Some are criticizing the decision of retailers who have decided to open their doors on Thanksgiving Day instead of waiting for Friday to kick off holiday shopping. Iowa State University retail and small business specialist, Ron Prescott, says one of the reasons stores are making the move is because they think it will get them sales. “The whole things is actually consumer driven. People are interested in shopping earlier,” Prescott says. “Now that may come from the recession, where people are interest in spreading out their paychecks over a longer period of time.”
While consumers want to shop earlier, Prescott says they may not go along if things continue moving up on the calendar. “I think there is going to be a point where people say ‘enough is enough’ and we’re encroaching on our holiday season a little bit too much,” Prescott says. But for this year anyway, opening on Thanksgiving isn’t the limit. “Up to this point, it doesn’t seem like that’s the trend, at least in 2013,” Prescott says.
While some retailers are trying to get the jump on holiday shopping, Prescott says overall he’s seen something else that he views as good for the economy.
“Employment is up for retailers this holiday season — you know everybody is concerned about unemployment — and it’s just not temporary,” Prescott says. He says many retailers are hiring full-time employees, and that means they have a positive view of the economy and for business beyond the holidays.