If you’re like the many millions of other Americans, just dying to get their holiday shopping started, then you might be considering taking advantage of the fact that many stores are now opening on Thanksgiving day in addition to Black Friday 2013, to encourage early sales for the season. Let us consider the advantages and disadvantages to this consumer opportunity.
Is shopping sooner, better?
The idea of getting into the mall before the massive rush on Black Friday to have free reign on all of your favorite items before they’ve been picked through is obviously tempting. After all, it is not uncommon for hot items to sell out, as iPad minis did their first year on the market.
Also, the extra sale time for the holiday spreads out the intensely aggressive crowds that show up on Black Friday. It may even be a fun daytime activity for families to participate in together on the holiday. The more time the sales periods last, the more people can participate in the exceptional savings for the upcoming gift-giving holidays in December.
The down side to shops opening and releasing sales on Thanksgiving day is that retailers must be working on the holiday in order for us to enjoy this shopping experience. That means that tons of people around the country will have to give up holiday time with their families and go to work. Think about it… Kmart is opening as early as 6:00am this year. Is extending the shopping extravaganza worth it?
Why even bother going to the stores?
Online shopping is quickly becoming the BEST way to shop over the Thanksgiving holiday. With steals that require less effort and stress, but provide the same great savings, who wouldn’t prefer online shopping instead? You can shop in the comfort of your home without having to get into the chaos and traffic that arises over by the malls. There’s more inventory online and by stacking coupons and deals, you can really get away like a bandit with your purchases. Best yet, nobody has to work during the holiday if all the shopping is done via computer. It’s the perfect compromise.
How will these changes effect the Black Fridays of the future?
Ultimately, the savings and sales around the Thanksgiving holiday will continue to extend for longer periods and, therefore, will water down the overall impact of Black Friday on sales. Although this shopping day has been tradition for many families around the world, there should be better, safer ways to accomplish our holiday shopping that don’t take away from the holidays that we’re celebrating.
No matter what, Thanksgiving time shopping will continue to be a major event in the lives of Americans. People still intend to purchase gifts for the upcoming December festivities with some personal shopping for major items on these days, so the stores will never suffer in November. Although the option to go shopping on Thanksgiving day is tempting, it would be better if everyone could enjoy the holiday with their loved ones and really focus on the true meaning behind the day.
Photo Credit: Flickr/Andrew Baisden
