As retail stores try to get a jumpstart on “Black Friday” by opening on Thanksgiving for “Black Thursday,” encouraging Americans to spend time away from their families to rapidly seek deals while forcing employees to work, consumers are lashing out at them on social media sites like Facebook.
An “I Pledge Not to Shop on Thanksgiving” badge has gone viral on Facebook, getting shared nearly a million times, and Americans have used the medium to express their displeasure at some of the biggest retailers, threatening to never shop at stores that open during Thanksgiving.
As CNN noted, Kmart will open stores at 6 AM on Thanksgiving and will remain open for 41 hours; Toys “R” Us will start its deals at 5 PM; Wal-Mart stores, many of which will be open all day, will start special deals at 6 PM; Best Buy will open at 6 PM; and Macy’s, Kohl’s, J.C. Penney, Target and Sears will open at 8 PM.
“5 pm open on Thanksgiving? Really? A store who is devoted to children and families opens when Americans sit down at the dinner table? What about your employees?!? wrote Jaime Etheridge Krauss on the Toys “R” Us Facebook page. “I bet they would love to be thankful and spend the day with their families and not working.
“Is your president, vice or CEO working? Of course not, I bet they done even come back to work until Mon or tues. Hopefully your employees enjoy a Thanksgiving breakfast. SHAME ON YOU, I WILL NOT SHOP AT YOUR STORE EVER! What happened to black Friday? Be a decent company and open at 6 am on Friday. I bet you sell just as much since that’s all you care about!”
Frank Chip Munroe said stores like Kmart that open on Thanksgiving take the “fun out of shopping on black Friday.”
“Hey Kmart! Because of you being Open on Thanksgiving and totally disrespecting your employees, Our Family will never spend a $ in your store!” wrote Munroe on Kmart’s page.
Target was not spared from criticism either.
“I always wanted to believe that Target was somehow better than Walmart in product, and in policies. I realize that Target does not share my values and will no longer get my business. Give your employees a paid day off!” wrote Sean Pierce on Target’s page.
Kelli Williams Lord wrote, “Kohl’s has always been my absolute favorite place to show. However, as much as it breaks my heart to say this I will no longer be shopping at Kohl’s from this point on or any of the other retailers that are opening ON THANKSGIVING.”
“This is a day for family and giving thanks,” Williams continued. “The retailers that chose to open for CHRISTMAS shopping to line their pockets while keeping them away from their families – Nope my money and my business will be taken elsewhere and I can name at least 25 other immediate friends that feel the same. Bad Move!!!”
A J.C. Penney customer also ripped the company on Facebook.
“Even Ebenezer Scrooge let Bob Cratchit go home a few minutes early on Christmas Eve,” Dan Hall wrote to J.C. Penney. “When you’re eating your Thanksgiving turkey this year, remember that your employees are taking time away from their families to help satisfy your greed. Maybe it’ll taste like the shame you should be feeling.”
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