Kmart long ago pushed the envelope on Thanksgiving by opening on Thanksgiving Day. When Kmart bought Sears, they followed. Last year,
So now Macy’s is considering opening on Thanksgiving Day too. I do call BS on this:
Lundgren said he was pleasantly surprised that year-round employees of Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s were enthusiastic about manning the cash registers and fitting rooms at midnight Thanksgiving Day. “Our core associates want to be there early. They’re excited, it’s the start of the season.”
Ummm no they didn’t. Macy’s employees may feel they have no choice but to work Thanksgiving Day, but I doubt anyone said, “Let’s start the insanity earlier!”
The flagship store in NYC may well remain open though, because as the NY Post so eloquently put it:
Macy’s, a source revealed to WWD last week, is reversing its traditional policy of staying closed on Thanksgiving after noticing with dismay that much of the crowd that gathered for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade last year concluded the day by going on a collective shopping spree at rival department store Lord & Taylor, which opened its doors at 10 a.m. as an experiment and drank Macy’s milkshake.
I won’t be out shopping on Thanksgiving, that’s for certain, but I will be shopping online if there are good deals available.
What about you? Would you shop a brick and mortar store on Thanksgiving Day?
Stephanie K. says
I have shopped at CVS on Thanksgiving morning for at least three years (maybe longer, must be my memory is fading!). It’s great, there is a little band of us waiting outside the doors sipping coffee and swapping tips on which employees to avoid and which are our favorites. We ram around the store with our carts giving tips to each other on where certain items are located and which are already sold out. I’m usually there an hour or so by the time I find everything and do a few transactions so I can roll ECBs. I really enjoy it since my husband is usually out of the house by 4:30am to go hunting and last year my daughter had already left to go walk in the Turkey Trot 5K. My poor little boy (7 at the time) was stuck with me, but it was either CVS or the 5K, his choice.
Skirnir Hamilton says
I believe I have shopped on Friday after Thanksgiving at CVS/Walgreens before. The only reason I would shop thanksgiving is if I suddenly ran out of something I needed to make the meal. So no, I will not be shopping on Thanksgiving. Same for Christmas.
Candie says
Yes, I am one of those crazy people that is out there on Black Friday, which is really Thursday now. I go every year. My family is very small, my son and his wife, my daughter, 5 grandchildren, of the 5 only 2 will come to dinner and that will change because one just enlisted in the Navy, so it will be one. None are married, so dinner is only 4 or 5 people. I have invited friends but most do their own thing. I would be out there in a heartbeat if all of the sales were going on and I believe half of the USA would be with me. When Black Friday moved to Thursday I went to Best Buy, KMart, Target and WalMart.
Shell says
I shopped online last year. I was sick and my family went out of town without me, so shopping online occupied me. I doubt I would go to town to shop though as we mostly just have Walmart.
KimH says
NOT. A. CHANCE! Not even, no way, no how! There are 5 days a year that are reserved for NOTHING other than being with family… Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Day, Easter & Sunday of Memorial Weekend.. I can assure you.. I will be home on these days and nothing would drag me away from it.
Dan Gaspar says
My wife is an ardent black Thursday/Friday shopper. Each year after she returns she regales me with stories of the craziness she encountered. Each year she reinforces my holiday tradition of avoiding the crowds and doing all my holiday shopping online! 😛
Patti says
Nope. No way. No how. I love the family time. Thanksgiving is definitely family time. I really think retail should let it go & not be open Thanksgiving.