Is it time to change "Black Friday?"

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

IDK-there seems to be a regression in Thanksgiving day sales. Malls are closing on Thanksgiving, more stores are closing on Thanksgiving, etc.

No matter what I think some retailers will stay open on Thanksgiving while others will choose not to.

I do think Black Friday (or Black Thursday lol) has evolved over time. Sales don't necessarily wait until the date but there are things that retailers do wait on specifically for Black Friday.

 

[tvguy]

IDK-there seems to be a regression in Thanksgiving day sales. Malls are closing on Thanksgiving, more stores are closing on Thanksgiving, etc.

No matter what I think some retailers will stay open on Thanksgiving while others will choose not to.

I do think Black Friday (or Black Thursday lol) has evolved over time. Sales don't necessarily wait until the date but there are things that retailers do wait on specifically for Black Friday.

The same stores as always here were open Thanksgiving this year. The difference is fewer are staying open ALL night. I talked to the manager of a Best Buy here 2 years ago, they were open that year 5 pm Thanksgiving until Midnight Friday night. He said the place was empty from midnight to 7 am then the crowds returned. Last year and this year they closed at Midnight and reopened at 7 am Friday.

 

[wenrob]

The same stores as always here were open Thanksgiving this year. The difference is fewer are staying open ALL night. I talked to the manager of a Best Buy here 2 years ago, they were open that year 5 pm Thanksgiving until Midnight Friday night. He said the place was empty from midnight to 7 am then the crowds returned. Last year and this year they closed at Midnight and reopened at 7 am Friday.

That’s what most here did this year. It was busy at 7-8am but not crazy. Last year and the year before when they stayed open all night they were ghost towns early in the morning.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The same stores as always here were open Thanksgiving this year. The difference is fewer are staying open ALL night. I talked to the manager of a Best Buy here 2 years ago, they were open that year 5 pm Thanksgiving until Midnight Friday night. He said the place was empty from midnight to 7 am then the crowds returned. Last year and this year they closed at Midnight and reopened at 7 am Friday.

Well here the same stores are not always open on Thanksgiving. The mall last year I think was the first year closed for Thanksgiving (it may have 2015 can't remember if it was then or just last year). Only the anchor stores were allowed to be open (Dillards, Macys, Nordstrom and JCP).

Game Stop started being closed on Thanksgiving in 2015.

R.E.I started closing on Thanksgiving in 2015 though to be fair they also decided to forgo Black Friday in 2015 period.

I wouldn't expect the places to be busy during the after midnight range. I mean even when sales were at midnight places weren't busy busy busy at 3 am. We had been going to JCP at around 6:30am actually on Black Friday and it was dead...but that was part of the reason we went at that time. You can't be every place at the same time so places should typically see a rush then a slow down as the people from the rush have left and those who have been at other places now go to that place. I do think stores reevaluate if profitability-wise it makes sense to stay open at 3am, at 4am, at 5am rather than just close and reopen. I'm guessing though that employee-wise there are people who likely need to be there to clean up from Thanksgiving to get ready for Black Friday reopening though how long those employee's shifts are I would have no idea.

This year Nebraska Furniture Mart was open at 8am on actual Black Friday....last year it was 6am. They are however closed on Thanksgiving.

Some stores still push the envelope though like JCP that opened at 2pm who didn't used to be open for Thanksgiving just 5 or so years ago.

Most Best Buys this year should have been opened from 5pm Thanksgiving until 1am on Black Friday though most would reopen at 8am on Black Friday so it looks like your local Best Buy had the same hours as most around the country with the exception of shifting one hour. I don't know if my local Best Buys did what most around the country did or if they had different hours.

 

[tvguy]

Well here the same stores are not always open on Thanksgiving. The mall last year I think was the first year closed for Thanksgiving (it may have 2015 can't remember if it was then or just last year). Only the anchor stores were allowed to be open (Dillards, Macys, Nordstrom and JCP).

Game Stop started being closed on Thanksgiving in 2015.

R.E.I started closing on Thanksgiving in 2015 though to be fair they also decided to forgo Black Friday in 2015 period.

I wouldn't expect the places to be busy during the after midnight range. I mean even when sales were at midnight places weren't busy busy busy at 3 am. We had been going to JCP at around 6:30am actually on Black Friday and it was dead...but that was part of the reason we went at that time. You can't be every place at the same time so places should typically see a rush then a slow down as the people from the rush have left and those who have been at other places now go to that place. I do think stores reevaluate if profitability-wise it makes sense to stay open at 3am, at 4am, at 5am rather than just close and reopen. I'm guessing though that employee-wise there are people who likely need to be there to clean up from Thanksgiving to get ready for Black Friday reopening though how long those employee's shifts are I would have no idea.

This year Nebraska Furniture Mart was open at 8am on actual Black Friday....last year it was 6am. They are however closed on Thanksgiving.

Some stores still push the envelope though like JCP that opened at 2pm who didn't used to be open for Thanksgiving just 5 or so years ago.

Most Best Buys this year should have been opened from 5pm Thanksgiving until 1am on Black Friday though most would reopen at 8am on Black Friday so it looks like your local Best Buy had the same hours as most around the country with the exception of shifting one hour. I don't know if my local Best Buys did what most around the country did or if they had different hours.

IMHO one thing that really turned many off Black Friday were the products many stores offered that we scaled back versions custom ordered that lacked many of the features folks expected. TVs without enough inputs and only a 30 day warranty , Computers missing software and using lesser components, even a few appliances. My wife was looking a fixer, the the Black Friday version had 5 speeds, and every other day versions had 10.

 

[Kaytie]

If you're going to use that argument, lets get rid of overtime laws, working children laws, and everything else.

Oh, yes!

The bottom line is people have choice of where and when they shop. If no one wanted to shop (or travel) on holidays, then the stores wouldn't be open. Seems pretty simple to me.

Good point. Where are the complaints about airline/airport employees working on m

 

[Southernmiss]

I found that more stores announced closings this year for Thanksgiving, too.

I was always in the camp of things need to close for Thanksgiving for families to have time together. However, this year, our family had a trip come up unexpected and we find ourselves in Orlando. (We did our big family gathering this past Sunday before we left.) Everyone we encountered yesterday was friendly, upbeat and wished us a Happy Thanksgiving. And the crowds and traffic around town are crazy!

I do wish places would close to allow folks time to be with family if they wanted, but I can also see the value in people having a job and serving others, even on a day that could be a holiday.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

If you're going to use that argument, lets get rid of overtime laws, working children laws, and everything else.

The bottom line is people have choice of where and when they shop. If no one wanted to shop (or travel) on holidays, then the stores wouldn't be open. Seems pretty simple to me.

Sold. Let's do it. Unions, too.

Let each employee negotiate their own salary and benefits.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Since most of the Major retailers open TODAY for "Black Friday" is it time to change it to "Thanksgiving Sales" or something other than Black Friday?

I'd say change it to what it is: the unbridled hedonism and avarice sale but I don't think the stores marketing departments would approve.

The stores see a need/want, and they fill it. This is all fairly recent. If people didn't show they wanted to shop on Thanksgiving more and more stores wouldn't have opened up as well. It is not a chicken or egg thing at all. But I'm not offended by people shopping on Thanksgiving. To me it is not a huge deal.

It had absolutely nothing to do with providing a needed service to the consumer and everything to do with getting a jump on other stores. The problem is once everyone follows suit, they're back to where they were before only they're paying more labor and more utilities.

 

[amberpi]

I'd say change it to what it is: the unbridled hedonism and avarice sale .

If a store did that...literally, I would SO be there. Could the bar have drink specials and advertise "the get away from the family you've been stuck with all day" happy hour.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

My daughter in CA posted on FB that she bought a doorbuster TV from Walmart. Somehow I get the feeling she'll be returning it within a week because it's crap.

It wasn't on Black Friday, but about 15 years ago we bought a low-end off-brand TV at Walmart for step-daughter's bedroom. And had to return it after a short while because it was crap. The woman at the CS counter said they got a lot of returns on that particular model.

I have to wonder, and this is an honest question not meant to sound snarky, but for everyone opposed to stores opening on Thanksgiving, how do you feel about Disney World that operates full scale Thanksgiving and Christmas? And I'm not sure what Disney Springs does on the major holidays but there too if they are open?

.

I remember either last year or the year before, a poster was denouncing the practice of stores being open on Thanksgiving. Her signature line indicated that she'd be at WDW that day. When asked about it, she replied, basically, "That's different."

If people enjoy doing certain things on Thanksgiving, like going to the movies or watching football on TV or going to WDW, it's apparently quite all right for those employees to be forced to work. But heaven forbid Macy's and other stores open.

 

[maxiesmom]

Oh, yes!

Good point. Where are the complaints about airline/airport employees working on m

Where are the people up in arms because so many Disney employees have to work on each and every holiday?????? Or maybe the parks should be open but they shouldn't sell anything. No tee shirts. No ice cream. Only spending time with your family allowed!