Remember when Black Friday took place on Friday?

[HAcoreRD]

I cannot tell anymore if it's consumer greed, corporate greed, or both, which can be labeled as "greed".

Growing up I remember my parents dragging me to door busters @ 6 am. The reason I went was I'd be another set of arms and can buy door buster items as well (If it's limit 1 per customer, then I count and we get more of these 'great' sales items).

Getting older the times got pushed earlier, mostly by Wal-Mart who feels compelled to one up competitors like Target or K-Mart, who then follow suit and open earlier.

Last year there was a strike by Wal-Mart employees on opening on Thanksgiving. Naturally, other retailers followed in their wake, and there was consumer outcry against it, but facts remain, the stores opened Thanksgiving and retailers made bank.

This year we have these hours:

Wal-Mart - Most stores will be open Thanksgiving day, however the 'sales events' start at 6 PM and 8 PM.
K-Mart - Open Thanksgiving day, door busters start 6 AM Friday.
Target - Store opens at 8 PM Thanksgiving with doorbusters.
Best Buy - 6 PM Thanksgiving (Tickets handed out @ 4 PM)
Walgreen's - 6 PM Thanksgiving
CVS - 6 PM Thanksgiving
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I feel for the employees the most.

Yeah, you can say it's their job, it's their fault for working there, but the fact is, they don't even get the day off to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families. It sucks that get to leave their houses to deal with this:












I cannot believe I forgot to add this gem. 2011 a Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death opening the door.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...ticle-1.334059
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So my question. What's your thoughts on Black Friday?

[Prokne]

I could see stores open for general business on holidays like Thanksgiving but thats just because people might need to buy something that they actually need like food or toilet paper. Opening up the sales on Thanksgiving is bad. First of all it doesn't really matter. If you open on noon on Friday you will still sell the same amount of stuff because they always run out a few hours into it anyway. Second, you would need less employees if it was a normal or reduced shopping day which means more people get the day off.

Ive done retail on the day after Thanksgiving and it was the worst day ever because its way too early in the morning and the people are jerks. I dont even shop that day. I much prefer working a normal schedule on holidays(and I have but not retail) than doing that again.

[Deleted]

So, what do we call it now? Just 'Black'?

[HAcoreRD]

So, what do we call it now? Just 'Black'?

"Retail Hell" has a nice ring to it.

I know some stores call it "Green Friday". Mostly because money is green....and I guess calling it black is....racist? Dunno anymore.

[Kraenen]

man this is disgusting...things like black friday just make me want to vomit. who capitalizes it too???

[Rukentuts]

"Retail Hell" has a nice ring to it.

I know some stores call it "Green Friday". Mostly because money is green....and I guess calling it black is....racist? Dunno anymore.

It was called "Black Friday" because it was usually the day retailers started turning a profit for the year, i.e. they switched to the black ink (as opposed to the red). "We're in the black" = Making money. "We're in the red" = losing money.

[belfpala]

It seems to me a better way to do it would be to trickle out the "big sale!!!!!" items a few at a time in the week or two leading up to Thanksgiving, rather than trying to do it all at once on one day and causing hell for everyone involved.

Just my thought.

[Feel The Power]

I am completely sickened, I just can't handle this anymore when it comes to this nonsense.

[Åmbulance]

Why do people even go out to shop on black friday, the best deals are online, and you don't have to deal with rude cunts!

[drwelfare]

If its part of the job then deal with it, many other jobs can have you working undesirable days and hours.

As for the shopping it has to be really impressive to make me go out and deal with the holiday shopping mess. I may life a miserable boring life, but spending 3+ hours waiting to save $20 is just not worth it, I'd rather go to the plasma place and have the nice girl put a needle in my arm and make $40 in an hour.

[Hamanis]

I work retail at Macy's and they are doing the same thing as well, opening at 8 pm Thanksgiving night for people who are looking to shop for Black Friday. It sucks :/

[Frolk]

Does non of the crazies that go and "shop" on Black Friday heard of the internet before, u can get BETTER deals online

[The Riddler]

Sigh. I do remember. I also remember the days when Christmas 'stuff' did not show up in stores until Thanksgiving was over. I saw Christmas stuff in stores around the area before it was even October this year. I know stores wouldn't do it if people weren't buying. Ultimately that makes it the consumer's fault as much as the retailer. It'd be nice if everyone just politely agreed to avoid Christmas until December 1st. My sentiment is that of the last panel in this comic...

[Kraenen]

Does non of the crazies that go and "shop" on Black Friday heard of the internet before, u can get BETTER deals online

remember, these people shop at walmart.

[Ebbikenezer]

You accept a job in retail, then you can accept the fact you may have to work weekends, holidays etc. That's been in every employment contract (read: application/paperwork) for a LOOOOOONg time. Most people are too lazy to read through it... grats to them on complaining long after the fact.

Wal-mart is also leading the charge on giving their employees a Thanksgiving dinner, 25% off any one ENTIRE purchase, and 50% bonus holiday pay. Even though the employees AGREED they may have to work that day, they're giving them extra anyways.

Yes, this is corporate as well as consumer greed, don't like it? There's multiple third world countries that would suit you methinks.

Why don't all the schlums who cry foul against retail stores do the same for our soldiers being forced overseas and out of country time and again spanning multiple holidays/years? How about for health care workers, taking care of your loved ones that you only just visit on the holidays instead of taking care of them yourself? What about gas station attendants, who deal with irate traveler's trying to go to/from their families' homes for the holidays and didn't have the foresight or planning to fill the tank up, or buy enough smokes before the holidays, etc? What about police? Firemen?

When does it stop? Where is the line drawn? Why do so many people piss and moan about retail employees having to work on the holidays?

I'm a software developer, I work ever year on Thanksgiving. Probably one of the most productive days of the year for me besides New Year's. I can have the day off, but see no real reason for it....

I spend as much time with family as I can anyhow, does anyone else not do the same?

Also: Wal-mart blues got you down? Go to college. Get yourself a nice degree so you don't have to work retail.

I am not on one side of the fence or the other about when stores are open during holidays because, quite honestly, I'll just do whatever I am going to do regardless, if a store's open maybe I'll go pop in and show off my own consumer greed. What I AM getting sick of is so many people marching around parading retail employees' rights.... but are completely hypocritical about it when it comes to any other citizen that has to work for many things to continue functioning. TO be honest, this country has way too many holidays as it is, and way too many expectations of our population to NOT have to work for what they want.

[Tierbook]

If its part of the job then deal with it, many other jobs can have you working undesirable days and hours.

As for the shopping it has to be really impressive to make me go out and deal with the holiday shopping mess. I may life a miserable boring life, but spending 3+ hours waiting to save $20 is just not worth it, I'd rather go to the plasma place and have the nice girl put a needle in my arm and make $40 in an hour.

took me a second to realize the plasma place with the nice girl wasn't a drug reference.....

[theturn]

You can add to you list Walgreens and CVS both will be open 8am to 10pm. In previous years they were only open till 6.

[Captain N]

Also: Wal-mart blues got you down? Go to college. Get yourself a nice degree so you don't have to work retail.

You don't need a college degree to not work at Wal-Mart. I have a Certification in Computer Programming and Im a Locomotive Engineer. If you think a piece of paper from a school is going to guarantee someone a job in that field you're deluded.

[chrisberb]

Anyone got any links to these better online deals?
I've seen some of the Black Friday ads and they've got some great deals (I don't participate in the black friday feeding frenzy though), but haven't seen much online.

[Usagi Senshi]

Why do people even go out to shop on black friday, the best deals are online, and you don't have to deal with rude cunts!

Pretty much this but you know how sheeple can be....