Internet prankster Ross (@rosscreation_clips) is known for posting a variety of gags online, including filling his car with beans and calling a locksmith to crack open his whip, sending “good looking girls” he sees at bars glasses of water as an ice breaker, and asking for discounts on mirrors in stores because they’re “used.”
One of his pranks channels the phenomena of enthusiast shoppers who camp outside of a store for a special release. But instead of heading over to a brick-and-mortar store and staying overnight in the hopes of being one of the first people to get their hands on a new console, video game, iPhone, or secure low prices on a Black Friday sale, Ross wanted to gather a bunch of folks together to camp outside of a store just because.
He documented the results of his camp-out prank, which occurred at a Best Buy location, capturing employee reactions to the massive line he created with some of his followers who got in on the joke.
What resulted, however, were shoppers who were intimidated by the line and left as a result. Ross then got a wholesome reaction from a Best Buy worker who was excited to see so many people camping outside—just because they were, as the influencer puts it, “excited to shop.”
Ross begins the initial video by stating: “So today we’re camping in front of stores that are not having a sale, we’re gonna go and show up before they’re open and then say that we’ve been waiting there all night.”
@rosscreation_clips #rosscreatoons #rosscreations #clips #prank #vlog #trainedprofessional ♬ original sound – Ross
The influencer also adds that he “invited” some of his fans to join in on the prank to see who shows up and how long of a line that they can create outside of the retailer.
The video then transitions to Ross greeting throngs of folks who follow him online waiting outside in a Wawa gas station parking lot. When he arrives at the convenience store/fueling station, they cheer in unison. He instructs the folks on what to say if they are approached by a worker of the store where they’re camping.
“When any employees ask you what we’re doing, we’re gonna say, we’re just really excited to shop. And tell them that we’ve been camping there all night, all right? So it’s a prank on the Best Buy employees,” he says from the sliding side door of what appears to be a travel van, adding that he “loved” how many people showed up at “9 o’clock on a Thursday.”
Ross’ video then transitions to what looks like the image typical of buzzworthy product launches that have consumers so whipped up in a frenzy that they’d be willing to sleep outside of a store just for the chance to get their hands on said product first. There are tents, folding chairs, and throngs of people saying how long they’ve been camped out in front of the store, with some individuals saying they’ve been there for days.
The results of the massive prank start to become readily apparent when customers hoping to shop in the store see the legions of folks walking outside the Best Buy’s doors: one woman takes one look at the line, stops for a bit to assess the situation, and then appears to abandon any notion of entering the business as they head back towards the parking lot.
In the Part 2 video, the original intended “target” of the prank, a Best Buy employee, approaches the campers.
@rosscreation_clips #rosscreatoons #rosscreations #clips #prank #vlog #trainedprofessional ♬ original sound – Ross
The worker appears to ask Ross how long they’ve been waiting in front of the store. Ross replies that he’s been there since “11 last night.”
The employee then asks if there’s anything in specific they’d like to purchase. Ross replies that he and everyone else is “just excited to shop.”
“I like that, I like that a lot,” the worker says.
“Can you open up early for us?” Ross requests of the Best Buy employee, who says that he doesn’t have enough staff on hand that early to accommodate the rush of shoppers who are eager to get inside of the retailer.
“Unfortunately we don’t open until 11; you guys know that?” the worker asks, and one camper says that they’ve “been [t]here for a while,” as Ross knocks on the glass door and peers inside the store.
The camera then cuts to the employee telling Ross that he spoke to his boss and that he will indeed open the store up early, but he could only allow a “certain” number of people into the store at once.
When Ross enters the store, he says he’s unsure as to what he’s going to purchase but then finds something that catches his eye: a memory card holder. He completes his purchase and then emerges from the store holding the product in its bag triumphantly above his head to the cheering crowd.
One of Ross’ followers who participated in the prank, who said that he drove about 11 hours to get out to the venue, ended up buying a TV set. Ross fist-bumps him before the video closes out.
A commenter who saw the video suggested that Ross do the same prank, “but at a small business,” presumably as a means of drumming up traffic and marketing for a mom-and-pop shop that folks may otherwise have not heard of.
Another remarked how “awesome” it was to see the employee excited about seeing such a large crowd: “The employees were awesome for letting u guys in early. He was so excited. Loved this.”
Someone else seemed amused by the fact that the campers who came out to support Ross’ prank seemed better behaved than expected, noting, “Real shoppers would never be this patient and respectful.”
Others, however, considered how some Best Buy workers might react upon seeing such an influx of shoppers getting ready to enter the store. One said, “Imagine showing up for your opening shift hung over and seeing this outside.”
And there was someone else who imagined what other shoppers must’ve felt upon seeing the large line: “Imagine actually pulling up cause you just needed a charger or something and see this.”
“Actual customers showing up and just leaving,” another echoed.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Best Buy via email and Ross via TikTok comment.