I get creeped out by the stories of customers trampling or pepper-spraying each other in a rush to save $20.
Seriously, isn't health and safety worth more than twenty dollars?
But this year Hubby and I had a minor break from our tradition of staying home, eating leftovers, and running a few miles to burn off that extra slice of pumpkin cheesecake.
Before you roll your eyes at me, let me explain!
The Exchange (military department store) has a 25% off sale on all shoes. Which means ALL RUNNING SHOES. And Exchange prices are rock bottom to begin with. Add in a promo that includes free shipping (read: no fighting in store lines!) and you've got two runners who were ready to break their Black Friday No Shopping tradition.
I tried to fight the lure of Black Friday deals, but Mama needs a new pair of shoes!
(Seriously, Hubby and I buy 3 pairs of running shoes each, per year. How could we not buy our 2012 pairs at half the normal retail price? That would have been like turning down the $55 discount at Rock 'n' Roll NOLA.)So I broke down and bought a pair of Brooks Ghost 4s and a pair of Nike Air Pegasus+ 28s (which are ugly, I'll admit, but running is a race not a fashion show...).
My Mizuno Wave Rider 14s shredded my feet like a cheese grater earlier this month, so it's time to switch styles. And lest you think I'm crazy enough to buy shoes completely untested just because they're on sale, I have run in both the Brooks and the Nikes before. I'll post reviews when they arrive...
Are you a Black Friday shopper?
I avoid the mall like the plague from Thanksgiving until the second week of January... but I'm willing to take advantage of an online deal as long as it's for something that was on the household shopping list before it went on sale.
Totally with you--the only reason to break that non-black Friday approach is for a good running reason. I used black Friday to register for a 1/2 marathon at $30 off.
ReplyDeletei'll shop black friday online, but not in the actual store. And good discounts on running shoes are deals that have to be taken advantage of!
ReplyDeleteWe went to the exchange here on post in Germany and my husband got a xbox 360 thing and modern warfare combo pack. That was about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge shopper, and usually don't do the black Friday thing, but sometimes I love to go out to the mall when it's packed, Christmas music is playing and there is that crazy, fun, holiday energy (hopefully not so crazy you get the pepper spray in the face). I take one trip like this only, but I love it.
ReplyDeleteI think my dislike of the mall during holiday shopping season stems from 4 (or was it 5?) seasons spent in retail in my high school and college years. I'll admit that most shoppers are pleasant, and the holiday decorations make me smile, but holiday shopping madness can also bring out the worst in people!
ReplyDeleteOne year a customer RAN ANOTHER CUSTOMER OVER in an argument about a parking space. And I was once rear-ended by a holiday-crazy hit-and-run driver in a mall parking lot...
Hmm... maybe it's just the mall parking I fear! ;)