Voices
Black Friday bargains (that often
are not bargains at all), we heard
increasing consternation in the
media and online about the continued expansion of Black Friday
shopping hours and the dreadful
impact that was having on workers,
families and American traditions.
Despite the “outrage” last year, in
2012 more retailers opened early
on Friday and even on Thanksgiving Day itself to meet (they will say
in response to) consumer demand
that drove some bargain hunters to
line up a full week early.
Some companies came under
fire for opening on Thanksgiving
Day, including Target, whose detractors included some of its own
small shareholders. Target defended its decision to open at 9 p.m. by
explaining that its customers and
employees had expressed a preference for opening on Thanksgiving
rather than waking up brutally
early on Friday. Toys “R” Us, WalMart stores and Sears opened at 8
p.m. Macy’s and Kohl’s opened at
midnight on Black Friday, just as
they did in 2011.
So, as Christmas carols and
decorations appear earlier and
earlier each year, consumers
have been empowered to choose
between spending time with
JOHN
FRIEDMAN
HUFFINGTON
12.02.12
loved ones or racing out to the
store to purchase gifts in an effort to demonstrate their love
for those same people. Despite a
few threatened employee walkouts and online petitions, stores
are obviously finding the income
outweighs the negative feelings.
When deciding when to open
Consumers have been
empowered to choose between
spending time with loved ones
or racing out to the store to
purchase gifts in an effort to
demonstrate their love for
those same people.”
and what to offer online for the
holiday weekend, stores were faced
with a rather simple choice — with
a projected 147 million shoppers
ready and eager to spend their
money (in person and online) during the Black Friday weekend, how
much weight should they give to
the 350,000 signatures on petitions asking them to close for the
holidays (and allow their competitors to meet the needs of all those
willing spenders)?
It is an oversimplification of the
issue to only see this as “greedy”