Posted on Fri, Nov 26, 2010 : 7:13 a.m.
Wait, how long is the Black Friday line at Target?
By Nathan Bomey
Just how long was the Black Friday shopping line at 3:45 a.m. outside the Target on Ann Arbor-Saline Road? Let's find out.
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Comments
Randy
Sat, Nov 27, 2010 : 11:16 a.m.
Clever reporting angle using a video-walk to give a sense of the enormity of the line. Nice job.
Michael
Fri, Nov 26, 2010 : 5:29 p.m.
I think the people who have jobs at Target, the landlord that leases the building to target and has staff the landlord hires to manage the property, the US distributors of those products made in China and the drivers and sales people that sell and deliver to Target in Michigan and around the US would all think this is a great sight to see after the very crappy economy we all have suffered through over the past three to five years. I have been to a number of factories in China, while there are abuses and bad business practices just like there are in the US in business (can anyone say banking and investment industry), the vast majority of factories in China provide incredible opportunities for the people they employee, are clean and well maintained, and the workers are treated fairly and their standard of living is greatly enhanced compared to how they lived prior to the factory work. Agreed it did not use to be that way, but demands of the market place made them shape up or lose business. I personally would rather not see the people of China live like they did back under Mao, the world is a better place because of these changes. As far as the true meaning of Christmas being lost, IMO Christmas is what I make of it for myself and for those close to me. How does a person standing in line waiting to get a good deal on a microwave have any impact on my personal meaning of Christmas? It doesn't. Who are any of us to judge these people's happiness or Christmas spirit because they get a good deal on an item they want or the opportunity to buy a gift for a loved one they can't afford at normal prices? Ross, if there had been a similar long line waiting outside of 16 hands or 10,000 villages you would have also objected? My bet is you would have been thrilled to see people shopping at a store you favor. This may not be your or my way of spending the day after Thanksgiving, but I personally am very glad to see people back in the stores shopping with the ability to buy again. Cheers!
TommyTuff
Fri, Nov 26, 2010 : 4:48 p.m.
I agree with Ross. They still make a profit on the microwave because it is only worth $10 to begin with! The true meaning of Christmas has been lost.
Ross
Fri, Nov 26, 2010 : 1 p.m.
Wow, what a disgusting display of consumerism. Everyone in that line makes me sad. Yay.. a $17 microwave... now your life is better. Enslave some people in a 3rd world country to manufacture some rock bottom quality disposable goods. We will mostly be making our own gifts this year, or shopping at fair trade stores such as 16 hands or 10000 villages on Main street. People want to complain about the sad state of our economy and country... then they stand in line all night to buy cheap plastic crap made in China.