. Spread the sale out over time. Anything to stop such a mad rush.
Another huge annoyance for me is this: I went to Lowes yesterday to buy a "Shop-Vac" for $29, normally $89. Of course they were all out and it looked like they only had a few in stock to begin with. This is nothing more than "baiting" people to come into the store. Heck, stores could advertise computers for $1, send out millions of ads, and only have a few in stock. And of course, they don't offer rainchecks or substitutes anymore. This kind of advertising should be illegal!!!

[cdifoto]

I pretty much shop for everything online these days. My local purchases are, for the most part, limited to groceries and fuel for the vehicles.

[Mark]

What even is black friday anyways :)

[Jamie Holladay]

What even is black friday anyways :)
The Friday after Thanksgiving. It is suposed to be the biggest shopping day for Christmas. Most retailers open WAY EARLY and offer some rediculous sales.

[Mark]

The Friday after Thanksgiving. It is suposed to be the biggest shopping day for Christmas. Most retailers open WAY EARLY and offer some rediculous sales.

Oh, like the boxing day sales in australia.... agreed it is absolutely stupid....

[Tom W]

It's a doggone shame. One article I read (I didn't link to the NYT above) said that they tore the front doors off their hinges to get into the store.

This is crazy!

[FlyingPhotog]

And in Palm Desert, California:

Two dead by gunfire at a Toys R Us.

[20droger]

Palm Desert? That's where Belmondo hangs his hat and loses his tripods!

[xMClass]

Of all places a horrible store like Wal-Mart. Pathetic humans.

[weather_wrangler]

It's all about greed, and brains the size of walnuts...

[patlannon]

What even is black friday anyways :)

Black Friday got its name from the proposition that the Friday after Thanksgiving will bring in the shoppers in droves and make it the stores most profitable day of the year and bring them back into the (Black Ink) on their sales charts. Now this is speculation, but think of how bad sales margins have been this year and I think you'll get a feel for what the store owners are feeling.
Just my $.02 on the subject.

[FlyingPhotog]

Local news here in Phoenix reported that the larger area malls made their Black Friday numbers...

We'll see if the trend continues for the entire holiday season.

[Jim G]

...that's just scary. and tragic.

[Tee Why]

All the smart remarks aside. I feel very sad for this man who was trampled. The story said he was a temp. worker, probably just trying to make extra money for the holidays and this is what he gets.

Wal Mart should step up it's crowd control when they spark such craze among the shoppers. It's utterly irresponsible on their part and shame on the crowd that would act this way.

[20droger]

They had stepped up security. But they had no way of knowing in advance that they would be dealing with that kind of mob.

And it was a mob, not a crowd.

[TBigner]

My mom and I watched as two 'ladies' got into a fist fight over a Wii. We usually go to watch the other people. I have always wanted to sit on a ladder and take pictures of the craziness.

[MDJAK]

All the smart remarks aside. I feel very sad for this man who was trampled. The story said he was a temp. worker, probably just trying to make extra money for the holidays and this is what he gets.

Wal Mart should step up it's crowd control when they spark such craze among the shoppers. It's utterly irresponsible on their part and shame on the crowd that would act this way.

Well said. It is a tragedy of immense proportions, all to save a few bucks on some junk. The cops and paramedics were even being jostled as they performed CPR. They are reviewing the store videotapes to see if anyone can be identified and charges brought, which definitely should happen.

They had stepped up security. But they had no way of knowing in advance that they would be dealing with that kind of mob.

And it was a mob, not a crowd.

Really? And you know they stepped up security because the store said they did? You sound like their defense lawyer. Shame on them. They could have done way more and should have, and that's not Monday morning quarterbacking.

mark

[20droger]

Really? And you know they stepped up security because the store said they did? You sound like their defense lawyer. Shame on them. They could have done way more and should have, and that's not Monday morning quarterbacking.

mark
According to the NY Times, WalMart had hired extra security personnel. This constitutes a step up in security. Obviously, however, not enough.

Also reported, The police were summoned around 3:00 a.m., because the mob was becoming unruly. The police came, then left. Not what I would call optimal police work. Policing mobs (i.e., crowd control) is the responsibility of the city, not WalMart.

And, also reported, the mob broke through the doors five minutes before opening time. That, I would think, is hardly WalMart's fault.

But then, perhaps the NY Times was lying.

You and I have never once agreed on anything, except that you don't like me, and I don't like you. Let's leave it that way and stay out of eachother's faces. Thanks.

[BrokenRoad]

It's a sad situation. More so because people are so greedy that they felt the need to do something of that sort. The only thing that I was going to go out and get was a drill from home depot and by their own fault got it for the black friday price on wed.

[MDJAK]

According to the NY Times, WalMart had hired extra security personnel. This constitutes a step up in security. Obviously, however, not enough.

Also reported, The police were summoned around 3:00 a.m., because the mob was becoming unruly. The police came, then left. Not what I would call optimal police work. Policing mobs (i.e., crowd control) is the responsibility of the city, not WalMart.

And, also reported, the mob broke through the doors five minutes before opening time. That, I would think, is hardly WalMart's fault.

But then, perhaps the NY Times was lying.

You and I have never once agreed on anything, except that you don't like me, and I don't like you. Let's leave it that way and stay out of eachother's faces. Thanks.

Not quite sure where you get the idea I don't like you.
That is not true. We may disagree, but I take nothing here personally. I'm sorry you do. I cannot even recall another time it's happened, but obviously you've kept track. I can assure you I do not keep track of those I agree with or disagree with. This is a place to state opinions and that's merely what I do. Sorry you took offense.
me

[abqXT]

Retailers set up these dangerous situations by advertising a few great prices on some items, but only stocking maybe 5 of each item, making people go into these frenzies.

[20droger]

The real mob action will start in a week or two—the lawyers' feeding frenzy! Then you'll see some less-than-optimal behavior.