adyldrop

I work retail and every year it gets worse. I was just informed today that instead of being at my store at 8am to open for 9am, I now need to be in at 5:45am to open at 6am. Because the other stores in our plaza open at 4am, 5am, and 6am I now have to too. So no real holiday for me. Who is buying clothes at 4am for their kids on black friday in Children's Place that I now need to be up at 4:30am and at work for 5:45am???? Really?? Clothing?? No kid wants clothes!!! Grrrrr!!!!!!!!
And as a FYI for those that don't know: outlets that open on Thanksgiving night are NOT running special sales. They are running the same sales they ran all week long. Go in on Monday for crying out loud and get the same deals in the size you want and relax black friday with a nice slow day of sewing!!! It's all a scam.

CarrieAnne

I will be staying home too!

Jan in VA

I noticed this in years past. Now it would take a chauffeured limo, a personal shopper, a cute blond 20 year old jock to carry my bags, and sales at 95% off to get me into any store.

But then I've already said for years that the malls would make a lot more from their mature customers if they DID have mannerly, energetic, handsome, late-teenagers to accompany shoppers and carry the goods! Oh, and valet parking! Free of course. :D

Jan in VA

Izaquilter

I agree with you. where is the greed going to stop? It should stop with us, the consumer. K-mart use to be open (and still may be) on Thanksgiving & I absolutely refused to honor them. It is terrible that the employees aren't home enjoying the holiday with their families

Pam B

This thread happened to make me remember....I teach school but about 18 years ago I took a part-time job (12 hours a week) at a dept store about 20 miles from our home. I occasionally worked on the floor but most of the time I worked in the office doing things like counting/getting the deposit ready from the day before, selling gift cards, doing the 'bank' drawer and wrapping an occasional gift. I liked the job just fine...it was extra money to help with some unexpected bills and I also loved the employee discount.

Well, Christmas came and my first shock was the 6am opening time for Black Friday. I didn't like it, but I crawled out of bed and went to work. My next shock was when I discovered that I was on the schedule to work on Xmas Eve! But, I griped and still had to go in to work that day. The real irritation came when a lady came in to the office (obviously a very good customer) and dumped bag after bag after bag of things she had purchased in the last month and proceeded to tell me how she wanted each item wrapped and labeled! I nicely told her that if she would come back in about 3 or 4 hours, they would be ready for her. (I had the bank deposit to get ready and several other gifts to wrap, as well, and I think there was just 2 of us in the office to get everything done). The thought that I was not going to do it immediately for her made her very angry so she hunted for the manager to complain about me. He came back there and told me to do her packages right away. I stood my ground and said there were other packages before her's. Next thing I know, he has pulled people off the floor to come in there and help with gift wrapping!

I quit working there the following month when they said everyone was required to work during inventory...and they scheduled me for during the school day! Did they really think I was going to take a day off of my contracted teaching position to work 6 hours at a minimum wage...no benefits...part-time job?

BTW, I still do shop at that store. There are very few of the people I worked with still there and they no longer offer gift wrapping.

3699quilter

I agree - I've been by myself on Thanksgiving with not much money in the budget for shopping. No shame in getting out and looking. Of course for me there is nothing I could possibly want/need that would get me out of bed in the middle of the night to buy. It's too bad some people have to work, hopefully the Managers do a rotation on holidays.

jquiltlady

I am so glad that in Massachusetts it is still illegal to have the department stores open on Thanksgiving!!!

I guess I am a tad "old-fashioned"

Murphy

Sadiemae, I understand. There are many people in our country who don't have family or frankly don't "do" Thanksgiving. I suggest those who wish to shop, shop and those who don't don't. I know that there are many workers who want to work these different times/days and do get special compensation for it.

The middle of the night shopping would not be my forte either, but for those that "need" to, enjoy :lol:

pstoner

The only shopping on thanksgiving for me will be online. I used to work retail, and it was a zoo. I wouldn't want to subject anyone else to that

Prettiptibbs

Retailers who are opening on Thanksgiving day and 3:00am on Friday, do this for their own bottom line and not necessarily "due to customers' demand". Each one is trying to get a jump on the competition to capture those scarce dollars that we are trying to hold onto.