Why Bother?

The States has Black Friday - the day after (US) Thanksgiving when there are supposedly big sales all over the place. Traditionally this is where retailers finally see their way into the black for the year, and really kick off the Christmas shopping season.

Here in Canada, we have Boxing Day - the day after Christmas. You've spent the previous day with family or friends, are enjoying your gifts, maybe got a little Christmas lovin', and are stuffed from the turkey/ham/prime rib feast. What better to do than hit the stores for some crazy deals as retailers clear out the current year's stuff to make room for new models?

Despite the signs of "OUR BIGGEST BOXING DAY EVER!" or "UNBEATABLE PRICES" or "WOW!" the deals sucked ass this year.

In previous years I've been up a little later than advised and stolled down the street to the heart of shopping in Canada - Yonge & Dundas in Toronto. The Eaton Centre is there, the big Best Buy and Future Shop, the giant HMV, and countless other random electronics, CD, game, and clothing stores. I usually walk away with a few hundred dollars spent on CDs, DVDs, games, and the like. This year? $14 spent on 2 DVDs, and one of those because it was cheaper than renting.

Oh, and a fair bit of the tired from getting up early, walking around for a few hours, and generally being unimpressed with the "deals". Plus I don't see the point of standing in line for 20 minutes just to save 15% on overpriced crap, which I get to then stand in line another 20 minutes to pay for.

Maybe if I was looking for a new TV or something I'd have found a deal I liked. But it seems I have everything I could need or want. I did get one other thing though - the solid conviction to sleep in next year and avoid the rest of the sheep who are falling for this.

Seriously - this year felt very much like, "we'll lure you in with 1 or 2 things that are mildly interesting, and then keep everything else overpriced." 20% off MSRP on CDs and DVDs? I can get a better deal any other day of the year.

They keep this crap up, and I won't be at all surprised when brick and mortar stores become nothing more than glorified pickup kiosks for their online counterparts. Hell, that's what they mostly are for me now anyway.

At least dinner was tasty.