A group of people in Florida have been living in a tent outside a Fort Myers Best Buy store for over two weeks in preparation for Black Friday, according to the New York Times. Derek De Armond set up the tent on the November 11th in order to avoid missing out on the biggest and best discounts being offered on tech products by the retail giant. He is waiting with three “teammates” who rotate their place in the tenant in order to keep their position in the queue.
The store is due to open at 5pm on Thanksgiving Day AKA Black Friday. The Black Friday craze – which involves companies selling tech products at remarkably low prices for one day only – has spread to a number of non-US markets, whilst critics have said that the trend is ruining what was a cherished holiday.
De Armond says that he won’t be missing out on the traditional turkey dinner – he will be dining with his teammates and sons inside the tent. Walmart have come under fire after apparently attempting to undermine Black Friday by spreading their offers out over a number of days. Products he is hoping to purchase on the big day itself include an iPad Air 2, which is to have $100 knocked off its asking price and a Panasonic 50-inch LED TV, which usually sells for $799.99 but will be on offer at just $199.99.
Will you be sidestepping traditional by spending your Thanksgiving waiting for a store to open its doors? Are there any deals you’ve got your eyes on? Let us know in the comments below.