Picture of the Day: Avid Shoppers at Warehouse Sale

Lots of people hunting for deals at the Estee Lauder sale

People are looking for good deals, and when they involve warehouse sales, these avid shoppers descend like hawks on prey.

Today was the start of a four-day sale of all kinds of products under Estee Lauder Companies at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Up for grabs were products from not only Estee Lauder, but also Clinique, Mac, Bobbi Brown, and Aveda.

Last year was the first warehouse sale they had in Vancouver, and perhaps because it was so popular it was back again.

It started at 9am, but I started off late and arrived around 45 minutes later to see a decent line already forming. I was surprised to see so many people -- did they not have to work today?

Nevertheless I passed the time by reading a magazine as the line would move in stops and spurts. Behind me was a group of young Persian women gabbing away animatedly in Farsi... I wish I knew what they were saying!

Finally when I was able to get into the massive hall, I got a purple shopping bag and there was a path of tables arranged like a snake, each full of products, and behind them lots of cardboard boxes filled with more products.

A staff member encouraged shoppers to move along if items on the table did not interest us -- the first table was lipstick of all kinds of brands and shades, followed by all kinds of makeup, from foundation to eye shadow and lipgloss, perfume, gift sets and men's skincare too.

The tables eventually presented skincare products. Last year it hardly had any of the products I was interested in, but this year there were to my surprise. I snapped up a few bottles at 50 percent off, along with a mint shampoo and a moisturiser.

The vast majority of customers were women with a few men who were patient enough to come along.

Interestingly by the end of the tables there was an area for shoppers to stop and take stock of what they had amassed and "curate" what they really wanted to buy before going to the till. Many people left several items behind on the tables, perhaps acting too rashly and then reality set in.

Then there was yet another line for the cashier. And before leaving a security guard checked our bill against our purchases and looked at our bags too before we headed to the exit.

Outside there were even more people lined up... and this was only Day 1 before noon.