Camping outside a shop?

oppenheimer1 · 28-05-2010 11:12pm #1

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23839205-apple-ipad-goes-on-sale-in-uk-after-shoppers-queue-overnight.do

I saw this in the paper this evening and wondered to myself, "would I give up a nights sleep, and camp on the street to buy an item?" I actually could never see myself getting so wrapped up in hype to do that for anything. In fact the most I've ever done was go to ticketmaster an hour before ticket sales started back in the day.

Back in London, first in the queue at the Regent Street store was Jake Lee, a 17-year-old performing arts student from Essex.

He arrived at midday yesterday, and was offered £500 to give up his place in the queue this morning. He declined, and said it felt “amazing” to finally own the new Apple creation.

“I've been waiting for months, but I couldn't believe it when everyone was standing there chanting. I really thought I would just be able to walk in here and get one, I didn't think I would be the first.”

Are peoples lives really so unfulfilled that they need a product launch to make themselves feel good? Or am I getting it all wrong? Has anyone here camped out for the latest gadget, and if you have, why?

epgc3fyqirnbsx · 28-05-2010 11:15pm

I cannot for the life of me understand this, when you could still get it a little while later.

I think it's for poor unfortunates who will run straight home and take a pic of themselves with said device so that they can boast to their virtual 'friends'

Madness!

KeithM89_old · 28-05-2010 11:17pm

Did it myself a few years ago for my PS3 and gta:san andreas but now i couldnt be bothered - also the chance of getting stabbed is huge

28-05-2010 11:21pm

I went to a 24 hour tesco at midnight to get a furby on the release date back then when!

Gladiator. · 28-05-2010 11:22pm

Keithm89 wrote: »

Did it myself a few years ago for my PS3 and gta:san andreas but now i couldnt be bothered - also the chance of getting stabbed is huge

Can you blame them for wanting to stab you? It is very irritating to see a bunch of eggheads curled up outside a shop waiting for it to open.

Mike 1972 · 28-05-2010 11:23pm

You see it a lot just after Christmas people camping out to get an £X00 item for £X

I actually know a guy who did this twice
Complete tosspot

KeithM89_old · 28-05-2010 11:24pm

Gladiator. wrote: »

Can you blame them for wanting to stab you? It is very irritating to see a bunch of eggheads curled up outside a shop waiting for it to open.

Harsh

davyjose · 28-05-2010 11:24pm

I'd queue if it meant someone was going to offer me £500 for my place. Fcuk yeah!

alwaysadub · 28-05-2010 11:26pm

No,i wouldn't be bothered. I usually wait a few months till the price comes down!
My brother in law queued up for the playstation when it first came here,he got like the 2nd one in Ireland. Even he wonders why he did it now!

Royal Seahawk · 28-05-2010 11:27pm

After Bruce Springsteen's Saturday night gig in the RDS last summer I instantly went across the road with a few friends and started queuing for Sunday night's gig so we'd get right up the front of the pit for it.
We did have beers though and a big Bruce singalong with other hardcore fans so it was well worth it, Sunday's gig was class too.

lil'bug · 28-05-2010 11:27pm

i did for the last harry potter book but it was inside a shopping centre so it wasn't so bad, i think i was there for around 2 hours or so

oppenheimer1 · 28-05-2010 11:28pm

I can almost understand it for a concert ticket, they do sell out and often there won't be more released. However for a phone/console/gadget I can't. People have been able to live perfectly fine without things like iPads and the like, I can't see how owning one minutes after the store opens can make anyones life better. Why then don't people wait until the middle of the day? Anyone whos done it able to explain their reasons for camping out?

starbelgrade · 28-05-2010 11:31pm

I've seen loads of camp people on the street.

Gladiator. · 28-05-2010 11:31pm

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Anyone whos done it able to explain their reasons for camping out?

Severe mental retardation

epgc3fyqirnbsx · 28-05-2010 11:32pm

Yeah concert tickets are understandable.
But when it comes to something like an iPhone, I wouldn't even want a first or second generation one anyway cos there's always gonna be bugs that need to be sorted and they come on leaps and bounds in the first couple of years

alwaysadub · 28-05-2010 11:32pm

Royal Seahawk wrote: »

After Bruce Springsteen's Saturday night gig in the RDS last summer I instantly went across the road with a few friends and started queuing for Sunday night's gig so we'd get right up the front of the pit for it.
We did have beers though and a big Bruce singalong with other hardcore fans so it was well worth it, Sunday's gig was class too.

OutlawPete's gonna be jealous :pac:

Redmal · 28-05-2010 11:42pm

There was a photo in the local paper in Limerick this week of a man who queued up for 24 hours for a mattress. Thats right, a mattress.

starbelgrade · 28-05-2010 11:44pm

Redmal wrote: »

There was a photo in the local paper in Limerick this week of a man who queued up for 24 hours for a mattress. Thats right, a mattress.

Any man who spends 24 hours outside a shop could have done with a matress.

ejmaztec · 28-05-2010 11:48pm

starbelgrade wrote: »

I've seen loads of camp people on the street.

Loitering with intent?

starbelgrade · 28-05-2010 11:51pm

ejmaztec wrote: »

Loitering with intent?

Loitering with a certain amount of panache, usually.

rainbowtrout · 28-05-2010 11:52pm

Not in about 15 years when I was queuing for concert tickets.. back in the days before ticketmaster online.

scudzilla · 28-05-2010 11:55pm

So this dope was offered 500 yo-yo's for his place in the queue, that would have paid for the thing!!

Why didn't he take the money, and wlak to the back of the queue, free iThing

kingtut · 28-05-2010 11:56pm

lil'bug wrote: »

i did for the last harry potter book but it was inside a shopping centre so it wasn't so bad, i think i was there for around 2 hours or so

Lol I remember the queues for this! and to think it was available to download online a few days before its official release :pac:

ejmaztec · 28-05-2010 11:57pm

The danger with this game is that you spend so long queuing up, you eventually forget what you're there for, and after the amnesia takes a hold, you forget everything else, and you spend the rest of your life wandering the streets, dragging a cardboard box behind you.

starbelgrade · 28-05-2010 11:58pm

kingtut wrote: »

Lol I remember the queues for this! and to think it was available to download online a few days before its official release :pac:

I was in Longford with my 10 year old nephew the day it was released. We went into a shop to get the book at around 10am. Not a sinner in the shop, loads of copies of the book there.

Then again, you wouldn't expect most Dubs to realise that there are shops outside the Pale.

Pauleta · 28-05-2010 11:58pm

Seen this on the news earlier. It was the saddest thing ive ever seen especially the "staff" singing and clapping. WTF was that all about

I camped outside ticketmaster for AC/DC tickets before, in which i was vindicated as it sold out after 10 minutes.

Hank_Jones · 29-05-2010 12:04am

I heard someone talking on the radio earlier after queueing to get an ipad.

He said...

''I'm so happy, this is the greatest day of my life.''

I shit you not.

I'm kind of disgusted that there are people like that in the world.

James G · 29-05-2010 12:10am

I'd queue up just so I could sell my place.

starbelgrade · 29-05-2010 12:14am

I wonder if anyone has ever camped outside a camping shop?

Venom · 29-05-2010 12:23am

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23839205-apple-ipad-goes-on-sale-in-uk-after-shoppers-queue-overnight.do

I saw this in the paper this evening and wondered to myself, "would I give up a nights sleep, and camp on the street to buy an item?" I actually could never see myself getting so wrapped up in hype to do that for anything. In fact the most I've ever done was go to ticketmaster an hour before ticket sales started back in the day.

Are peoples lives really so unfulfilled that they need a product launch to make themselves feel good? Or am I getting it all wrong? Has anyone here camped out for the latest gadget, and if you have, why?

Reminds me of the iphone launch day idiot who payed $800 for the 1st in line spot with her awesome plan to buy the stores entire stock and ebay them :rolleyes:

Didn't quite work out for her .........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BiQhNKVgzQ

stovelid · 29-05-2010 12:31am

I'm of the school of thought that nothing is worth this.

Although you could at least mortally embarrass yourself for something better than a fridge or bed.

oppenheimer1 · 21-06-2010 5:43pm

I was just looking in the Apple forum (yes there is one) and there are expeditions going north [and one to Belgium] for the launch of the iPhone in the UK. Hotel stays and being there for 8am have been mentioned. I still don't get it, and no one over there has been able to enlighten me as to why they're going to such lengths to have one.

Another bizarre thing I've noticed on youtube are "unboxing" videos. Has anyone here ever felt the need to make one? Whats the point?

Our man in Havana · 21-06-2010 6:18pm

I have queued overnight outside the American embassy to get a work visa for the states. I would do it again no hesitation.

mikemac · 21-06-2010 6:41pm

I waited two hours in the train station to buy tickets for the GAA special for the All Ireland final, massive queue

This was before Ireland had a great network of motorways, though I still don't drive.
No online booking back then either.

When Cork reach finals people queue for train tickets also, that's not my county btw

df1985 · 21-06-2010 6:59pm

Venom wrote: »

Reminds me of the iphone launch day idiot who payed $800 for the 1st in line spot with her awesome plan to buy the stores entire stock and ebay them :rolleyes:

Didn't quite work out for her .........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BiQhNKVgzQ

I laughed at the girl who says "im in line for a friend"......sure ya are love!

Ostrom · 21-06-2010 7:26pm

Worse are those who post 'unboxing' videos on youtube

phasers · 21-06-2010 7:30pm

I queued from 6pm til midnight for the final Harry Potter book...

I got it for free, plus free food and a big goody bag. It was a good laugh too.

I remember there were other people queueing up for a midnight screening of X Men or something and I thought they were nerdy :pac:

I was in a shopping centre though, the people who camp on the street are mental.

Gummy Panda · 21-06-2010 7:38pm

phasers wrote: »

I queued from 6pm til midnight for the final Harry Potter book...

I got it for free, plus free food and a big goody bag. It was a good laugh too.

I remember there were other people queueing up for a midnight screening of X Men or something and I thought they were nerdy :pac:

I was in a shopping centre though, the people who camp on the street are mental.

NERD!

phasers · 21-06-2010 7:39pm

Gummy Panda wrote: »

NERD!

Haters gonna hate :cool:

Blisterman · 21-06-2010 8:20pm

I know when the PS3 came out in England, some shop gave them out free to the first 10 customers, which seems alright.

DonkeyStyle \o/ · 21-06-2010 8:25pm

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Are peoples lives really so unfulfilled that they need a product launch to make themselves feel good? Or am I getting it all wrong? Has anyone here camped out for the latest gadget, and if you have, why?

I've wondered the same thing.
One reasonable excuse I heard was that there's a good atmosphere, a kind of nerd party/celebration. I suppose if you're that excited about it and want to share that excitement with like-minded people, then sure what's the harm.

Couldn't bring myself to do it personally... I walk out of shops if I have to queue longer than 5-10 minutes... I'll even put things back on the shelf before I leave.
I'm pretty committed to my hatred of standing in line... if a company isn't willing to staff their shop properly, then they lose my business. So I can definitely not relate to camping outside of shops.

Camping outside a shop?

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