By early morning, hundreds of shoppers, mostly ladies, were seen milling around Edgars and Jet Stores, peeking inside to see which clothes and sections they should target when doors were eventually opened.
When doors were opened, it was a stampede as they rushed inside and started picking up as many clothes as they could, selecting their sizes when they had them in hand.
Soon, some shelves were empty as the discounts were too irresistible. Some clothes which normally ranged from $30 to $85 had been slashed and were being sold for between $20 and $30.
Some women hunted in packs as they collaborated in their shopping. For example, others would target the blouses section and pick sizes for themselves and their counterparts, while others made a beeline for the skirts, jeans or tops.
In the melee, others were on their cellphones calling friends and colleagues for reinforcements in the shopping spree. By 10AM, the shelves were empty at Edgars Stores which made some women camp outside a storeroom in the store as the shop's workers had promised that they would bring out more discounted clothes.
When these clothes were brought to them, it was like a piranha fish feeding frenzy as shoppers' hands snapped clothes off the rack. Some mischievous ones were seen grabbing them from people's hands as they fought tooth and nail to get clothes.
Screams and yells punctuated the air during this time. In no time, there were long winding queues with people carrying a variety of clothes for themselves and their family members and ready to pay for them.
Some paid with cash, EcoCash, swipe or through their credit accounts. At TV Sales and Hire, there was no such frenzy as it was business as usual with not much of a Black Friday there.
There were basically two to three items on sale which most customers said were still way above their budgets as the products were pricey. Globally, on Black Friday, it is estimated online that $6 billion is spent during the shopping frenzy.
