<p>H used to love going to CompUSA with D and S on Thanksgiving evening. Once they were even served pumpkin pie while they waited in line. I personally stayed home with the party we hosted and enjoyed the bonding instead. Now that CompUSA is no longer in existence, mostly they do cybershopping instead. Much less crowded and frenetic.</p>
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<p>Yes. It is motivated by their desire to tell the world that they’re not joining the crazed rush for extra profits at the expense of their employees.</p>
<p>I agree. That’s where I got the idea that were trying to suggest that they were somehow superior and that’s where I disagree. Since being a membership store with an entirely different business model they are a whole different ballgame and going to Costco is not likely to ever become a community event because most of the people in line at the mall can’t get in to a Costco. And, by the way, while it’s true they pay their workers more than Macy’s or Wal-Mart it’s also true they hire far fewer workers per sales volume and most of the other stores employees including the 90,0000 seasonal staff just hired by Macy’s are not getting jobs there. It’s not better or worse, imho. But it is also not the same thing at all. It just looks somewhat the same from the outside to people who are not paying close attention to the pesky little details. If you think any store is not more interested in customers than employees you are very naive. Costco customers apparently like this approach, though. And, I guess they also like the feel good press releases. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart and Macy’s customers seem to enjoy the early holiday shopping trend. After all, it’s growing every year.</p>
<p>Flossy, just curious - are you a member of Costco? Forgive me if you already mentioned this earlier in this post.</p>
<p>So what’s wrong with a business touting the fact that they put a value on employees not having to work on Thanksgiving or being proud of not being open? They are just putting their best foot forward and letting people know - because, this value IS important to a lot of people - including many on this thread. Don’t know why you keep using the word “superior” - are they saying “we are the only ones closed on Thanksgiving”? What about their statement indicates they are “superior” to others.</p>
<p>Also Flossy, you stated that “most of the people in line at the mall can’t get in to a Costco” - why not? Any one who chooses to pay a membership can. I don’t associate mall shoppers as people who don’t have the $$ to join Costco. Many mall shoppers are higher end shoppers depending on the mall store selection. </p>
<p>Finally, I don’t know but by the crowds at Costco - especially on a weekend or when they have special featured product days is DOES seem like a community event!!! </p>
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I seem to recall that Scrooge was able to buy a large turkey (or was it a goose?) on Christmas Day. So the decline may have started back then.</p>
<p>In my opinion, Costco, and Nordstrom, and any other companies that resist the impulse to open on Thanksgiving for the sake of their employees ARE superior to companies that don’t do this, at least in this respect. Amazingly, sometimes companies make principled decisions that don’t make them more money.</p>
<p>Maybe it’s just something about us PC Northwesterners 
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<p>We like our communal national holidays and wholesome family time.</p>
<p>Not just you saintfan, I am in the Midwest. If the dept stores didnt have to be fully staffed, maybe I would feel differently. Unfortunately, it’s all hands on deck, so employees dont have the option of taking the day off.</p>
<p>Shopping is not an essential like health care, police or first responders. </p>
<p>I have never been shopping on thanksgiving…not even online. Guess what…someone is working behind the scenes online as well.</p>
<p>No-one is talking about taking away anyone’s family time. When the mall began midnight openings people were still home all day. Even now, the opening is not until after dinner by design. However,the idea that everyone is sitting around all day enjoying family time except for the cops and a couple of unfortunate cashiers is a bit of a fantasy.And, of course I was not suggesting that mall shoppers couldn’t afford Costco cards. It’s just a fact that most people don’t have one and the target demographic for this crazy all night shopping activity is not the same customer that Costco typically attracts. They’re probably not Nordstrom’s customers, either. Nordstrom’s is selling an image that conflicts somewhat with crowds of people in pajamas and sweatsuits running through an open door at an appointed time and scavenging for bargains.</p>
<p>Whatever time the store opens, the employees are there hours before that.</p>
<p>I don’t think Costco customers are all that different from customers at lots of stores that have Black Friday sales.</p>
<p>Employess work in shifts. There is really no such thing as all hands on deck unless it’s a teeny tiny store.</p>
<p>Costco customers are different because they are members. You cannot advertise a giant sale at Costco on cable TV or in the newspaper because the general public can’t just show up and get in. And, someone looking for a 100-dollar big screen TV is not going to pay 50-bucks to buy a membership card first.</p>
<p>Maybe we have more Costco stores in our area. The same person here might well be a Costco, Nordstrom (or Rack), Macy’s shopper, occasionally picking up a sundry item at Walmart.</p>
<p>Well, of course there’s overlap. </p>
<p>You know…if it’s your thing to go to the mall or wherever, shopping on Thanksgiving, or in the middle of the night for the Black Friday sales…have fun. If it’s your thing, fine. But I also know employees at places like Best Buy. They were assigned their work time for thanksgiving…and were clearly told to show up, or lose their jobs to someone who would. No choice. Best Buy opened at 11 pm on Thanksgiving last year. Their employees had to be there at 8. No, they didn’t miss Thanksgiving with the family, but they sure didn’t get a good nights sleep! And NO, they did not get paid a differential for working the 11-7 shift.</p>
<p>Most items sold on Black Friday are actually cheaper in January.</p>
<p>Personally, I don’t assume that the free market is looking out for the best interests of our society.</p>
<p>I don’t especially trust the free market or the government. Probably good to have both keeping each other in check to at least some degree. </p>
<p>Wait, definitely off topic, lol…</p>
<p>Maybe it isn’t that the shoppers are different. Maybe it’s that the COSTCO founders and Nordstrom family are different . . . just a thought.</p>
<p>Oh boy, I can see the liberal posters injecting their politic view here. Just please stop. I see on multiple threads.</p>