I have a hunch stores are now hiring people to do stunts like this, for the publicity value.
Oh no. I live in Podunk U.S.A. and when T.S.C. moved up their black Friday sale to this morning @ 6 am i was the fourth in line there to purchase an item I had been looking at for several years.
There were people standing outside at 5:55 waiting for them to unlock. The kid in front of me said he had been there since 4am.
This was the first and only time I ever got up early to go buy something.. but the item was 300 bucks cheaper than their regular price.
I suspect reports will show low volumes of purchases this fall/winter .