It’s a little over six weeks away, but some are already thinking about turkey, mashed potatoes, and football games from dawn to dusk; not to mention a little time with the family. Retailers, having seen what happened the last time they were open on Thanksgiving, have reconsidered plans to allow early bargain hunting, but is this a move that will get them anywhere?
The Mall of America, the largest such mall the United States boasts, made it clear that Thanksgiving was for families, and decided it would close and give its 14,000 employees the family time that so many of us take for granted. However, the Mall noted that it would not force individual stores’ hands, and allow them to open if so inclined. Other stores seemed inclined to follow suit, including Staples and REI, who would close for Thanksgiving. REI would close for Black Friday as well, and several other stores are following suit.
A majority of shoppers for two years running now have been annoyed by such prospects, though total annoyance is down somewhat. Indeed, NPD Group analyst Marshal Cohen noted that he didn’t see the proverbial pendulum swinging all the way back to never being open on Thanksgiving.
The great advantage of online shopping is that it’s never really not open, except when there’s some kind of mechanical failure. It’s possible to be eating dinner with family, and at the same time, be shopping Amazon on a smartphone literally right at the dinner table. It’s spectacularly rude, yes, but it is possible. That’s business that brick-and-mortar stores are ceding to online stores, business that brick-and-mortar won’t get back. However, business also can’t afford a public relations nightmare like announcing to the world that cashier Bob Cratchit won’t even get Thanksgiving Day off to spend time with Tiny Tim, because there’s money that needs to be made. Even the ghost of Thanksgiving Past can’t work with this.
Staying open on a holiday comes with a negative connotation all its own and inevitable comparisons to Charles Dickens. Perhaps the only solution is to point out brick-and-mortar’s online options, and suggest those who want to shop Thanksgiving turn there instead, splitting the difference and making the most of a bad situation.