The retailers are not the driving force behind TG turning into nothing more than a paid holiday for shopping. It is the consumer that has driven this trend. Consumers have X amount to spend so retailers want to be open when the consumer's wallet is the fullest, hence the overflow of earlier openings onto Macy's and other non discount or big box stores to assure they get their piece of the pie.
Initially stores opened a few hours early on Black Friday and people swarmed the stores early. Fair enough.
Next they moved to a midnight opening and people swarmed the stores AND began lining up hours in advance.
Then retailers figured if they are willing to line up at 8-10 for a 12 midnight opening heck they'll just open at 8, 9 or 10!
That brings us to this year. 6 pm opening for big boxes, discounters, dept. stores and some of the major player outlet centers. This will be an interesting year for sure. This is the first year shopping hours will overlap traditional meal time hours. No one knows what will happen.
What happened the last year or two was people stormed the stores at opening time and then the stores were ghost towns from 2 am till 6 or 8 am. This will be a problem for retailers if this happens with a 6 pm open time. The overhead will kill them if the stores are void of shoppers for more than a few hours. I know of one mall that opens TG night at 8 pm and then closes at 2 am and then reopens at 8 am to avoid the extra overhead, but I don't see this as a trend.
A PP said it is trade off and they are correct. What most retailers picked up in sale during earlier open hours the past several years they lost in the early morning hours.
There are a few retailers that are bucking the trend. Costco, Nordstrom, Brighton, DSW all have stated they will not open on TG and I know a couple of them refuse to open before 8 am on Black Friday.
The only way TG will not turn into "just another" all day shopping day is if the consumer stops the crazy train. I will vote with my wallet as I have done all along and won't be out spending money on a day I will be giving thanks for what I already have.
dsny1mom
