Black Friday is still a week away and most of us haven’t even begun to plan our shopping for that day. But because this is America, a group of people in Ohio three days ago pitched generator-equipped, full-sized tents outside a Best Buy to secure their place in line for the impending deals at the electronics megastore.

That means these people will have waited in line outside for a total of 10 days by the time Black Friday actually rolls around.

Ohio’s Akron Beacon Journal talked to the hardcore, dedicated shoppers in Cuyahoga Falls, including the first man in line, Jonas Allooh, who brought along a bed, microwave, laptop and TV with a game console attached to make the sidewalk pavement feel just like home. While camping outside of Best Buy is a first-time deal for Allooh, others shoppers claim to have been participating in the camping out tradition for 11 consecutive years.

This news makes me feel simultaneously sad and inspired. On the one hand, do these people not have jobs and/or life business to attend to? And how desperately do they need a discounted HDTV? On the other, this kind of commitment takes so much time, energy and planning that I can’t help but give props.

This year, Best Buy announced that they would be starting some of their famous “doorbuster” Black Friday deals a week early, meaning they hit stores today. I wonder if these campers are getting their hands on some of these deals right now. No doubt the lines at Best Buy locations everywhere around the country will be growing in the next week.

Check back with BostInno in the next few days for coverage on deals in Boston and how to navigate this crazy holiday tradition.

Image via NY Daily News