Hahaha, it's sad how extreme people take Black Friday. Just had a friend take off at 1AM for the campout at Walmart. Funny since the better deals are usually online anyway.
I avoid it like the plague. Drones of people waiting in lines in bad weather just to get a tv at a good price? Is it really worth saving $75, even if you ARE one of the select few who will actually see those advertised deals? It's a psychological dance they play every year at your expense. 250 people in line for 10 units per store. THAT'S funny to me. They know once you find out the deals are already gone you'll rationalize to yourself that you didn't wait 15 hours to go home empty handed so you'll settle (reluctantly) to purchase what they do have in stock so you don't go home to the Mrs. and admit a defeat.
3 hours online and I'm done. Sure you'll pay shipping but it's worth avoiding all the aggravation you'll endure.
I waited until after 4pm to go shopping for just cereal for my kids and I found cops on every other isle, merchandise on the floors and employees trying to pick them all up.
I work at Fred Meyer which is a division of Kroger. I do freight for apparel. We do a 6-hour sock sale every black Friday and my store is the highest volume store out of 130-some-odd stores. We do about $300,000 that day in socks!!! It took us 3 weeks to get our product and get ready and 2 10pm-630am shifts to set up. It was freaking ridiculous.
I waited till later in the day to go out and see what was around. Picked up a 20" hp moniter at Staples for $99..That was about it...Now I just need to get one more.