Many retail workers won't be able to have a second helping at Thanksgiving dinner this year, as stores are opening for Black Friday even earlier, some even on Thanksgiving Day.
Black Thursday, as it's being called, has been going on for several years, but stores like Target, Toys R Us and Wal-Mart are opening earlier than ever, hoping to cash in on the rush of shoppers looking to get a head start on the holiday buying season.
Wal-Mart will open at 8pm on Thanksgiving Day, two hours earlier than last year.
Kmart will also open at 8, as will Sears and Toys R Us.
Target will open at 9pm.
Best Buy and Kohl's have said they will remain closed on Thanksgiving, opening at the "usual" Black Friday time of midnight.
Most stores will offer special deals throughout the night, redeemable during specific hours, in order to drive traffic at all times.
But there is a growing backlash over the earlier openings, since workers must leave their Thanksgiving gatherings in order to staff the stores.
At least 20 petitions have been started on Change.org calling for later openings, and hundreds of thousands of people have signed them.
Some stores like Target have specifically said they're attempting to staff locations with seasonal workers who volunteer to work the holiday shifts.
The lackluster economy is driving the earlier openings, as store that open on Thanksgiving saw a 22 percent increase in sales, say analysts.
And while some consumers complain about the conspicuous consumption, they keep showing up to grab the lowest prices. If the economy picks up, there will likely be a shift back to quality over price.
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
