Sorry Retailers, Most Americans Hate the Idea of Shopping on Thanksgiving
There are a lot of things Americans are looking forward to this Thanksgiving: the annual tryptophan and pecan pie food coma, hours of football viewing, and relatives converging to fill houses and hearts.
So where does shopping fit in to all that?
Apparently, it doesn't.
In a new poll from the University of Connecticut, 9 out of 10 Americans say they won't be spending Thursday at big box stores, shopping for bargains. Retailers are forecasting that Americans will spend more than $600 billion in November and December, and the average American holiday shopper will spend $423 over Thanksgiving weekend.
Despite the mind-boggling projections, nearly half of Americans—49 percent—disapprove of shops being open on Thanksgiving Day. According to the poll, another 34 percent are neutral on the subject, while 16 percent approve of plans to stay open for business on Turkey Day.
"Thanksgiving is a holiday that cuts across all kinds of demographic boundaries in America, so it's no surprise to see that people are wary about the possibility that it could become just another day to go shopping," UConn Poll Director Jennifer Necci Dineen said in a release.
Retailers are hoping to get two days' worth of Black Friday–level sales receipts by setting earlier and earlier opening times—Toys R Us, Target, Best Buy, Walmart, Macy's, and others all plan to be open on Thursday night. Kmart, for the first time ever, is opening its doors at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving and staying open for 41 straight hours.
Those stores should take heed of another number in the UConn poll. At least 34 percent of Americans say they negatively view stores that open on Thanksgiving. Luckily for them, while 20 percent say the decision to open on Thursday makes them less likely to shop at such stores, another 74 percent say it doesn't affect their shopping choices.
The phone poll surveyed 1,189 randomly selected adults across the country.
The poll also found that 27 percent of Americans are planning to hit the shops on Black Friday—once the tryptophan wears off.
Related stories on TakePart:
• Toys R Us Worker Reveals All: Black Friday Is Ruining Thanksgiving
• Black Friday in the Red: Payday Loans Charge the Poor 400 Percent Interest
• Big Box Workers’ Lament: Voices From Thanksgiving Retail Hell
• Meet the $300 Thanksgiving Turkey
• Jane Says: There's No Need for Turkey on Thanksgiving
Original article from TakePart
