Someone is camping outside Best Buy already

Posted byMattPosted inMoblog

Published by Matt

In 2002 I started contributing to Open Source software, and life has just gotten better from there. Co-founder of WordPress, founder Automattic.

100 thoughts on “Someone is camping outside Best Buy already”

    1. It appears that there are two. You (as the photographer) taking the picture and the person waiting by the door. Too late to be first. Sooo close though. Was it for a crazy deal on a 2T external hard drive? I kept refreshing my screen hoping to get lucky that day.

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  17. Well, it’s a weird “turn around” for me…I slept in a tent because I was poor and homeless…and now, I’m NOT sleeping in a tent because I’m poor and can’t afford to buy anything. I’d say being poor has it’s advantages at this time of year. No tent and no stress.

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  20. I find the people like this do it more as a game. I’ve worked in retail for years and I will never cease to be amazed by what people will do to get that “Great” deal first thing Thursday evening or Friday morning.

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  26. Where is this Best Buy? Why would they camp out even before Thanksgiving? They must not have anywhere they’ve been invited for the holiday to do that. (Black Friday obviously isn’t until the day after Thanksgiving).

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  28. If it’s cold weather already where this pic was taken, that tent isn’t going to provide them with that much warmth-(even with sheets/blankets), & it would be noisy as well from the traffic going past all times of the night & the early morning. (Even if they’re planning on waking really early). Not very comfortable!

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  32. Maybe it’s just a tent, with no one inside. Like in that Mr. Bean TV series in which he placed a fake person made of balloons in a sleeping bag outside a store just to get in front of the line.

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  39. It’s ironic really…people find shelter in cardboard boxes/tents/homeless shelters if they have nowhere to go & lots of people have fears of being without somewhere to live, but someone who’s Not homeless willingly sleeps out in a tent like they have nowhere else to stay so they can get the latest new gadget, whether it be iPhone, kindle, DVD player, CD player, toy for their child that runs into lots of money!

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  43. Every year people are sacrificing more and more of their time with family on Thanksgiving to go shopping on Black Friday. It shouldn’t even be called “Black Friday” anymore because so many stores are starting their sales today! It’s really sad because all it does is encourage people to skip out on family time and forces some employees who would rather be with family and friends to have to work.

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  45. They wouldn’t even have the thought in their mind of camping out if they didn’t have the money to buy the new technology or whatever it is they’re interested in, they’d be too busy just surviving!

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  47. I used to have an aunt who would do something similar, except she didn’t camp out, she woke really early in the morning & took her kids with her & they did their Christmas shopping on Black Friday. She did it every single year!

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  50. It’s sad that the word has become what ut has… everyone competing to have what their friends/family has that it boils down to THIS! WE made the world what it is today because of spoiling bratty kids and not remembering what’s truly done on this holiday! I wrote a post about this craziness. .. check it out!

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  53. Whoever it is could be questioned by the cops/chased away for loitering, even though they’re not doing anything wrong. Cops can make a federal case about little stuff, & overlook “real” crimes!

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  56. After they got in the store the next morning & say hypothetically there’s 10 people ahead of them, all that work/preparation they went through could end up being in vain if, say, they oversleep & other customers obtain what the campers want so badly if there’s a limited supply of the product! Then, they might wish to kick themselves because they end up empty-handed.

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  57. They could end up being really depressed because they didn’t purchase the item they wanted, or, if it’s a mob of people thronging in the store, they may end up getting mugged because the other customers may be pushing/shoving them & anyone else who gets in their way because they might desire the very same merchandise.

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  60. Fascinating, oddly all the more because we can’t see whether it’s 1 person or more; whether they’re male/female; their age/race; whether they look scruffy or neat. We know nothing whatsoever about them, so it’s a total mystery, other than the knowledge that they’re eager to buy something in the store, so obsessed that they’re willing to brave the cold if it’s indeed that type of weather, & risk other possible inconveniences & dangers.

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  61. I really don’t believe they thought their plan over all that well. I think it was more than likely an impulsive action, & they are so optimistic that they assume they’re going to purchase that particular item & there won’t be any drawbacks/roadblocks they’ll have to confront. If it’s a popular enough product-(it’s probably been advertised all over the place)-others are perhaps just as adamant that they’re going to get that product as well if they can afford it!

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  62. Lots of “new & improved” items cost quite a lot of money, so even if they succeed in getting the gadget or whatever it is, they might very possibly end up in debt & not be able to pay their rent/mortgage/utilities/groceries/clothing/assorted necessities for their spouse &/or children, & it might sadly & ironically turn out that they become homeless & won’t have any choice in the matter about living out on the streets for an indefinite span of time! Not too different from being an impulsive gambler & someone throwing away their rent money on slot machines or lottery tickets! They could end up evicted by their landlord if they didn’t think things through before actually carrying it out, which is really sad!

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  64. They could wait until the new & popular item decreases significantly in price before purchasing whatever it is they want! Maybe they want to show off for their friends/family/coworkers that they obtained the item before those they know have! Not good judgment! If they use a credit card, they may have to pay the charge card(s) off gradually if the item’s exorbitant enough! Then they may have sacrifice/force their family to sacrifice on the necessities! If they borrow from a friend/family to pay for either that item or the necessities they can’t afford because they bought the product, then their reputation as a responsible person will go out the window, & they’ll start to have strained relationships with the people with whom they borrowed. (Because obviously, what if they are not capable of paying these other people back)???!!!

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  66. If it’s a kindle/iPhone & it’s a brand-new model that only recently came out on the market they want, it could easily cost in the 100’s of $’s or perhaps even more! Electronics are very expensive initially when practically everyone is desiring that particular item, but it seems like after they’ve been exposed to the public for a while & fewer people are awe-struck by it, they drop in price. This person is probably very impatient to get what they want Immediately, & it’s like a contest who’s going to get the coveted item 1st! A huge race to grab it & brag to others what they got!

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  68. Interesting pic-I wonder what the person was thinking about (other than buying the item) when they’re trying to sleep in their tent so they can wake early the next day? Are they happy & confident assuming they’re going to obtain it? Nervous someone may bother them because they’re outside? Worried-what if they don’t wake up on time? Also, what if after they wake the next morning & they’re in the store, someone steals their tent & whatever belongings are inside it? They have a brand-new problem & complication to deal with!

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  76. What if they have their money/credit/debit cards stolen from them while they’re sleeping? It’s not like they can lock the tent door like they could if they were in an apartment or house!

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  80. No matter how much someone may want the new gadget or whatever it is, wait until it drops in price significantly, & don’t camp out like you have nowhere else to sleep! It’s just asking for trouble!

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  81. If this person is alone, their family/friends may be concerned about their safety & their mental health. Perhaps someone, or more than 1 person, tried to talk them out of it, but they were stubborn.

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  87. I don’t understand the point of Black Friday. Why do you wait in line all Thanksgiving and not spend time with your family. And if you apparently don’t “have any family” then who are you getting presents for?

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  88. You know what’s sad? That people are soooo crazy about material stuff… And as a proof of their stupidity, is the fact that they don’t really check out the prices before the discounts. And that’s how they buy things so cheap, that they spend almost the same money as in a normal day…

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  91. What if that sheet they have covering their tent blows away while they ‘re sleeping, or while they’re in the store buying whatever it is they’re determined to get?

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  92. Matt, Love your images! Your blog has been selected by me for the Dragon’s Loyalty Award. Even if you prefer not to accept this award, please accept this as a compliment and an indication of appreciation for your creative work. The philosophy of the award is: “The Dragon’s Loyalty Award is an award for the loyal fan/commenter, whether the recipient is a fellow blogger or just someone who follows and comments regularly.” Congratulations!
    -tjbarkerseattle

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