Target and other stores opening at Midnight Thurs.

Grimmerick
Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
edited October 5 in Social Groups
Target and plenty of other stores are now opening between 11pm and 12am on Thurs. Target employees have a petition going around with about 190,000 signatures to keep black friday on friday, so that employees don't have to come in on thursday evening to prepare to open at 11 or 12. Do you think stores are taking this too far by infringing on Thanksgiving and taking employees from their families just to make extra money by opening earlier? Do you plan on shopping at 11pm on Thanksgiving?

Replies

  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    as I understand it, no employee who wants to be off will be scheduled, there are plenty of employees who are interested in earning holiday pay: double time.

    I don't plan to shop black thursday pretty much at all, because my budget says Christmas is going to be modest this year.
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,953 Member
    I just don't go shopping during Black Friday. I figure they wouldn't be doing it if people weren't crazy to go shopping and get their "deals". We get our Christmas tree that day and steer clear of the stores. Our family makes a lot of the gifts we exchange and fortunately for me (especially this year) they don't have issues with used things in good condition. My kids love thrift store finds! In fact, they encourage me to go thrift store shopping for Christmas because they know I can find really cute things that we wouldn't otherwise be able to afford. Craigslist is my other shopping favorite. Well, except for that guy that e-mailed me this morning and told me he'd give me the thing he had listed if I let him feel my boobs. I could live without that kind of shopping experience! :P
  • iAMaPhoenix
    iAMaPhoenix Posts: 1,038 Member
    I just talked to Xraylady about this same exact topic. Cry me a Fn river Target stock boy. Military members, safety officers, healthcare workers have been dealing with this since the beginning of time. If you don't want to work, don't let the door hit you where the good lord split you on the way out.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    I just don't go shopping during Black Friday. I figure they wouldn't be doing it if people weren't crazy to go shopping and get their "deals". We get our Christmas tree that day and steer clear of the stores. Our family makes a lot of the gifts we exchange and fortunately for me (especially this year) they don't have issues with used things in good condition. My kids love thrift store finds! In fact, they encourage me to go thrift store shopping for Christmas because they know I can find really cute things that we wouldn't otherwise be able to afford. Craigslist is my other shopping favorite. Well, except for that guy that e-mailed me this morning and told me he'd give me the thing he had listed if I let him feel my boobs. I could live without that kind of shopping experience! :P

    haha Krikey! He actually said that. I would tell him he can come and feel my knife's point if he likes. That's great your kids are like that, I hope I am so lucky when I have children.
  • poisongirl6485
    poisongirl6485 Posts: 1,487 Member
    Ugh, the Target employee making a stink works at one of the Target stores here. STFU already dude, be glad you have a job. Although the economy never really got hit hard here in Omaha, so I don't think he really understands that he should be thankful for the opportunity to work.

    Anyway, Walmart is opening at 10 pm Thanksgiving evening, and I for one will be there (never done a Black Friday shopping trip before!) as I would be rather go out late than get up early!
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    Ugh, the Target employee making a stink works at one of the Target stores here. STFU already dude, be glad you have a job. Although the economy never really got hit hard here in Omaha, so I don't think he really understands that he should be thankful for the opportunity to work.

    Anyway, Walmart is opening at 10 pm Thanksgiving evening, and I for one will be there (never done a Black Friday shopping trip before!) as I would be rather go out late than get up early!

    Depending on where you live you might want to invest in a helmet and some kevlar haha
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
    I know my unemployed son would be more than happy to work in place of any of the Target employees who don't want to work on Thanksgiving.
  • Marig0ld
    Marig0ld Posts: 671 Member
    I just talked to Xraylady about this same exact topic. Cry me a Fn river Target stock boy. Military members, safety officers, healthcare workers have been dealing with this since the beginning of time. If you don't want to work, don't let the door hit you where the good lord split you on the way out.

    Yeah, but most of the people that work at Target are part-timers with crappy pay and no health care benefits. Not to mention the terrible customers. Also, the last time I checked, getting half off of a toaster or a Keurig coffee maker wasn't as essential a service as national security or healthcare. Correct me if I'm wrong.

    Some of the Target employees may be being douchey about it, but I think this hyperconsumerism is getting out of control.
  • KimmyEB
    KimmyEB Posts: 1,208 Member
    as I understand it, no employee who wants to be off will be scheduled, there are plenty of employees who are interested in earning holiday pay: double time.

    I don't plan to shop black thursday pretty much at all, because my budget says Christmas is going to be modest this year.

    Ehh...I worked for Target for a little over 3 years...this is actually my first year NOT working there, but basically unless you're already on a leave of absence (school, military, maternity leave...things like that), then you're working on Black Friday. Even if you work in an area where hardly anyone will be (grocery, deli, etc.) then you'll be moved to a busier area (electronics, clothing, cashiering, etc.). I thankfully worked in their Starbucks, and while it's insane crazy busy and people are in a hurry and thus very rude and uncooperative, I was at least behind a counter. I didn't have to be out there in the sea of people wanting to buy junk. :laugh: Target is very, very strict about taking breaks and lunches, too. I actually got reprimanded for forgetting to take my lunch (as busy as it is that day, it's hard to get a second to look at the clock), and ended up taking it 20 minutes later than I was supposed to. I've worked at 2 different Target stores on Black Friday in those 3+ years, and they both make schedules for the employees on Black Friday--basically telling you to take breaks, and your lunch, at certain times, so that it ensures you aren't being overworked, have time to eat and go to the bathroom or call family, etc.

    Personally, I never minded working it. I usually went to bed early on Thanksgiving night, anyway. To be honest, I think I'd prefer the hours they're doing this time. I was always one of the people who worked the opening shift on Black Friday, and I hated getting up at 3am. I think I'd much rather just stay awake after dinner, work my shift, then go home and take a nap, or go to bed early that night.:tongue:

    I'm avoiding the crowds this year, and spending a nice day in Cedar Key, a block from the beach, with my boyfriend's family. This is the first year I'm not working in retail for the holidays, and I am going to ENJOY it! :happy: Plus, while some stores do great deals, most are just garbage. Last year, or the year before, can't remember..Target was selling these huuuuuge TV's for only $200--almost all of them that they sold were returned the next day, because of different problems...most having to do with sound.
  • sarah_ep
    sarah_ep Posts: 580 Member
    I just talked to Xraylady about this same exact topic. Cry me a Fn river Target stock boy. Military members, safety officers, healthcare workers have been dealing with this since the beginning of time. If you don't want to work, don't let the door hit you where the good lord split you on the way out.

    I agree with you to an extent. If I were to ever take a retail job, I would expect these holidays off. I think it is known that in the fields you stated that this is not an option, and that is a choice that person has made.

    I have always worked black Friday, never on Thanksgiving. Infringing on Thanksgiving day would have me looking getting a new job fairly quickly.

    As someone stated before, some may really need/want the holiday pay.
  • lor007
    lor007 Posts: 884 Member
    I worked as a cashier at Wal-Mart a few years ago and I was scheduled to work on Thanksgiving. Even though the sale didn't start at 4am (or whatever it was) on Friday, we were open normal business hours on Thanksgiving to encourage customers to come scope out the store. Instead of eating dinner with my family I was setting up displays of sale items.

    I also worked on Black Friday, Christmas Eve and Easter. When you have a crappy job like that, you have to expect to work holidays. You also have to put up with a sh!ton of rude customers who act like idiots. It sucks.
  • lor007
    lor007 Posts: 884 Member
    as I understand it, no employee who wants to be off will be scheduled, there are plenty of employees who are interested in earning holiday pay: double time.

    That may be the case in some stores, but not the majority.
  • poisongirl6485
    poisongirl6485 Posts: 1,487 Member
    Ugh, the Target employee making a stink works at one of the Target stores here. STFU already dude, be glad you have a job. Although the economy never really got hit hard here in Omaha, so I don't think he really understands that he should be thankful for the opportunity to work.

    Anyway, Walmart is opening at 10 pm Thanksgiving evening, and I for one will be there (never done a Black Friday shopping trip before!) as I would be rather go out late than get up early!

    Depending on where you live you might want to invest in a helmet and some kevlar haha

    LOL I know right. Thankfully i'm not going for the big ticket items like TVs or anything, but stuff like the towels that are like $1, small kitchen appliances, etc.
  • dragonbait0126
    dragonbait0126 Posts: 568 Member
    UGH. Seriously be grateful you have a job. My husband was out of work for 19 months. In that time we lost our house, became crazy behind on our bills, and lived paycheck to paycheck crossing our fingers we would make it to the next one. It's a good thing I like sandwiches. OH and don't let me forget, we had to cancel the wedding of our dreams. We still got married but we went to the JOP instead and splurged on McDonald's for lunch (yep I had chicken nuggets for lunch on my wedding day). Am I bit bitter? Hell yes. BUT I am grateful that I have a good job and could provide for my husband and I during that time. I am grateful that I still have a roof over my head. I am grateful my husband has a job even if it is part-time. And this jerk wants to complain that he has to work a few hours at his part-time job on Thanksgiving instead of spending the ENTIRE day planning his wedding? I just want to look at him and say when he's got something real to complain about then come see me. There are way too many people who would be willing to take his position at Target. Besides if he doesn't like what is happening at Target then he can go somewhere else. Yes, I know at times that is easier said than done in this economy. That being said I can give him a list of places he can apply for a job at. I can't guarantee he'll be hired but I do know of many places that are hiring (in fact the company I work for has over 5500 job openings in the U.S. alone and then thousands more across the globe so yea companies ARE hiring).
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
    I do not plan on shopping at 11pm tomorrow night. But, seriously, for those Target employees........you work at Target during the holidays!!! Anyone in retail knows the crazy hours associated with the business during the holidays.
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
    I don't understand what people need so badly from Target that they can't wait until Friday morning for it. America really can't take ONE DAY off from shopping to let people enjoy a few extra hours with their families?
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
    I don't understand what people need so badly from Target that they can't wait until Friday morning for it. America really can't take ONE DAY off from shopping to let people enjoy a few extra hours with their families?

    They're under the false illusion that prices will be better, or that what they want will run out.
  • If you work retail, expect to work on Black Friday. I worked retail for a few years and worked on black Friday, except when I was working receiving in which case I did not work. And my parents pretty much worked retail all their working days and that is how it always worked for them as well. I can understand employees not wanting to come in during the DAY on thanksgiving, but at night, 10 PM or later... Thanksgiving is over at that point, so I don't see the problem.
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
    If you work retail, expect to work on Black Friday. I worked retail for a few years and worked on black Friday, except when I was working receiving in which case I did not work. And my parents pretty much worked retail all their working days and that is how it always worked for them as well. I can understand employees not wanting to come in during the DAY on thanksgiving, but at night, 10 PM or later... Thanksgiving is over at that point, so I don't see the problem.

    I absolutely agree that if you work retail you should expect to work on Black Friday - but that's just the point, this is just asking that Black Friday remains on Friday. Sure, no one is probably eating dinner still at 10pm, but that doesn't really allow them travel time if their family doesn't live right around the block. I just don't think it's that big of a deal to wait until Friday morning.
  • I absolutely agree that if you work retail you should expect to work on Black Friday - but that's just the point, this is just asking that Black Friday remains on Friday. Sure, no one is probably eating dinner still at 10pm, but that doesn't really allow them travel time if their family doesn't live right around the block. I just don't think it's that big of a deal to wait until Friday morning.

    I dunno, most families I know of eat "dinner" around 2 PM or so and most people that have family far away that join them join the the evening before. There is a certain "feeling" of when it ends to me, and to me it ends well before !0PM-- and I'm not just talking about food here.

    I for one have never shopped on a Black Friday. Worked retail on a black Friday?? Sure. Shopped? NO. I've never been tempted. In fact tomorrow (as in Friday) I'm sort of mad I have to go out at all, but I got a new bed recently and the company forgot to give me the mattress cover for my mattress, and they'll only deliver it on a day I won't be available, so I have to pick it up tomorrow.

    I suppose that I, as the daughter of two people who worked retail their entire lives, as well as someone who has worked retail herself, don't really see why this is a debate at all. People are allowed to debate about it if they wish... but I just don't see the point. Although-- perhaps if people will stop shopping, and stores wouldn't make so much money... then there wouldn't be any need anyway. BUT I don't see that happening any time soon.
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