Should stores open for business ON Thanksgiving Day?

1. 89

   alifeofdesignposted 11 years ago

   Should stores open for business ON Thanksgiving Day?
   
   

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2. 0

   Justsilvieposted 11 years ago

   I moved back to the US after 15 years in a country where stores closed on all Holidays and Sundays. I even remember when that was so in this country. Life goes on even when we can't shop 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and I think it has/had more quality when we had to occupy ourselves with family and friends or just a quiet day.
   
   I think the stores are crazy, because it is actually is just more expense, and no real profit. They are giving us convenience that we pay for in higher prices.

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      Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I have been told that roughly 20% - 25% of the holiday shopping is done on black Friday. Even if this is true, why is it necessary to constantly move the bar earlier and earlier? Why isn't there more resistance?

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      Justsilvieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      We went trough this when we started opening on Sundays years ago. Because each retailer wants your dollars and they know if one is open your allotted amount may be spent there, so they all must open in hope they can win you away from the others.

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3. 83

   Annsaloposted 11 years ago

   I think stores should be open 365 days a year. I don't see the point in closing just because of a holiday. What's the point? In this economy I am sure there are plenty of people who would offer to work these days for the over time/ holiday pay. I have an issue with the idea of companies or in some parts of the usa, the government trying to control when people can and can not shop.

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   1. 59

      duffsmomposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Agreed!

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4. 0

   Garifaliaposted 11 years ago

   Capitalism has got out of hand. Isn't anything sacred any more? But what should we expect from a society who gives no second thought to the plight of the natives who once lived on and cared for the land?

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   1. 39

      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I couldn't agree with you more!

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5. 39

   ChristinSposted 11 years ago

   I think it's all in the name of greed and why not close for the day to give employees a break and time with their families for one day, rather than have them dealing with crazed lunatics fighting each other over stupid sales items.  I get more and more disgusted with our culture and how it has corporatized everything.   Sad.

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      Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You are right. And companies use the excuse that other retailers are doing it. Not one of them can be an example because they are greedy. Customers willing to spend their time in lines and fighting over deals, don't value or use their time wisely.

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   JThomp42posted 11 years ago

   I don't think so. Let the employees spend the whole day with their families where they want to be. Unfortunately, the holidays have become so commercialized people have lost focus as to what they really mean. So sad.

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      Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Just imagine, the day after Christmas we'll be seeing Valentine's Day stuff in stores, the day after Valentine's it'll be St. Patrick's day stuff. People allow companies to shove "stuff" down their throats.

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      JThomp42posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree Express.

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7. 73

   lburmasterposted 11 years ago

   I don't think they should. It is not a day that people should work. There are some days that everyone should just have a day off. I don't think we respect the holidays or each other enough. For someone to go shopping on a holiday is just insanity.

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8. 59

   duffsmomposted 11 years ago

   My opinion is a little different. While I think celebrating Thanksgiving is a wonderful tradition - it is just that a tradition. Often we become slaves to tradition and allow that to govern our actions.
   
   If a person wants to celebrate a traditional Thanksgiving, then they are free to do so and they can stay home from the shops and out of the crowd.
   
   Businesses are likewise free to be open or not and yes, their chasing after the almighty dollar can be a frustrating thing to watch, I don't think it should be mandated that stores are closed on that holiday.

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      dianetrotterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with you.  If people stay home on Thanksgiving stores will lose money.  Then next year they won't do the same.

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      Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I totally agree DianeTrotter. It's the stores' choice but customer actions play a HUGE role. I choose to shop on days other than holidays, but I can't and wouldn't make that law. There are hundreds of other days to shop if desired/needed.

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      Justsilvieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Stores don't lose money, because people don't spend more because they are open more, they spend what they have at different times, so it costs them more to stay open, which in turn must be covered by increased prices!

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   4. 61

      dianetrotterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Justsilvie, then when the prices are too high, shop at Target!

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9. 84

   Express10posted 11 years ago

   I don't think so because it's unfair to employees that would prefer to be elsewhere. We have so much available online on Thanksgiving and HUNDREDS of other days offline. Would people literally DIE if they (and others) couldn't skip Thanksgiving to go shopping of all things? I tell you, some of these companies and shoppers need to go spend a day volunteering at their local food bank or shelter on Thanksgiving since they soooo desire a day out. Perhaps they'd learn the meaning of it all.

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      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      absolutely - It boggles the mind how we spend a day being thankful - allegedly, and then people literally the very next day (now the same day) trample each other for more junk.  Many would benefit from an eye opening experience like a soup kitchen.

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10. 61

    dianetrotterposted 11 years ago

    I think employees should make their own choices and be paid double time if they work.  Some employees could use the extra money for Christmas.

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    1. 84

       Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I agree employees should make their own choices, however most employees have no choice in anything regarding their work. They are paid to do as they are told. Many employees want holidays off and are lucky to get time and a half.

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11. 81

    Attikosposted 11 years ago

    It's entirely up to the store owners, which is to say it's not our business to decide. What is ours is the decision of where to shop. If you don't want to buy from a place that opens on holidays, then go elsewhere, but don't presume to instruct others, or the stores, in what to do.

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12. 72

    pagesvoiceposted 11 years ago

    I've noticed that a few here have responded stating it is up to the business if they want to open early during the Thanksgiving holiday. The unfortunate result of these actions is a further deterioration of the family unit. I fondly remember when we had the Sunday Blue Laws in place and stores were required by law to be closed on Sunday. What was the end result? Well, families took the proverbial Sunday drive, visiting other family members or friends. A family oriented Sunday dinner was cooked and served with everyone around the dinner table. It was a day of bonding and spending quality time with each other.
    
    In the climate of profits over people we have lost what the real value of family is. A flat screen TV purchased on Thanksgiving for $125.00 is not worth the price of skipping out on family or loved ones in order to save a few dollars. In my humble opinion, opening a store on a holiday is a further indication of the eroding of moral values versus the corporate profit and loss statement.

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13. 81

    brblogposted 11 years ago

    I would say no - one extra day of shopping does not matter - but retailers are crazy and will do anything to get a jump on the competition. Regardless, I won't be out shopping on Thanksgiving (or the day after for that matter) . . .

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    Colin McGrawposted 11 years ago

    As someone who spent many years working retail - Thanksgiving is 1 of 2 days during the entire calender year that you get to be home from work with the rest of the world.  The other being Christmas.
    Otherwise, you're working weekends,  and all your shifts are 11-8 or 12-9 or something horrible like that.  Not easy if you've got a family and school age children. 
    Let the retail workforce have some reprieve.  They're gonna be there til the wee hours of the night on Wednesday getting ready.  Then right back when the clock strikes 12am on Friday.

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15. 79

    nanderson500posted 11 years ago

    Some stores do, but I think most should be closed for the employees' sakes. Who wants to work on Thanksgiving? Yuck.

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    Nancy DiBartoloposted 10 years ago

    I donot think stores should be open on any holidays!They should be only open on regular days & with regular hours,without all these crazy hours & crazy times!We survived shopping the old fashioned way before & we will be able to survive it in the future!This way everyone can enjoy the holidays &people will not get trampled simply by just going shopping.

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