And now, release the shoppers and let the Black Friday shopping begin!
Oh wait, they already did -- on Thanksgiving morning.
You know, I don't care that the store CEOs, etc. who made the executive decision for early Thanksgiving opening are calling it a trial run and that they won't do it again if it doesn't go well. They already know starting the holiday shopping frenzy on Thanksgiving is a successful sales boost gimmick because it's been happening for a few years now. They just decided to push the envelope and make a much deeper excursion into a day when their employees should be having some rest and relaxation away from the time clock. They claim to make it acceptable by only having the store open for a few hours in the morning, letting their workers go home for a few hours to family, friends, food and football, then having them return for the main event later in the day.
Greed fuels this decision. Greed for bargains by consumers, greed for profit by management/owners and stockholders. They say they need this extra advantage to stay ahead of the competition. But if other companies follow suit, as some are likely to, the advantage of this even earlier opening of the holiday gift hunting season will quickly be lost. Might as well just stay open 24/7/365, like L. L. Bean decided to do long ago.
I've made this argument before, that holidays are losing their meaning in the face of crass commercialism. Retail stores are not essential services like fire fighters, police and medical workers. Having no "down time" may help keep a business open and people employed, but the negative impact beyond the dollar signs is far from small in terms of what it does to family and community.
Capitalism may be the Great American Way, but at what price?
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