If you have ever responded to a petition on Change.org, you know that it is almost impossible to get them to stop emailing you. But I saw a petition that made me want to post. It was for woman who was angry that she is being forced to work the evening of Thanksgiving so Target can begin their Black Friday sales even earlier. This leads me to ask, if, in a recession, people cannot afford their house, then what makes you think they will spend more money if you begin your Black Friday sales even earlier? Here’s a shocking fact: Americans will. Especially in a recession.
And these companies believe that more people will come and spend money if these sales are earlier or go on for longer. While I enjoy watching grandmothers elbowing children in the chest for the latest hot toy, I don’t like waking up at 2am. It’s not fun. So, if, after dinner, instead of going for a walk, I can go shopping, that would be fantastic. I know it sucks for the people who have to work at these stores, and the truth is, we wouldn’t expect Black Friday sales if they weren’t given to us. If these stores opened on Friday morning at 7am, with the same sales, people would still come to these stores in droves. But time is money, and the more hours in a day you have to shop the more money you will spend. Do I feel sorry for the workers at these stores? Yes, I do. Do I believe it will change anyone’s shopping habits? No, I don’t.
