I survived my first black friday…
… as an employee. I just thought I would let you all know. I’m still alive.
46 comments on “I survived my first black friday…”
Honk at me:
Blog posts and images by The Honking Goose are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://thehonkinggoose.wordpress.com/.
The Honking Goose 
loving the title…. ❤
LikeLike
O.K. As you probably know by now, I suffer from a medical disorder that makes moving around in crowds a little difficult to say the least. So just tell me if I’ve got this figured out. Some genius realized that there was a nice little lull in the shopping demographics at a particular time of the year, apparently coinciding with…what? this week-end? So rather than let all the retail employees use this little statistical miracle to get rested up in preparation for the main holiday shopping rush, he/she found a way to make this blessing from on high into a totally insane shopping period of its own. Have I got this?
LikeLike
IDK, I haven’t researched this. But I thought that consumers started it by going out to start their holiday shopping after Thanksgiving. and THEN stores decided to capitalize on it by offering big sales to lure more shoppers. I could be wrong though and you might be right. Like I said, I don’t know.
I think the whole thing is pretty idiotic.
LikeLike
All I really know is I feel bad for all you guys/gals who caught the brunt of it. Maybe next year we can all boycott it. : )
LikeLike
yes definitely
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful! That definitely takes some strength and critical thinking, and I really do mean that. 🙂
LikeLike
The rush has finally slowed down by Sunday evening – what a relief!
LikeLike
I had my own version of Black Friday a few weeks ago, when the German locomotive engineers went on strike. All the paper for the printing presses had to be delivered by trucks. Trucks that I had to handle, speaking English, German, but mostly improvising in Russian, Polish and Czech with Romanian and Hungarian Truckers. I needed a lot of the Mary Poppins attitude to get through that relatively sane
LikeLike
“Mary Poppins attitude” – I like that 😀 Sounds like quite an adventure!
LikeLike
Glad you made it. Just think of this as good practice for the after-Christmas sales to come as well as the Christmas shoppers who procrastinate shopping and shop only on Dec. 24(Christmas Eve).
LikeLike
I’ll be a pro by the end of the season – I’m sure! 😀
LikeLike
Right on!!!
LikeLike
And the customers, they’re all still alive too?
LikeLike
for better or for worse 😉
LikeLike
The horror I’m sure you had to endure will make you stronger. Besides, good practice in case there’s a zombie apocalypse.
LikeLike
I agree, better to be prepared, just in case.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congrats!! I worked part time at a toy store for two years starting when I was 16, the holidays bring out the ugly in people, 🍷, I will have a glass for you!
As my 11 year old son reposted on Instagram so eloquently “Because only in America we go out and trample people to buy things we don’t need, exactly 24hrs after being thankful for everything we have”!
Hope your holiday was wonderful!
NIBSIH, 🍗
LikeLike
Yeah, as someone who has always boycotted the biggest shopping day of the year, I was a little shocked, even though I thought I knew better. My conclusion is: People are Weird.
😀
LikeLike
Weird, no insane. I work law enforcement for several years in a very large dispatch center, a few years ago a woman called in stating she lost her daughter in the frenzy, but wanted the police to come lock for the child as she didn’t want to lose her place in line for whatever door buster was going on at Best Buy, the girl was 6, the girl was found by an officer a few hours later. I refuse to shop on those days or go to the mall or outlets during this time of year, except for the Santa picture, ((my kids are too old, I don’t care)). Actually that call was a very long time ago as I am approaching my 18 year. Oh god, I am old!😔
LikeLike
Glad you made it through alright!
Days like this are some of the worst in retail (and restaurants). Now, brace yourself for the next few weeks. And expect that the last 3 or 4 before Christmas will be the most insane volume of all. Mostly men, panicking because they didn’t plan ahead and have 2 hours to get all their shopping done. Best of luck to you, and remember to stock up on hearty food with lots of protein for all your work breaks, and lots and lots of fluids. You’ll need the hydration, of course, but also no one can argue with you about taking 3 minutes off the sales floor of you desperately need the bathroom!!
This is my first Black Friday when I DIDN’T have to work! Originally I was scheduled, but these days I work at a very casual bookstore at an historic site, so not only are we very quiet on days like this, but I live the farthest away (over an hour) and we were completely pummeled with snow, whereas the town where I work saw almost none. One of my co-workers took pity on me and saved me the hassle of chipping ice off my car and spending over two hours round trip commuting to work a four-hour shift.
I had a nice quiet day and…wow…did I appreciate it!
LikeLike
I’ve always boycotted shopping on that day, on principle. So I didn’t know quite what to expect. I have to say, I was a little shocked, even though I should probably know better.
I think what will really drive me crazy over the next month is all the Christmas songs piped into our store. I’ve heard enough already and it’s only two days after Thanksgiving.
I’m glad you got to enjoy a nice quiet day at home this year! 😀
LikeLike
glad you survived it!
LikeLike
thanks 😀
LikeLike
God Bless the retail worker on Black Friday. Thanks for checking in!
LikeLike
cheers! 🙂
LikeLike
Glad your body made it. Hope your humor did too!
LikeLike
I’m a little shocked by the experience, even though I should know better. But, yes, my good humor survived intact as well. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Survived the struggle
LikeLike
It has been a long hard week. I hope the worst is over. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
i bet it was crazy eh? 🙂
LikeLike
I’ve always boycotted shopping on black friday, so I didn’t really know what to expect either. I should know better, because I’ve seen the videos, but I was still a little shocked by it all. People are so weird.
LikeLike
People are weird! XD
LikeLike
Now that I’m retired, I (almost) miss that Christmas rush that comes with working retail. Hang in there…..it’s a long season to the end!
LikeLike
The bustle and the busyness is fun, I think, but the consumerist nature of it all bums me out. I’m always relieved anyway when the Christmas season comes to an end. There is too much to it that does not seem positive to me.
LikeLike
Very happy to hear this! 😉
LikeLike
thanks 😀
LikeLike
Gee, I haven’t been an employee since 1987. Occasionally, I may have to work on “Black Friday”, but this day is one day when I avoid shopping if at all possible. I’ve seen some videos– the “Running of the Bulls” is probably safer.
LikeLike
I’ve always boycotted shopping on that day. I don’t understand why people are so into it. But they are. It truly baffles me.
LikeLike
I’m glad you’re alright. I’ve seen all these horror stories over the past years about stampedes, injuries etc. Crazy! I’m yet to experience my first Black Friday! 😛
LikeLike
I’ve never done it as a shopper either, I’ve always boycotted. I just don’t get the appeal. I think it is seriously weird.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The deals are crazy tempting (e.g. $100 50inch flat screen TVs!!) but I guess the crowd it crazy too. I would attempt if I had any guarantee of coming back alive.lol
LikeLike
Congrats.
LikeLike
Such a relief. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my. I can already imagine customers booming in…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve never done the black friday shopping thing either, I always boycott the consumer mayhem so I didn’t really know what to expect. People are really into it. I don’t get it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t usually go shopping on Black Friday. Best Buy, Walmart, and other stores are going to be booming tomorrow…for Cyber Monday. I don’t really understand Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I get the discount part, just not why they’re over Thanksgiving weekend (or after, in the case of Cyber Monday).
LikeLike