Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

Dear Retailers

Dear Retailers,

I'm glad you are so willing to offer all the little (and big) things that we need as consumers at a significantly discounted price on Black Friday. What a brilliant idea really; make people think that it is the lowest price of the year, or season depending on your advertising style. I love the teaser leaks and rumors of unbeatable pricing. Makes my heart melt to think I could wait in line for 6 hours to buy a Nintendo DS for $80! Who cares what I miss out on at home -- be it sleep, family time, play time, game time, or cooking and baking time. No biggie, right?

Here's an idea for you. Now this is a truly innovative thought, one that I think will revolutionize the retail industry as a whole. Are you sitting down? Ready for the most creative and original idea every in the history of marketing ideas? You still with me? Good! Here is....hold on tight....

Open your stores at 11am on Black Friday instead of 5am. Offer truly decent pricing with quantity that would make any wholesaler proud. Give door buster prices good from 11am-2pm on Friday. Guess what this would do for your consumers? This would create in them such a sense of happiness that if they didn't all die of amazement, appreciation and glee they would probably buy out your whole store! Do we even need to detail what it would do for your employees? Who else does BF sales so "late" in the day? Because your hours would be competeing with NO ONE else your consumers wouldn't have to choose which store to goto. No consumer would be turning away from your store for another. They could shop at both?

Brilliant isn't it? Revolutionary thinking, I know. Your welcome.

Sincerely,
Ashley

13 Comments

Ha. My mom mentioned going to Walmart for something and being overwhelmed with all the holiday stuff glutting the aisles to the point of making navigation difficult. I told her about seeing Christmas back to back in the store with Halloween merchandise--before Halloween. It's like the retailers can't take a breath between holidays and as you said obsess about Black Friday to the point of missing Thanksgiving as anything but a day before the big sales that you get the day off to strategize shopping instead of enjoying time with family and friends. No wonder it seems like time flies with retail stores spirally us through the year toward Halloween and Christmas and that "other holiday" before Black Friday. The thing I love about Thanksgiving is the thing the stores dislike about it. Little to no merchandizing to spoil it (which spoils sales and makes it a poor holiday in their eyes). I'm not begrudging them sales--that's their bread & butter--but I do feel the stores and media are crossing a line in the sand.

LGrant Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Well said, Linda. When I hear about stores opening at midnight on Thanksgiving night, I feel very sorry for the workers. Can you imagine??

! Thursday, November 17, 2011

We have Carolina Premium Outlets within four miles of our house and there is one store ( Hilfiger) that started opening at 12:01 a.m. on the Friday after Thanksgiving and a lot of others followed suit. The employees are put under a strain because only a few customers at the time are admitted and that adds increased pressure plus shoplifting runs rampart that day. Some shoopers make a game out of shopping at weird hours, but it isn't worth it to me.

BeanCounter37 Thursday, November 17, 2011

Here here Linda!

Richie & Ashley Thursday, November 17, 2011

Oh no, the Target Christmas Champ is back-makes me want to throw a shoe at the TV. I know the retailers want to stimulate the economy but all this craziness over Black Friday really puts a damper on the reason for the season. There are so many ways to use this season to help others rather than be pulled into this insanity.

dannie Friday, November 18, 2011

I LOVE those commercials! Last year I giggled every single time I saw her.

Jules Friday, November 18, 2011

I'm with Dannie! That ad does NOT put me in the Christmas spirit and make me want to go shopping at Target!!

! Friday, November 18, 2011

Another reason I'm glad we don't have television.

Spike Friday, November 18, 2011

I have not seen the Target commercial that you are talking about, but I would imagine that I might have the same reaction to it as the rest of you. Tell me about it because it may not be playing in the RDU Market.

BeanCounter37 Friday, November 18, 2011

Here is an interesting fact for your information at this time of year: Walmart makes a clear bottom line profit of about $20,500 every second.

BeanCounter37 Friday, November 18, 2011

Nordstrom dies it right. They don't do insane early opening. They don't even decorate for Christmas till the day after Halloween. Makes me want to shop there!

girlcarew Friday, November 25, 2011

Sounds like a sensible company. Maybe it will be contagious.

LGrant Friday, November 25, 2011

Some stores just over do it. Nice to hear of one that doesn't.

Richie & Ashley Saturday, November 26, 2011