I decided to join in the frenzy and attempt a Black Friday sale for the first time this morning. The lines, crowds and craziness always seemed so unappealing to me, but my boyfriend and I decided to set a price limit on Christmas presents this year, so when I saw a great deal on a digital camera, well within the price range, in a Staples circular yesterday, I decided to venture out.

The Kodak camera was on sale for $79.99, a savings of over $50, plus it came with a free 1 GB memory card and a free Canon photo printer! There were lots of cameras on sale all over, at all different stores, but with the added value of the memory card and the printer, this was a deal I couldn’t resist. So, I woke myself up at 5 a.m., threw on some sweats and headed over to the local Staples. I arrived just as the doors were opening and grabbed my spot in line.

I wasn’t too far back in line, maybe 20th, but it seemed like most of the people in front of me were grabbing up the HP laptops for $399 and the TomTom navigation systems for $99. I saw a few cameras and printers being carted out of the store, but as the line moved, and I was only three people away from the prize, I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw a big stack of cameras still left. Two people stood between me and the register - both of them were there for the camera deal as well. My heart sank as the man two spots in front of me grabbed a camera and printer and the salesperson announced he only had one more printer left. Of course, the lady in front of me snatched it up. They didn’t grant rain checks and without the printer, the deal just was not as appealing. After all that, I left empty-handed and with a bad taste in my mouth for Black Friday and a great feeling of annoyance at Staples!

Here is where I interject a few complaints. First, how can you stock 50 cameras and 20 printers? It seems to me that if you are offering a package deal, you should probably stock equal numbers of the products. In addition, Staples was offering free photo printers with any digital camera purchases for the entire weekend, so it seems to me they will have a lot of disgruntled customers this weekend. And, even if they get more, it wasn’t going to happen before 11 a.m., when the Kodak camera offer expired. Secondly, the lady in front of me was alone at the store and I let her get out of line to grab something and get back in line. So much for karma - I was nice and the lady got the last item. My new philosophy - you move out of line, you lose your spot! Of course, my holiday spirit will always win out and I’ll let people back in line. I know I’ll find a camera deal somewhere else.

So, after my first trip out on a Black Friday, I am just thankful I didn’t go to Best Buy or WalMart. I just don’t think I could handle all that. In the end, I don’t think the Black Friday savings are worth my sanity or the aggravation. Next time, I’m staying in bed!

-Kimberly Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive