Only X number of Item Per store deals are dumb and should be banned

[makingcents]

I think these boxing day door crashers that sell a very limited number of items per store is ridiculous and should be made against the law. It is solely a way of attracting a mass number of customers and upsell them to something else because 99% of them will have missed out on the limited number of the door crashers.... I can't believe this practice has been allowed, and it goes to show you the power of mass marketing that makes boxing day so enticing in Canada. Real deals come after January people! When spring/summer lines come into stores... Even for electronics, besides the door crashers, I highly doubt these stores will afford any over the top losses just to make a sale, it's all about making profits. Boxing day has become a marketing ploy delveloped to increase weakening holiday sales over the past 10 years.


Now that being said, anyone know if Best Buy or Futureshop has any decent notebooks going on special on the 26th? lol

[dvdvideo]

Wrong. I pretty much get whatever I want every year out of the door crashers, and some are great deals. Illegal? Please....that would only apply if they actually had no product.

[Carisear]

i've gotten my fair share of door crashers -- i've also lined up and not gotten anything too -- but that's part of the fun!

i have got to hand it to the guys that stay overnight to be 1st in line -- those guys are hardcore

[browna]

Well, the alternative is that they could not mention how much stock each store has....then its really a crap shoot.

[north77]

As long as the store actually HAD X number per store, then it's fair 'game'... Unlike some OOS/Hide and Go Seek vendors. ;)

[remmuh]

I think these boxing day door crashers that sell a very limited number of items per store is ridiculous and should be made against the law. It is solely a way of attracting a mass number of customers and upsell them to something else because 99% of them will have missed out on the limited number of the door crashers.... I can't believe this practice has been allowed, and it goes to show you the power of mass marketing that makes boxing day so enticing in Canada.


come on now. against the law?
now of course that's what it's all about!
Rewarding the first people that show up to the stores.
You snooze you lose.

[mahjongmaniac]

As long as the store actually HAD X number per store, then it's fair 'game'... Unlike some OOS/Hide and Go Seek vendors. ;)
-----------------

haha... gotta agree w/ u bout that....

[cpoole]

Ha Ha

Not an early riser... eh!!!

[Viz79]

You snooze, you lose... :)

~V79~

[postpurchasedissonance]

I don't really think it's an issue of having "X" number of items per store. The problems (a la CT power washer fiasco style - Fall '03) start when store management loses control of the process. You've got to have an established protocol of how exactly you are going to distribute the door crashers. That might mean tickets handed out, staff taking names of people and the product they are in line for, keeping the stuff in the back and only allowing people with a ticket to obtain the product, etc.

I'd be dissapointed, but NOT upset, if I lined up and legitimately didn't get the product because I wasn't there early enough. I would get damn mad if people were budding in line, or buying 10 of the item through kids wearing diapers (the limited quantity "get-around"), or people swarming carts, etc.

[5hole]

Aren't all sales (and even regularly priced items for that matter) limited quantities all the time. Its not as if there is an infinite amount of stock available at all stores! I, too, am annoyed when I miss a good deal, but I have a better chance of changing the sky's colour before I can change the retail business.
Remember:
"The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse always gets the cheese."

<ESC>

:cheesygri

[urameatball]

I usually don't care for boxing day and I've never really participated in any kind of shopping on the 26th.

But this year, my plan is to get hammered to the point where I pass out... and hopefully, I'll wake up first in line at futureshop or something :D

[kckool]

I think these boxing day door crashers that sell a very limited number of items per store is ridiculous and should be made against the law. It is solely a way of attracting a mass number of customers and upsell them to something else because 99% of them will have missed out on the limited number of the door crashers.... I can't believe this practice has been allowed, and it goes to show you the power of mass marketing that makes boxing day so enticing in Canada. Real deals come after January people! When spring/summer lines come into stores... Even for electronics, besides the door crashers, I highly doubt these stores will afford any over the top losses just to make a sale, it's all about making profits. Boxing day has become a marketing ploy delveloped to increase weakening holiday sales over the past 10 years.


Now that being said, anyone know if Best Buy or Futureshop has any decent notebooks going on special on the 26th? lol

I think what's even more ridiculous is those people who grab 3 or 4 when it only says one per person. That annoys the hell out of me.

[kiteboy]

Aren't all sales (and even regularly priced items for that matter) limited quantities all the time. Its not as if there is an infinite amount of stock available at all stores!"

Yes, but many stores will issue rainchecks during regular sales if they are OOS.

[Neil]

I think these boxing day door crashers that sell a very limited number of items per store is ridiculous and should be made against the law.


What are you saying? There should be a law passed that forces retailers to have an unlimited amount of items for sale at every location? They'd have to pass some new laws of physics then too.


It is solely a way of attracting a mass number of customers and upsell them to something else because 99% of them will have missed out on the limited number of the door crashers....

I'm not sure how long you've been following Boxing Day sales but only in recent years have they become more civilized. The retailers pay some attention to have a known quantity or some method for the desperate to line up and take a number. In the bad old days 18-20 years ago Boxing Day was like the wild west. Stores would advertise some item and you'd go down there just to find they have exact 1 unit, typically returned and visibly blemished. Vinyl LP's were typically sold at a buck or two over cost, making them a "deal". Some sales were not even advertised except for word of mouth because they could be charged for opening on Boxing Day.

Boxing day has become a marketing ploy delveloped to increase weakening holiday sales over the past 10 years.

I don't think it has become a marketing ploy, it always has been a marketing ploy. Wider media coverage and the prevalence of box stores has magnified boxing day to an extent. You coming here and posting about it also promotes boxing day to a certain extent.

[hitman05]

Yeah, at Staples they make us set aside a set number of said items. I think it's usually listed in the flyer as to how many we have. Our particular store gets very low customer numbers, even on Boxing Day morning. There's usually a lineup of about 15 people.

Midrange things like cameras and mp3 players, they'll usually have us set aside around 25. Big things like computers - it's more like 5 - 10, at least at our store.

[runamuck]

You snooze, you lose... :)

~V79~


i concur ;)

[saskwatcher]

I think what's even more ridiculous is those people who grab 3 or 4 when it only says one per person. That annoys the hell out of me.

or they say they'll holding the items for a friend (or their 5 year old kid) who will be here any second. that annoys me.

you could always grab one and run......
:cheesygri

happy shopping, y'all!!!

[saskwatcher]

I don't really think it's an issue of having "X" number of items per store. The problems start when store management loses control of the process. You've got to have an established protocol of how exactly you are going to distribute the door crashers.

Exactly. When store management loses control of the process or refuses to maintain some order, then they take a chance of small riots happening. ("I smell "lawsuit!!"). I don't mind waiting in line as long as everyone plays by the same rules. No butting into line. No holding a spot in line for your 100 buddies. Opening the door on time. Running through the whole store like a headless chicken looking for that one item........
;)

"The game's afoot"
happy shopping!!!! :D

[akito925]

buy your items today, and then on boxing day, and then get them the get the price difference..