Black Friday 2014: Walmart Ads Invade Thanksgiving, Backlash Has Companies Vowing ‘Never!’
Black Friday’s 2014 Walmart ads were leaked recently and already, a war on Thanksgiving has been declared. Instead of focusing on the meaning of the holiday, companies are asking shoppers to spend their time shopping. Not everyone thinks this continuing trend is a good thing for American society, and some companies have responded to the 2014 Black Friday ads blitz by proclaiming they will still close and also allow their employees to spend time with their families.
In a related report by The Inquisitr, if you’re looking for Black Friday 2014 guides, The Inquisitr has covered the best deals for Target, JC Penney’s $100 freebie for early risers and the worst Black Friday deals for this year.
To give you an idea how seriously some companies take Black Friday 2014, some shopping malls have been threatened with fines for not wanting to open their doors for the entirety of Thanksgiving. Those on the naughty list include Walmart, Belk, Best Buy, J.C. Penney, Kohl’s, Macy’s and Sports Authority, although those stores open at only 6 PM Thanksgiving day. As previously reported, there are other companies opening even earlier.
“KMart will start their early-bird deals at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning. Walgreens will open at 8 a.m. and Michael’s Arts and Crafts will open at 4 p.m. Stein Mart and Toys R Us will open at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Target has yet to announce its store opening time for Thanksgiving, but it’s likely that the company will open at 8 p.m. like they did last year.”
But many U.S. retailers realize how much of a burden it puts on the families who have friends and family members who work in retail. The consumer backlash against invading Thanksgiving day has caused this list of companies to vow to keep their doors closed on Thursday.
- American Girl Place
- Barnes & Noble
- Bed, Bath, & Beyond
- BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Burlington Coat Factory
- Costco
- Crate & Barrel
- Dillard’s
- DSWShoes
- GameStop
- Gordmans
- Hobby Lobby
- Home Depot
- HomeGoods
- Joann Fabrics and Crafts
- Lowe’s
- Marshalls
- Nordstrom
- Patagonia
- Petco
- Pier 1 Imports
- Publix
- Radio Shack
- REI
- Sam’s Club
- Sierra Trading Post
- Sur la table
- Talbot’s
- TJ Maxx
This Black Friday 2014 vow has some consumers praising the companies who have taken a stand.
“Good for these retailers for refusing to open on Thanksgiving! Send a message by refusing to participate in the rabid consumerism and greed that infects our nation by not shopping on the day we give thanks to God for His manifold blessings and reward these and other retailers by giving them your business…especially Publix.”
If that doesn’t convince you, then MarketWatch has previously revealed that Cyber Monday and Black November internet deals save an average of 24 percent, while Black Friday 2014 deals only save about 23 percent.
