Hundreds of people lined up hours before the store opened in order to paint the great deals.
"So I saw the ad and was like 'oh good deal, 99 cents for a scooter.' You can't beat it because the market value is like probably like $40 to $50," said shopper Jolon Nicolau.
Nicolau showed up at 3 a.m., and one of 99 in line able to buy a scooter for only 99 cents. The first lucky nine in line were able to score an apple iPod nano for a mere 99 cents as well.
"This is the best deal you can find anywhere right? 99 cents for an iPod nano," said shopper Ericson Tianzi.
It certainly is. The store will continue offering promotional deals, but none as good as the first day's.
]]>@treimel: Not at all. Notice I didn't say "how much do you make at work," I said "How much is your time worth" and "even if you value your time at the federal minimum wage..." That is to say not "How much does your job pay," but rather if you stop and think about it, do you REALLY consider trading 5-6 hours of your life for a cheap kick scooter a worthwhile trade?
When you're not "at work", you presumably compensate yourself for your time doing things you find rewarding. If you find sitting out all night in line to get a cheap scooter for $1 rewarding, more power to you. As long as you've considered whether it's worth it to you. I think most people just say "Oooh free stuff" and never give it any consideration beyond that.
]]>@Nascar24Dude: Here in New York City, we pay 8.875% sales tax. It's a function of three tax rates:
1. State - 4%
2. New York City - 4.5%
3. METROPOLITAN COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT - 0.375%
And we have New York State income tax, New York City income tax as well.
Isn't it wonderful to live here in the Big Apple?
@LeChiffre: Hey, I read it the same way. You are not alone.
]]>@admiral_stabbin & @Xkeeper:
[www.imdb.com]
Bixby Snyder: I'd buy that for a dollar!
]]>@ZeusThaber:
Here in Tennessee, $.09 in sales tax on a $1.00 item is about right (I think it's around 9.3%). But, then again, we don't have a state income tax here.
To the rest of you who took my above comment seriously... wow. Lol.
]]>and I though $.06 was on the high side.
*shakes fist at the fat cats in Sacramento*
]]>@admiral_stabbin: I'm somewhat sure it was "I'd", too.
]]>Here's hoping you learn that lesson next!
I kid, I kid. But seriously, read the article instead of taking comments at face value, most comment sections of most of the internet are chock full of sarcasm and other bits of humor. ;)
]]>@treimel: Thank you for mirroring my exact thoughts and counter arguments to that position.
]]>The Best Fricking store on the planet after Nordstroms.
]]>I always remember him saying, "I'd buy that for a dollar!", but I don't have the greatest memory.
]]>But when I moved to Austin I emailled to ask why it looked like they'd just closed some in Texas, and they replied that Texas hadn't been good sales for them so they were pulling out of the state entirely. Odd...
]]>@MeOhMy:
One thing about these "what's your time worth" arguments: if the actual time your spending is not being compensated, then it's pretty close to meaningless. That is, if you have to take time off from a strictly hourly job, then, yes, the argument works--otherwise, no, you most certainly have not "spent" any money in opportunity cost any more than you "spend" more than $50 sleeping every night.
]]>I've been in the .99 Store here in San Antonio, and it was perhaps the most depressing experience I've had in recent memory.
]]>@MeOhMy: If I was in line for about five hours, I could read a whole book and start on another one. Some people wait forever at the DMV - some people wait for 99 cent iPods.
]]>@MeOhMy: But if you're unemployed you might as well try.. Got nothin but time anyway, right?
]]>ipod Nanos 3rd gen 8GB for 99 cents. (to the lucky first 10 people)
]]>Then they flip the cash register over.
]]>practically have to give away ipods now. glad i got a zune. just kidding i dont have a zune or ipod.
]]>Hmmm, wonder if it was a real iPod or an "iPod like" knockoff.
]]>How much is your time worth? If it's really an iPod Nano (and not a Shuffle) maybe it's a good deal.
But the Scooter? It's worth $50. Even if you only value your time at the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr, you "spent" almost $50 worth of time waiting in line for 5-6 hours!
]]>@Nate128: So this guy thought because there was this awesome promotion, he'd be exempted from sales tax?
]]>Maybe something awesome will happen where you're at before you have to leave again.
]]>@GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee: That's right, Chief. Or, do you prefer Kaiser?
]]>Brilliant marketing. Impressive.
]]>@Oranges w/ Cheese has 2 cats! ahahaha.: It's San Jose. Everyone's chipped and tracked over there. :P
]]>@Herbz: Yes, and now that industry is asking for help from the government because they're falling on hard times.
]]>... and it comes to $154.21
Wait, I think I have this story confused with something else....
]]>I love going into 99 cent stores and asking the employees for price checks ; )
]]>@Oranges w/ Cheese has 2 cats! ahahaha.: That's the first thing I thought, too.
]]>