The most memorable one for me was when a big-box store had a 'doorbuster' deal on a new game console. People started camping out days in advance. When the doors finally opened, it was chaos. People were climbing over each other, and some merchandise got damaged in the process. It was a total mess.
One story that stands out is about a clothing store. They had a huge sale on designer clothes. But they miscalculated their inventory. So, a lot of customers who had been waiting in line for hours found out that the sizes they needed were already gone. Tempers flared, and there were a lot of angry customers that day. The store also got a lot of bad publicity because of it. It shows how important it is for stores to manage their inventory properly during Black Friday sales.
There was a situation at an electronics store. They offered a deep discount on laptops. However, they didn't have enough staff to handle the crowd. As a result, customers were left wandering around trying to find help. Some customers who managed to get their hands on a laptop found out that the display models were being sold instead of the new ones. This led to a lot of disputes and unhappy customers, and the store had to deal with a lot of complaints afterwards.
There are also stories of overcrowded stores where it's almost impossible to move around. Shoppers end up getting pushed, shoved, and sometimes even trampled. For example, in some big department stores, people rush towards the discounted electronics section and it becomes a chaotic mess. It can be a very dangerous situation, not to mention the stress it causes.
Well, I heard of a situation where a store's website crashed on Black Friday. Customers had filled their virtual carts with items, but when they went to checkout, the site just froze. People lost their deals and were extremely frustrated. Also, there are times when the prices marked as 'discounted' on Black Friday are actually not that much of a bargain. A friend of mine thought she got a great deal on a TV, but later found out it was only a few dollars less than the regular price a month before.
Well, there was a time when a store's inventory system crashed on Black Friday. Customers were grabbing items, but the registers couldn't ring them up properly. Some people had to leave their carts full of items they thought they were getting at a great deal, only to be disappointed. Also, employees often have to deal with really rude customers during this time. They get yelled at for things out of their control, like running out of a popular item.
Sure. There's a story of a bookstore that on Black Friday, instead of focusing on big bestsellers, they promoted local authors. They set up special readings and signings. It was a huge success as it attracted a different crowd who were interested in supporting local talent.
Sure. There are stories of people fighting over the last item on the shelf. I mean, really getting into physical altercations. It's supposed to be a time of shopping and celebration, but instead, it turns into a battlefield. And some stores have really bad inventory management. They advertise big sales, but then they don't have enough stock. So, customers end up disappointed and angry.
I think the most memorable would be the stampedes in some stores. With so many people eager to get their hands on the discounted items, it was like a mad rush. People were falling over each other, and it was really dangerous.
One memorable crazy story is when a store's website crashed due to an overwhelming number of people trying to access the Black Friday deals online. People were refreshing the page constantly but couldn't get through. Another is that in a toy store, parents were literally climbing over shelves to get to the hottest toys for their kids. It was chaos. There was also a case where a customer accidentally grabbed the wrong item in the rush and didn't realize until they got home, but they decided to keep it anyway because it was a good deal.
A big department store once had a Black Friday event where they accidentally marked down a high - end TV much lower than intended. Shoppers rushed to get it. Instead of canceling the sales, the store decided to honor the price for the first 100 customers. This created a huge buzz and they got a lot of positive publicity in the end.
There was a story from a toy store. A customer returned a broken toy that was clearly the result of their child smashing it with a hammer. But they demanded a full refund, saying it was faulty when they bought it. The store owner knew it was a lie but the customer was so insistent and rude.
There are horror stories about parking too. Finding a parking spot near the store on Black Friday can be a nightmare. People drive around for ages, sometimes missing out on the early - bird deals because they are stuck in the parking lot. And when they do finally park, they might be so far away from the store that they have to walk a long distance in bad weather or with a lot of shopping bags, which is very inconvenient.