My local shop had a huge sale but the line was a total mess

The Comic Cave in Austin put all back issues at 50% off for a single Friday, so I got there at 7 AM and the line was already around the block. It took over two hours to get inside because people were cutting in line and arguing about who was there first. Do you think shops should use a ticket system for big sales to keep things fair?

2 comments

2 Comments

martinez.karen4d ago

The ticket idea from mason.margaret is solid, but it just moves the chaos to a different time. If they hand out tickets at 7 AM, you'd still have to get there at 5 AM to get a good number. Doesn't that just reward the people with the most free time instead of solving the crowd problem?

mason.margaret5d ago

Honestly, a ticket system sounds way better than a free-for-all. They could hand out numbered tickets when people show up, then call groups in order. That would stop line cutters completely because your spot is guaranteed. I've seen small bakeries do this for holiday orders and it works great. It just makes the whole thing less stressful for everyone.