Families across the country gather at the Thanksgiving table every year, heads bowed and hands joined, taking a moment in their hectic lives to be thankful for the things they have in life. However, this tone of humility and thankfulness is quickly overridden by the sales and chaos of Black Friday.
Many stores take advantage of the official holiday season kickoff by offering insane deals and doorbusters for eager shoppers lined up outside for hours.
The insane profits that can be made on such a large shopping day have companies clamoring to increase their window of opportunity, with sales being slowly pushed back into the actual day of Thanksgiving. This year, Macy’s started their sale as early as 5 p.m. in the evening Thanksgiving day.
However, one company decided to take the road less traveled. When outdoor retailer Recreational Equipment, Inc., or REI, announced their Opt Outside campaign, they notified consumers that they would be closing the doors of their brick-and-mortar stores for the busiest shopping day of the year to allow their employees to enjoy the day with family.
By allowing employees to spend the day with their families instead of at work, REI sends the message that the well-being of their shoppers and employees is more of a priority than their profits. This is a refreshing sentiment from a corporation, when so often the potential dollar signs get in the way of the big picture. What good is a holiday where togetherness and thankfulness are championed if family members are ripped from the Thanksgiving table to man the cashier line at a store ravaged by bargain-crazed shoppers?
REI did not go unrewarded for its brave stance this past weekend. While their brick-and-mortar locations were closed, its website remained live, attracting 25 percent more visitors and business that it had just last year according to Geek Wire. When a company shows compassion for the well-being of others and not simply its bottom line, people will respond to that in the company’s favor. Nobody wants to shop at a store where they do not feel valued.
But is REI’s decision to close its doors this Black Friday more than a moral stance?
Online shopping during the Thanksgiving weekend may be the wave of the future. While many websites have been boasting Cyber Monday sales for years, this year websites noticed an overall bump of 25 percent more shoppers on Black Friday, according to Adobe Info.
If people can get the same deals from the comfort of their home that they can get in a store, it is an easy choice to make. By shopping online, families can remain together over the holiday weekend instead of fighting the crowds to get their hands on the next iPhone.
Overall, Thanksgiving is just that—a day where we should be able to give thanks for the things we have and not think about the things we need to have. While many people view Black Friday as a time to get deals, they do not understand that there are people who are sacrificing time with their families and loved ones to get their paycheck. By taking a stand in the face of what is normal, REI might open the doors for more stores to acknowledge the madness of Black Friday. And who knows, they might see a bump in their website traffic as a reward.
Samantha is a freshman planning on majoring in communication arts and journalism. Did you go Black Friday shopping? How do you feel about stores that open on Thanksgiving? Email us at opinion@dailycardinal.com.
