12:01 AM. 3 AM. 4 AM.

[blondeatlast]

Where's the "family values" crowd when it comes to retail employees?

I spent many years in retail and I know that the period between Thanksgiving Day and New Year's is do or die in that biz. Unless you've worked in the biz, you can't begin to understand how many jobs (directly and in related businesses) and raises are tied into a good holiday period. Even if you loathe the consumerism you should understand that many millions of jobs depend on that month alone.

I remember having to drag myself out of bed the day after T-Day in order to be at work at 5 AM to prep for a 7 AM opening on Black Friday--and this was at a chi-chi department store where I managed a designer boutique. But back in the day, I could spend a full holiday with my family and still get a good night's sleep in before BF (which I actually enjoyed, MOST people were kind and enthused and happy and didn't get nasty when I wished them "Happy Holidays!").

That's no longer the case. I'm disgusted at the opening times of the stores now--and the sad part is, some of the people I know most ready to hit Wal-Mart at whatever unGodly hour Friday are pretty strict "family values" Xtians (full disclosure: I call myself a Xtian, but I'm hardly the RRR* type).

Here's the deal: It costs the stores MORE money to open early. It doesn't increase traffic--the same people who will be waiting outside Wal-Mart at 2 AM would be there at 6 AM if that was the time they opened. I hope to HELL that the stores that are open on T-Day are paying their employees time and a half and holiday pay and that the employees offered to come in that time to do it--but I KNOW that isn't always the case.

I don't shop Black Friday at all anymore, nor do I hit the after-Christmas sales. I'd love to see people who truly care about "family values" (and therefore are concerned about labor issues) boycott en masse next year--but I'm afraid those people, like many who are on DU, don't do much BF shopping anyway.

I'm CHALLENGING the hypocritical "family values" crowd to stay in bed until 7 AM Friday. I've already mentioned as much to a "friend" who fits the category--she gave a lame excuse for declining. But of course, they will have to miss out on a $300 HDTV if they do. Wonder if they are up to it?

*Radical Religious ReBPublican

[smokey nj]

1. I agree.

[liberal N proud]

2. Many millions of Chinese jobs too

Most of the stuff being sold on the Black Friday ads is made in China.

That being said, there are many millions of retail workers who depend on the next month as well.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Some of my family work in retail, it always ruins the holiday. I really wish

we could go back to sane business hours. No one will die because they had to wait a few more hours to buy their crap.

[blondeatlast]

4. The first year I worked, we opened at 9 AM rather than 10 on BF.

That tells you how long ago it was...

[hedgehog]

5. What about the stores open Thanksgiving Day!?!?!

We're used to dealing with shifts at the steel mill or aluminum plant, and a lot of maintenance gets scheduled for holidays. But retail!?! I don't even want to see grocery stores open. You can live without whipped cream on your pumpkin pie!

[blondeatlast]

6. It pays to read the entire message--just sayin'. nt

[hedgehog]

9. ? I think I was saying that while certain industries can't shut down for the day,

it's cruel to make people work retail. Bad enough to open up early on Black Friday, some department stores are opening Thanksgiving Day! So I think I'm backing you up, unless I missed something?

[blondeatlast]

11. You are; I see what you are saying (my sister was a hospital pharmacist until she retired).

My apologies. :hi:

[Gidney N Cloyd]

7. I can remember driving to my folks on Thanksgiving 25 years ago and thinking...

...'I hope there's a gas station open.' This is around Chicago. Now it seems funny to find anything closed on a holiday.

[pipi_k]

10. Yep...I forget when...

the "Blue Laws" changed in my state, but there used to be a time when Sundays you could hardly find anything open at all.

Now Sunday is just like any other day.

Not that it's a bad thing, especially for people who can't get out to stores during the week.



I'll bet if I told young kids that everything used to be closed on Sundays and holidays, they would probably not believe me.

[pipi_k]

8. I don't know why people bother in the first place....

Saw a piece on the local news last night where people said they got to certain stores very early and the "deals" weren't all that great...that there were a lot of "bait" items and the rest was regular prices, or very minimally discounted.


I do 95% (or more) of my shopping online. Saves gas and time and aggravation, and often free shipping is included.

[eridani]

12. Online for this kid. People are getting cards mentioning donations in their names

---to Heifer International and Oxfam.

[Madam Mossfern]

I grew up in a 'retail family'

and my husband is in retail. All I can say is that for me Thanksgiving to New Years sucks. I never saw my father, nor did my kids see theirs. (Well, we all used to help out at the store) The day after Christmas he has to deal with returns and complaints. Your family budget is based on how well business is on those days. Luckily the business is mostly internet based now, but we get phone calls 24 hours a day which my husband dares not answers for fear of losing a sale.

I made sure that all my children became professionals and when my husband retires, the business will be sold and NONE of the kids will inherit it. I wouldn't wish the retail lifestyle on anyone. I don't shop on Black Friday and frequent small local shops for gift buying.

[Wednesdays]

13. Never have shopped on Black Friday

Never have, never will. Or, if I did, it was during regular hours, for items I normally would have shopped for anyway. Waking up hours before dawn, standing in freezing temperatures, and risk being part of a deadly stampede--all just to save a few bucks--is insane.

What's more, I understand "bait-and-switch" is rampant. The stores stock maybe 3-4 of the "sale items," and regular customers never even get a glimpse of them, because they're reserved by store employees before the doors open to the public. One friend of mine braved the Black Friday rush one year (seeking a particular microwave oven on sale), and was the very first to the register. When she was told the store was sold out, she pointed out that she was the first in the store and therefore that was impossible. She stood her ground, and so finally, the clerk (ever so reluctantly) went to the back room, and brought out a box with that very microwave oven. He was going to just buy it for himself (or was holding it for a friend).

[Warpy]

14. I, too, have worked retail on Black Friday

although it was small store in a small town and I, as manager, realized the same people would be waiting at a decent 8 AM as if I'd rousted them at an ongodly wee hour, so I opened then instead of the usual 10 AM. Since the figures were always good, I was never berated for that and I stuck it out for seven long years.

You're right about the nature of the Black Friday crowd, RRR* all the way, all looking for something for nothing. I don't play that game at all, realizing that the advertised specials are teasers that only the first handful of people who burst through the door and sprint for the goodies will get and that everybody else will pay full retail price, shit outta luck for their giving up a good night's sleep. They'd probably find the stuff on sale if they slept in and waited a couple of weeks to shop.

I will actually be shopping on Black Friday this year, as I do every year, but at a massive art show in town. It opens at a luxurious 11 AM and no one goes without sleep, there is no stampede, and the items are priced to support the artists who created them.

*Rabid Religious Reaganites

[blondeatlast]

15. k

[GeorgeGist]

16. I wonder why ...

people believe that consumerism is superior to socialism.

[blondeatlast]

17. Just a post BF kick in support of my friends in reatail Hope you kept your sanity

and have a lovely drink and take care of your feet tonight!

[WolverineDG]

18. Funny how the one business that does close one day per week

gets constantly slammed on DU for being a "fundie" business.

the "family values" crowd ain't the only hypocrites in the room.

dg

[blondeatlast]

19. Chik-Fil-A?

That's the only one I do know of--and I kind of applaud them for it (and I love their food, even though it's bad for me).

[WolverineDG]

20. Yup

just remembered that Hobby Lobby now closes on Sundays too.

(the only day I really crave a chik fil a is on Sundays too. :rofl: )

dg

[Catshrink]

21. I hate shopping

I used to love it but it's no longer fun or a game. I think it was a trip to the Goodwill a few years ago that changed my mind - especially about clothes shopping. A pair of jeans - $40 department store, $4 Goodwill sale day. Hm. No brainer.