Wild stories of Black Friday
Black Friday has become legendary not just for its deals but also for the wild stories that emerge from this day of retail madness. Over the years, there have been numerous tales of shoppers going to extreme lengths to snag the best bargains, and many of these stories are as funny as they are absurd. Here are some of the most extreme and hilarious Black Friday moments:
- The Tent City Campouts
It’s not uncommon for eager shoppers to camp out overnight for the best Black Friday deals, but some have taken it to a whole new level. In 2014, a group of shoppers set up tents two weeks before Black Friday outside of a Best Buy in California. What made the situation even more absurd was that while they camped outside in the cold, they were seen sitting comfortably inside the tents playing video games on laptops and watching TV! Their commitment to Black Friday was both extreme and amusing, turning the sidewalk into a mini village of determined deal-seekers.
- The TV Tug-of-War
Perhaps one of the most iconic Black Friday images is of shoppers battling over flat-screen TVs. In 2011, a viral video captured a particularly intense tug-of-war between two women fighting over a discounted television at a Walmart in Arkansas. The scene unfolded like something out of a slapstick comedy, with neither shopper willing to let go of the box. Eventually, store employees had to step in and break it up, leaving both women frustrated and empty-handed. The sheer determination to secure that big-screen TV—and the comical struggle—became an infamous symbol of Black Friday craziness.
- Pepper Spray Mayhem
In 2011, a shopper in a Los Angeles Walmart took “competitive shopping” to a new level of absurdity. When a crowd of people swarmed to grab Xbox consoles on sale, one woman reportedly panicked and pulled out a can of pepper spray, using it to fend off other shoppers. Around 20 people were treated for exposure to the spray. The incident became one of the most extreme examples of Black Friday chaos, blending both humor (the idea of someone bringing pepper spray to shop) and disbelief that it could get so out of hand. The woman reportedly paid for her Xbox and slipped away into the crowd, only to later turn herself in to the police!
- The Great Tumble Dryer Rush
In 2017, shoppers at a British appliance store, Currys PC World, were eager to get their hands on discounted washing machines and tumble dryers. As the doors opened, people rushed inside, but one shopper took things to a comical extreme. A man reportedly jumped inside a tumble dryer to “secure it” while waiting for a store assistant. The sight of him crammed into the dryer, guarding his purchase, became a viral sensation. His strategy paid off—no one dared to challenge him for the appliance!
- The One-Dollar Deal Frenzy
In 2010, Urban Outfitters decided to create an outrageous promotion for Black Friday—offering one-dollar mystery bags. These bags, which contained surprise items, drew massive crowds. As soon as the store opened, chaos erupted, with customers practically stampeding to grab as many of the bags as they could. A viral video from the event showed people leaping over counters and ripping open bags right there in the store to see what treasures they contained. For some, it wasn’t even about what was inside the bag—it was the thrill of the one-dollar bargain!
- The Walmart Bouncy House Incident
In 2013, a group of pranksters decided to bring some humor to the Black Friday madness at a Walmart in Texas. They set up a giant bouncy house outside the store’s entrance, complete with a sign that read “Black Friday Stress Relief Zone.” Shoppers were invited to take a break from the madness by bouncing around inside the inflatable castle. The sight of exhausted shoppers taking a few minutes to jump up and down in the bouncy house while carrying bags full of discounted goods added a whimsical element to an otherwise hectic day.
- The Guy Who Went to Walmart for "Banter"
One of the more hilarious Black Friday tales comes from a British man who became somewhat of an online legend. In 2014, a man named Karl decided to spend his entire Black Friday at Walmart—but not to shop. He live-tweeted his entire experience, documenting the chaos around him purely for entertainment. From watching shoppers argue over vacuum cleaners to observing people lose all sense of decorum, his running commentary made the entire experience comedic gold. His dry, witty observations about human behavior in the face of discounts had Twitter followers in stitches. One of his most famous quotes was: "People punching each other in the face over TVs. It's like a scene from a documentary about apes discovering a new food source."
- The Pillow Fight of 2006
In a Macy’s store in Michigan, a Black Friday deal on bedding sparked an unlikely scene: a full-blown pillow fight. Customers were so eager to get their hands on discounted pillows that they began throwing them at each other in a mad dash to grab the best ones. What started as a fight over products soon turned into a playful pillow battle, with laughter replacing anger as shoppers embraced the absurdity of the moment. This impromptu pillow fight has gone down in Black Friday history as one of the more lighthearted and ridiculous moments of the day.
These stories show the wild side of Black Friday, blending humor, chaos, and human determination in the pursuit of the best possible deals. While some of the behavior can seem extreme or even a little crazy, it’s also a testament to the lengths people will go to for a bargain—and the ridiculous situations that can unfold in the process!