Posted on 11/23/2005 2:19:49 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
2 hours, 1 minute ago
Shoppers waiting in line for the new Xbox 360 video game player scuffled outside a Wal-Mart Supercenter when a manager improvised rules for who would get the game first. It took more than 10 police officers to restore order, though no one was arrested.
A crowd of about 300 people were waiting late Monday for the game to go on sale at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. Some of them had waited 12 hours when a night manager said the Xboxes would be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, instead of using a number system devised by customers.
"That's when all hell broke loose," said Ben DiSabatino IV, a 23-year-old Bear, Del., resident, who had been waiting in line since 4 p.m.
"It was like a mosh pit," 30-year-old Michael Pearman of Newark, Del., told the Cecil Whig.
Some customers were knocked down and trampled, though there were no serious injuries, said Elkton Police Lt. Lawrence Waldridge.
An Elkton police officer assigned to monitor the crowd called for backup. In all, it took more than 10 officers from Elkton, the state police and the sheriff's office to restore peace.
Then Wal-Mart decided to cancel the sale and police ordered everyone to leave. A store employee who wouldn't give her full name told the Cecil Whig that some Xboxes were sold later that night.
The Xbox 360 premium system includes a hard drive, wireless controllers and cables for high-definition TVs. It retails for $399.
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Information from: Cecil Whig, http://www.cecilwhig.com
That's a low figure from some of the finished auctions I have seen. The highest one that I saw was won for $6000.00, I know it was probably a shill auction, but it has driven up the auction prices for the rest of them. If it is a legit auction, I applaude the seller for making that much of a profit.
I'll never forget shopping once on the day after Thanksgiving, out here in los angeles. It was like those clips you see of the subways in Japan. Folks just pushing you out of the way, it was insane, I'll never do it again. I don't remember it being like that back in Detroit. It was busy, yes, at the Malls, but no shoving.
Seems not much has changed since then
Is this a great country, or what?
wait, if a few years it will be commonplace to read about murders on line...shoving will be considered polite!!
Doogle
people send 400.00 on an mp3 player too... it's really amazing...
send = spend
Ping!
That's a crying shame...have you seen eBay lately?
Do you still have it? If so, have you played Half Life 2 yet?
you get to read how to avoid stupid impulsive shopping...
This is definitely shopping with a purpose.
I thought that the people who play Grand Theft Auto aren't violent. That they get their agression out in their living room.
You're not alone. I was listening to Rush yesterday and he was talking with someone about this very thing. Seems the stores sold out because people were not buying them for themselves or kids, but to resell on eBay.
Capitalism at it's best.
Anyway, that's why you'll have problems finding them, unless you want to pay the premium premium.
Or you could tell little Tommy to wait and get it cheaper later.
Personally speaking, I can't see paying $400~1500 bucks on a specialized Windoze box.
Get a joystick for your computer and go out and get him some PC games. You'll pay a lot less!
They are selling for $1500 and up on eBay right now. If I had one, that's what I'd do with it.
In January, you'll be able to buy them readily for $399. By June they'll be $199
Thanks for the info!! I guess I can wait till then and sell mine for now.
You really think that they will be down to $199 in 6 months? That would be worth waiting for (for me, anyway).
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