“I’m betting the crowd was egged on by a media presence. Isn’t inciting a riot against the law, even if it does make for exciting footage on the evening news?”
A good recipe for a riot is advertising an incredible deal “while supplies last” - when everyone knows that item will be sold to the first 100 or 200 customers.
I’m reminded of last year’s Toys R Us ad for a $300 Zune on sale that day for $100.
Hundreds waited outside for hours in the bitter winter wind.
How many did they actually have in stock?
15.
I've never understood this. They have a sale on the most popular toy for ridiculously low prices. A thousand people show up. They lose money on the sale and they have 985 pissed off people who probably stomp out of the store without buying anything. Or maybe the first steal a few things before leaving, just to 'get even.'
If the thing is in demand, sell it at full price! You will get rid off all of them quickly, you will make a profit, and will not have a bunch of angry losers in your store.