Here's a video with the inside scoop of what it costs to put a decorated apartment together. Turns out all the little details you don't always notice can add up. Also, these boys have come up with some tricks of their own to save some money this year...
Cribs: Decorating the Apartment from Anna Webster on Vimeo.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Violence Breaks Out
Pressure to get the best deals has created a new breed of competitive consumers. Saving is definitely a priority, but for some it is a priority that they are literally willing to fight for. Who knew that shopping could be considered a full-contact sport?!
Here is a map depicting where violence broke out on Black Friday.
A Management Perspective
Here's a mini profile of Jamie Miletsky, an Assistant Manager at the Landmark Center Staples:
Black Friday sales at the Landmark Center Staples in Boston were down by one third of the amount compared to last year. Although the store opened three hours earlier than their normal time at 9 am, there were not many eager shoppers to greet.
Jamie Miletsky, Assistant Manager at Staples, said that sales have been much lower this year due to frugal spending.
Last year there had been a line out front when the doors opened, but this year only a few customers who walked in early.
Miletsky said when he worked at Radioshack on a previous Black Friday, the attitude was much different.
“There aren’t as many crazy shoppers,” he said. “Last year a person came in and bought a ton of 9.99 prepaid phones to sell online. We had sales like that this year, but no craziness.”
The people who did come in to shop, tended to gravitate towards the deals: global positioning systems for 99 dollars, monitors and laptops. Even still, the number of items sold were not as much as hoped.
Working a shift from 5 am to 5 pm might have been difficult, but Miletsky said he has the right shoes for the job.
“I got my black Jordans on, they’re super comfy,” he said.
Black Friday sales at the Landmark Center Staples in Boston were down by one third of the amount compared to last year. Although the store opened three hours earlier than their normal time at 9 am, there were not many eager shoppers to greet.
Jamie Miletsky, Assistant Manager at Staples, said that sales have been much lower this year due to frugal spending.
Last year there had been a line out front when the doors opened, but this year only a few customers who walked in early.
Miletsky said when he worked at Radioshack on a previous Black Friday, the attitude was much different.
“There aren’t as many crazy shoppers,” he said. “Last year a person came in and bought a ton of 9.99 prepaid phones to sell online. We had sales like that this year, but no craziness.”
The people who did come in to shop, tended to gravitate towards the deals: global positioning systems for 99 dollars, monitors and laptops. Even still, the number of items sold were not as much as hoped.
Working a shift from 5 am to 5 pm might have been difficult, but Miletsky said he has the right shoes for the job.
“I got my black Jordans on, they’re super comfy,” he said.
Shopping as a Sport
Here's a mini profile on Sara Edquist, a "desperate" Black Friday shopper:
Sara Edquist, 22, considered herself a desperate shopper as she waited in line at Circuit City in the frigid early morning at 4:45 am. And she was not the only one. The line to enter the store wrapped around the building. Two employees that looked like security guarded the front doors before the 5 am opening to “keep things in order.”
Most people huddled together standing impatiently waiting for their price vouchers, each reserving a chosen hot ticket item like games or electronics.
“For some people it’s a sport, and for others it’s desperation,” Edquist said about the mood while waiting in line. “Because the economy is bad people will go out on the sale days for the bargain shopping.”
Despite her having to work a shift at Barnes and Noble later that evening, Edquist was determnined to wake up early for her big ticket items: a big screen TV and Guitar Hero World Tour.
Although Edquist said Barnes and Noble was busy two days before Thanksgiving, the store seemed empty on Black Friday when she worked.
“If I worked at any other store I’d expect it to be busy,” she said. “Because there are no students here during break we don’t get much sales.”
After her day of working and waiting, Edquist went to bed at 9:30 and slept in late the next morning.
Black Friday Sales Rise 3% Despite Economy
Despite businesses' concerns of lower sales due to the economic recession, national Black Friday sales were 3% higher than last year's according to a ShopperTrak report.
Possible Explanations:
- Many going-out-of-business sales
- Larger discounts in 2008 compared to previous years
- Shoppers choosing to spend only on the big sale days and not over a prolonged period
Black Friday
The day after Thanksgiving, also known as "Black Friday" is known for big deals and eager shoppers. I hit the mall to find out if people were shopping as much this season because of the economy. Although I got kicked out of A.C. Moore and other stores at Liberty Tree Mall mall in Massachusetts, I still got enough footage to put something together. Here's the news video:
Black Friday Findings:
- Shoppers found Black Friday not to be as mobbed as anticipated
- Although there were not many shoppers out in the afternoon, stores were hit early by shoppers looking for big-ticket items on sale
- The popular idea of making gifts can be more costly than expected
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