Are Black Friday stores saying goodbye to Thanksgiving hours?

(csmonitor.com) We don't remember shoppers ever getting so riled up about a doorbuster as they do about Black Friday's ongoing encroachment on Thanksgiving's turf. A few retailers already have announced or hinted at their Black Friday plans for 2015, and for the first time we're seeing signs that perhaps the tide is starting to retreat.

In 2007, the average start time was right around 5am on Black Friday. Retailers understood better than anyone that the early bird gets the worm, opening earlier and earlier until in 2014 the average start time was 6pm on Thursday. This shift has prompted many to wryly dub Thanksgiving "Black Thursday" or "Gray Thursday."

Charting a trajectory through to 2015, it's easy to speculate that Thursday 4pm will be the norm for those retailers who are planning Thanksgiving hours.
Opting Out: Staples and GameStop

Staples was the first relatively large retailer to announce its Black Friday hours, pulling its start back to 6am on Black Friday for the first time since 2011.

“We want our customers and associates to enjoy Thanksgiving their own way,” said Demos Parneros, president, North American stores and online, Staples. “On Thanksgiving Day, customers can shop from home on Staples.com and then continue their shopping in stores starting at 6 a.m. on Black Friday. Whether our customers like the convenience of shopping online, in our stores or a combination of both, Staples will have amazing products at great prices throughout the holiday season.”

GameStop likewise took a stand when it declared a 5am Black Friday start time.

“We believe strongly that our customers and associates should have the opportunity to spend the Thanksgiving holiday relaxing with family and friends, and not worrying with the stress of where to find the best shopping deals. We know this is in stark contrast to what many other retailers are doing, but we are taking a stance to protect family time during this important holiday,” said Mike Buskey, executive vice president and president of U.S. Stores.

It's worth noting, however, that although they posted a midnight start from 2011 to 2014, GameStop has never actually opened on Thanksgiving anyway. On the other hand, the move really does make it easier for GameStop employees to enjoy some turkey and cranberries with their families.

Even if it is just puffery in some corners, it's clear that many retailers are starting to see value in dropping their in-store Thanksgiving sales. And they're not doing so quietly, instead choosing to making it part of their strategy to attract shoppers. The executive quotes we've seen so far strike a tone that is simultaneously nostalgic, defiant, and family-oriented, clearly setting themselves up as one of the good guys in the Gray Thursday debate. Look for more retailers to make their own pro-Thanksgiving announcements over the next few weeks. (Full Story)