Best Buy in Lubbock. Picture taken by Ali Holdridge.
While customers line up outside to hopefully save money on door buster deals, employees inside are biting their nails in anticipation of the catastrophe that is coming.
Stories about shoppers and employees dying in pursuit to save the most money and offer good customer service fill media outlets. In Lubbock, retail workers say it is not too bad.
Tanner Warmoth, a freshman electronic media and communication major from Lubbock, has worked at Best Buy for over three years. He is now an autotech for the technologically savvy Geek Squad but, he has previously worked as a sales person. Warmoth wrote in an e-mail that Best Buy is a stop for most people on Black Friday.
“Best Buy gets incredibly busy on Black Friday,” Warmoth wrote. “In fact, the other year the line wrapped around our store, and extended into the parking lot. People generally camp out a few days early, even spending all of their Thanksgiving holiday sitting in front of our store, to be sure they get what they wanted.”
Old Navy employees Emily Compton and Danielle Williams smile through the holiday season. Picture taken in December 2013 by Sarah Self-Walbrick.
Warmoth wrote that Best Buy’s discounts on expensive items help bring in customers. He wrote that the store will begin Black Friday deals at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving day, and will close at 1 a.m. Friday morning. The store will reopen at 8 a.m. on Friday. Warmoth wrote that there is a slow period between 3 a.m. to 7 a.m., which is why the store will close for a few hours. He wrote that every department has a different system for dealing with customers.
“For the most part, when we assist customers on Black Friday, it is just getting them the products that they wanted, since most customers know exactly what they want,” Warmoth wrote. “As the day drags on, however, we start to see more customers who don’t necessarily know what they want and instead just want to see what kind of deals they can get.”
Kyelee Buehne, a senior speech language pathology major from Dodge City, Kansas, wrote in an e-mail that the shoe department at Academy is not as chaotic as other areas of the store. She wrote that the popular items at Academy are typically bicycles, guns and ammunition, and trampolines.
Buehne wrote that last year, she did not even work in her usual department. She wrote that moving the employees to different departments is one of the worst parts of Black Friday at her store.
“Depending on the time of day, people can be cranky, but they just seem to be stressed out, and I’ve gotten good at ignoring mean people,” Buehne wrote. “The biggest problem with Black Friday is most of the footwear employees will get pulled out of the department to go help load bigger items or go be a back-up cashier, which leaves us short handed at certain times of the day.”
Buehne wrote that she does not understand the appeal of Black Friday, since many of the sales last through Christmas. Warmoth wrote that he thinks the offers are too good for customers to pass up, especially on the items they want or need.
One of the worst parts of working Black Friday is missing out on family time. Warmoth wrote that because he goes into work at 4:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving, he will miss out on some family time.
The boys denim wall at Old Navy after a busy day. Picture by Sarah Self-Walbrick in 2013.
“I won’t be entirely missing out on Thanksgiving but, I will have to expedite most of our plans,” Warmoth wrote. “Unfortunately, I will be missing out on some valuable family time, and on watching the Thanksgiving night NFL games, which I have always done with my family.”
Buehne wrote that her family was willing to adjust their normal holiday schedule so she could be with them.
“Last year I missed Christmas, and I didn’t think it would bother me, but on Christmas day it all hit me in the afternoon that most people were with their families,” Buehne wrote. “This year, I had Thanksgiving with my family the weekend before, and on Thanksgiving day my best friend and roommate and I are going to cook and spend time together, because he’s staying in Lubbock too.”
Buehne wrote that working retail has given her more appreciation for other members of the customer service industry.
About Sarah Self-Walbrick
