While we wind down from the holidays this year many of us are pleased with the time we spent with family and what was waiting for us under the tree. But did you ever consider resorting to violence to get that special someone something they really wanted for Christmas? Most would probably say no, but as reports show every year the hot new hard-to-find products have a history of turning consumers into mad shoppers.
Nike’s new retro Air Jordans (which were made to look like the originals from 1984) had a limited release the Friday before Christmas and drove potential buyers to sleep overnight in store parking lots across the country.
Sports Illustrated reports about some of the incidences and arrests that occurred during the release of these shoes. In Seattle large crowds were pushing, fighting, and breaking down doors to the point that law enforcement had to step in and use pepper spray.
Reports from Jersey City, NJ about a brawl that broke out between people in line ended in a stabbing. A Georgia woman left her two toddlers in the car while she went in to the store to find the shoes, meanwhile bystanders had to break open her window to save the children. In Tukwila, WA police report that crowds were on the verge of starting a riot before police stepped in.
With this sort of chaos going on at stores for a sneaker that costs almost $200, you have to expect online sellers are coming up with extravagant price points in a bid to draw in shoppers who failed to score the shoes at the stores. Time magazine's Moneyland blog reports that sellers on Amazon and eBay were asking anywhere from $400 - $975 for the kicks.
And while these reports sound outrageous we have to ask ourselves what drives consumers to behave this way over a pair of sneakers or whatever the popular hot holiday product happens to be each year?
Have you ever found yourself in a shopping craze trying to find the hot new item to fulfill a wish list?
Share you shopping experiences here!
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