History Main / RetailRiot

* ''Film/Thanksgiving2023'': The catalyst of the film’s events is a massive riot at a local superstore on Black Friday, triggered by Jessica and her friends sneaking in though an employee entrance and being seen by the rabid shoppers. The carnage that results causes at least three deaths and Bobby’s arm getting horribly broken.

* The French novel ''Literature/{{Au Bonheur des Dames}}'' features one deliberately engineered by the store's owner" by piling up various cheap items to nearly block the front door, the shrunken entrance makes it look like people are clamoring to get inside, which only attracts more people to see what the fuss is all about. On one big opening day, it nearly sparks a riot until the police intervene, which of course causes ''more'' people to come in.

* Misty from the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' anime fights over an item of clothing with a larger woman while in Celadon City.

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[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* One chapter of ''Manga/MyMonsterSecret'' sees Mikan, Aizawa, and Shiho try to take advantage of the limited daily sales at a local supermarket. Unfortunately for them, the local housewives are ''also'' at the sale, forcing them to team up to have a shot. After invoking a goddess of fortune, utilizing alien technology, and magical pervert powers, they come away with a single carton of eggs for their trouble.

[[folder:ComicBooks]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* In ''Series/HannahMontana: TheMovie'', Hannah Montana and Tyra Banks ruin the shoe dept. of a Belk store over a pair of boots.

* The French novel ''Au Bonheur des Dames'' features one deliberately engineered by the store's owner" by piling up various cheap items to nearly block the front door, the shrunken entrance makes it look like people are clamoring to get inside, which only attracts more people to see what the fuss is all about. On one big opening day, it nearly sparks a riot until the police intervene, which of course causes ''more'' people to come in.

[[folder:Live-ActionTV]]

* In a Christmas episode of ''Series/TheJackBennyShow'', a mob of housewives is shown in a store with merchandise (clothing) flying everywhere. Jack crawls out from beneath them and makes sarcastic commentary on holiday shopping.
* On ''Series/LieToMe'', the B-Plot for "Black Friday" involves the team trying to figure out what caused a fight to break out in front of a store.

-->'''Lois''': All right, we’re going in. You see anything your size, you grab it and hold onto it, no matter what anyone tries to do to you. Protect your heads. Don’t trust anyone.\\

* ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'' had a scene talking about this once, with Dorothy making it sound like everyone else was doing the pushing and pulling and hitting, and then she says she still got what she was after.
* In an episode of ''Series/{{Bones}}'' the VictimOfTheWeek was a {{Bridezilla}}, and Booth & Bones go to the bridal shop where she bought her dress when they happen to be having their one-day-a-year sale. Wedding dresses all over the place and future brides fighting over them.
* One episode of ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' referred to a particular shoe sale as a "feeding frenzy." A flashback shows women literally fighting over the shoes, and upon losing a pair Lily tells the other women that "she'd made the list, bitch."
* The Black Friday episode of ''Series/{{Superstore}}'': The mob of customers actually broke down the front door seconds before it opened.

[[folder:NewspaperComics]]

* From Website/CollegeHumor, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRgbxhHxDoE one video]] has Katie outlining her Black Friday haul. As she shows her haul, it's clear that she killed at least three people for merchandise, and kidnapped a woman for her shoes.
* [[http://notalwaysright.com/coming-soon-to-not-always-right-a-zombie-apocalypse/16132 One comic strip]] on Website/NotAlwaysRight showed "Why dealing with customers is worse than a ZombieApocalypse". It states that "[[NoZombieCannibals Zombies will never attack each other, even when supplies are scarce]]" while "Customers ''will'' attack each other, especially when supplies are scarce".

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' when a tornado is about to come through. Mega Lo Mart shelves are emptied by customers and fighting over merchandise including a bundle pack of oil filters Hank is trying to buy (which he only need one).
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' revolved around Dexter's Mom fighting another mother over an item (washing gloves) on sale. Mom won.
* One episode of the 1999 ''WesternAnimation/WoodyWoodpecker'' series had him and Wally Walrus fighting over the last action figure in the store for their respective nephews (and niece, in Woody's case). They end up breaking it, but [[HereWeGoAgain there's a new must-have toy the kids want anyway]].

* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'' began with the titular hero in a wheelchair, apparently due to some sort of skiing accident. Launchpad then comments that he was lucky only his legs got broken- "I told you things got rough at those ski shop sales!"
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' When Timmy [[FreakyFridayFlip switches bodies]] with his mother due to a bet with Wanda, he has to do all the things his mother does every day. One of the tasks was to buy clothes, which he thought would be completely boring. ''Boy, was he wrong!''
* ''WesternAnimation/LesSisters'': The episode “Sisters Soldes” had Marine, Wendy, Sandrine, Rachel, and Rachel’s mother, along with several other characters, go to a clothing store’s annual sale with this trope in full effect: Rachel and Wendy get into a rough physical fight for a dress, the security guard gets trampled by crowds, etc. Marine uses the trope to her advantage by [[spoiler: making a fake announcement about discount prices on the intercom so a huge crowd of people trample Rachel and her mom in an attempt to get the discount.]]
* An Al Brodax ''ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}'' cartoon had Olive at a department store involved in such a scene. She buys something, decides she doesn't want it, then gets Popeye to get a refund for which he has to cut red tape lengthwise. When one of the items Popeye is thrown turned out to be the only one left, the women clamoring for it are out for his head on a platter.
* ''WesternAnimation/OKKOLetsBeHeroes'': In "Super Black Friday" Rad, Enid, and K.O. are subject to crowds of crazed holiday shoppers on [[YouMeanXmas Shucksgiving]], with K.O. getting trampled underfoot, Enid having to fend off the horde with her scanning gun, and Rad getting mistaken for a Blorby by a little girl. Fortunately, Mr. Gar decides to make it up to his employees by coming by after the sale with Carol and some of her homemade pie.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheGhostAndMollyMcGee'': In "Ice Princess", the [=McGees=] go to the grocery store and find dozens of people panic-buying supplies because a big ice storm is about to hit Brighton.

* In the ''Anime/EurekaSeven'' episode "Vivid Bit", the episode briefly cuts to short scenes of Hilda gets into massive brawls in a store over the sale of toilet paper and toothpaste

In comedic works, this is likely due to a big sale offering great deals, or due to an item that everyone wants to have for Christmas or a Christmas-like holiday whose true meaning has been cheapened by commercialism. In more serious situations, it can be the result of mobs desperate to hoard survival materials before an impending disaster (usually an apocalypse, a storm, or if there's a violent protest that leads to looting), though the "hoarding survival materials for a disaster" scenario can also be PlayedForLaughs, as seen in ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. It can also show up in advertisements, where customers are so eager to get their hands on the advertised product that they'll fight each other over it.

A brawl breaks out between customers in a store over items that are in limited supply.

In comedic works, this is likely due to a big sale offering great deals, or due to an item that absolutely everyone simply has to have for Christmas or a Christmas-like holiday whose true meaning has been cheapened by commercialism. In more serious situations, it can be the result of mobs desperate to hoard survival materials before an impending disaster (usually an apocalypse, a storm, or if there's a violent protest that leads to looting), though the "hoarding survival materials for a disaster" scenario can also be PlayedForLaughs, as seen in ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. It can also show up in advertisements, where customers are so eager to get their hands on the advertised product that they'll fight each other over it.

* The entire plot of ''LightNovel/BenTo'' is hot-blooded fights over half-priced bento.

[[folder:ComicStrips]]
* Used in ''ComicStrip/{{Retail}}'' Being a strip about retail, goes without saying. Mostly during black Friday when we see the characters in preparation for the eventual chaos. Or later during Christmas season and all parents are fighting to get the latest "cool toy" for their kids.
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[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

[[AC:RealLife]]

* In the ''Anime/EurekaSeven'' episode "Vivid Bit", The episode briefly cuts to short scenes of Hilda gets into massive brawls in a store over the sale of toilet paper and toothpaste

* In the ''Anime/EurekaSeven'' episode ''Vivid Bit'', The episode briefly cuts to short scenes of Hilda gets into massive brawls in a store over the sale of toilet paper and toothpaste

* The entire plot of ''LightNovel/BenTo'' is hot-blooded fights over half-priced bento.

** Weirdly inverted for 2015's British Black Friday. The American-style Black Friday only played out in earnest for the first time in the previous year (with this trope ensuing) As a reaction: security was stricter, one major supermarket avoided Black Friday altogether, and hardly anyone actually bothered turning up to the sales. Some news outlets reported how unexpectedly empty and calm Black Friday was![[note]]Also, a lot of people asked why we should bother with an import from the USA that has less than bugger all cultural or social significance in this country, decided it was artificially hyped up for the sole reason of making money, and pointedly boycotted it. Adding to the underwhelming impression it made.[[/note]]

* [[https://garfield.com/comic/1985/09/15 This]] ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' has triple-coupon day at the supermarket leading to the shoppers racing each other with their carts. (Which may remind people of how they played ''Series/SupermarketSweep''.)

* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' When Timmy switches bodies with his mother due to a bet with Wanda, he has to do all the things his mother does every day. One of the tasks was to buy clothes, which he thought would be completely boring. ''Boy, was he wrong!''