Esme's Blog: Black Friday Creep
Last year there was a furor over Target opening at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. This year, Target will open one hour earlier on Thanskgiving.
Despite the protests last year, the lines were long and sales were brisk. It is of course not just Target; almost every major retailer this year is opening on Thanksgiving Day. Even one of last year's big holdouts -- Macy's -- will open at 6 p.m.
Marketing experts says it's about competition, not just from the other big box retailers but from the elephant in the retail room: Amazon and other online retailers.
Consumers may protest with their lips, but are cheering with their plastic.
There are of course options for those who are upset. The first is obvious: don't shop the stores that are open Thanksgiving Day. That's getting tougher because it's harder to find the retailer that isn't open Thanksgiving.
There is one pricier big box retailer that stands out not just for its refusal to open on Thanksgiving, but to not even put up decorations until after turkey day has passed. That retailer is Nordstrom. May Nordstrom's resolve not crumble next year the way all their major competitors have.
And the final option is to shop the smaller local stores. Many have taken a hit from online sales and big box domination, and many are family owned businesses.
If you are really upset about Black Friday Creep, let your wallet do the talking.
