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I just don’t understand the “Camper” mentality. Every year we cover several events where people sit outside retail stores for hours, and sometimes even days, as they try to be the first through the door, or the first to own this or that new item.
Right now, there are people camping outside Apple retailers waiting for the new iPhone. A few weeks ago, dozens camped out at IKEA waiting for the doors to open. Last year, it was the release of the PS3. Next month, it will probably be the release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” As I see people sitting there waiting ever so patiently, I just shake my head. Why wait out in the elements for a product you’ll be able to walk in and grab just hours after the “campers” did?
While the “Campers” beat you to the punch by several hours, and are already playing with their new found treasure, you could have enjoyed days worth other pleasures and that new iPhone, or that trip to IKEA just hours later. While it’s true you would have had to wait for a few weeks for a PS3, a margin of patience would probably paid off since you could pay the retail price for a second production run, while many “dedicated Campers” paid far more than retail just so they could play a couple games a month before the patient consumer.
So, to summarize – I just don’t get it.
