Waffle irons aren't the only thing impassioned shoppers get rowdy about. Nike's new Christmas release of Air Jordan Retro XI sneakers have caused several full-scale riots around the country since they hit stores this Thursday.
As thousands lined up to cop the new kicks in Atlanta, tensions rose, resulting in a too-eager mob of shoppers breaking down the mall's entrance and several people being arrested, including a mother who had left her children locked in the car while she tried to snag the sneakers.
In San Francisco, shoppers got equally out of line, resulting in shots being fired, the cops being called and the sale getting canceled. Florida police were forced to use pepper spray on uncontrollable crowds, Kentucky shoppers broke out into brawls and North Carolina sneaker heads saw the worst of all—shatterd glass and stampedes that crushed a young girl under a glass door.
Despite being released in apparel stores nationwide, the $180 Jordans are always is high demand, netting Nike "an estimated $1 billion", thanks to the company's widespread advertising campaigns for the limited-time-release sneaker.
What are your thoughts? Are these riots the result of a too-limited supply (each store only receives about 150 pairs of the coveted kicks), or are shoppers simply failing to show respect for fellow shoppers in the face of desirable products? Weigh in with your thoughts (and your retail horror stories) below.
