If Black Friday news reports from the US have thought us anything it's that the annual "retail holiday" brings out the worst in humanity.
And yet, retailers on this side of the Atlantic seem intent on making it a thing. Right now, people across the country are working hard to secure their discounted clothes, electronics and appliances as if there's no tomorrow.
At least for the most part, the majority of people are doing their business online from the safety of their own homes and are avoiding some of the ugliness we regularly see happen in the states. Long may that continue, because this Reddit thread of Black Friday horror stories from people that used to work in retail shows that people's morals literally go out the window when there's a discount at stake.
Back in my poor college days when I worked at Walmart, we had a fight break out over a bike. Fists were thrown and there was some blood. Eventually one guy got ahold of it and managed to get away from the crowd, he rode the bike out of the store to flee his pursuers (without paying).
(Via KnowMatter)
I worked at Walmart for 4 years and worked all Black Fridays. I’ve seen a woman hit another woman in the chest with those toddler car boxes you drive in. Woman who got hit was a week or 3 post op of open heart surgery. Lots of blood. Right In front of me. No idea what happened to the woman who hit her. I do think she got the toy car purchased it and left.
(Via InfinityKitty)
I saw an elderly woman steal an ice cream maker out of a man in a wheelchair’s electric handicapped cart. He got a security guard, and she flat out denied it, saying the man was using his handicap to embarrass her. I lost a little faith in humanity in that moment. I followed her and took stuff out of her cart and put it back on the shelves and out random embarrassing items in their place.
(Via Madamimadam89)
I worked at Toys-R-Us when the original Furby came out. I walked in the back doors right before my shift, when doors were supposed to open. I had people follow me in and assault me trying to get a damn Furby. Then when doors finally did open, one parent pushed my coworker to the ground and jumped on top of a pile of people to get one from the display. She ended up kicking some poor schmuck in the head and grabbed a Furby and stuffed it down her shirt, and tried to casually walk out and steal it.
(Via MsKnee)
I work as a Deputy in the suburbs of a fairly large city. My very first Black Friday on the streets, I had to respond to a knife fight outside ToysRUs that started over line jumpers. Ugh, still makes me shudder. I hate knives..
(Via Lochnefmonster)
Manager at GameStop: kid pooped on our floor because his mom didn’t want to leave and have to stand in line again.
(Via JSalazar3)
Managing checklanes at Target today. Lines wrapped around entire store. Guy hands me gallon of milk saying “we’re not waiting in this line” and leaves with his two daughters. Who goes into Target on Black Friday at store open for a gallon of milk?
(Via MistyJungle)
Via Uproxx
