So I'm hearing through the grapevine at the store where I work that the owners of the mall where we're located have determined the schedule for Black Friday, the single biggest shopping day of the year. And the mall (and by extension due to lease agreements, every store housed within it) will be open for business at...
3 AM. I kid you not.
Just what the fuck were these guys smoking? Is the same thing happening anywhere else, too? This is just completely ridiculous!
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
So how angry do you get when you pass 24 hour grocery stores or gas stations?
Posted by Peregrinus (Member # 504) on :
God I'm glad I got out of retail...
--Jonah
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Er..where exactly do you work that they expect anyone at 3am?
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
Sol: I'd like to think that there's a difference between convenience and grocery shopping, and retail shopping. Sure, you might need to pop out for a gallon of milk at 3AM, or need to stop over to refill your tank when you're on an overnight drive. But who has ever heard of getting the burning urge to go buy something from Pottery Barn or Victoria's Secret or Macy's at 3AM, that couldn't wait until more civilized hours? It's all about needs and priorities.
Jason: It's a major retail mall, four anchor stores; not huge by national standards, but fairly big locally. Plus, we're the only sales-tax-free state for hundreds of miles (gotta go all the way up to NH otherwise), so the mall's business is usually pretty brisk. But to answer your question, I have no idea why the hell they'd expect anyone at 3AM!
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
They expect people at 3AM because they're opening at 3AM. Hype it enough and people will show up for the UBERW00T $ALE0RZ!
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Yep, it gets all those stupid ass shoppers off the roads earlier too, or makes them more dangerous driving to the other sales in the afternoon.
Posted by Malnurtured Snay (Member # 411) on :
THREE AM!?
Jesus Fucking Christ.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Black Friday?
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
The day after Thanksgiving in the US, which traditionally starts the Christmas shopping season. Called so becasue of the massive rush of consumers buying, buying, buying. Ther term was no doubt coined by someone at the retail end of operations.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
While dumb, who does this hurt? This seems somewhat of a self-correcting problem, if it actually is a problem.
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
It hurts the people who have to fucking staff the store.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
While I am unaware as to any previous reference to "fucking staff", if they do in fact have an establishment at this store, I am sure they are well used to odd hours and will be able to deal with this well in hand (so to speak). On the other hand, if employees are being conscripted unwillingly into a role as "fucking staff" , I'm sure there are appropriate venues for sexual harassment and assault.
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Why not 12:01 AM, then it isn't Turkey Day and all, cripes.
The 'fucking staff' is an additional draw for consumers, a floor show.
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
I used to work at a 7-11 on the "sunrise" shift. They called it that because Graveyard shift had a tendancy to turn people off for some reason...
I've often wished the stores around here (Futureshop, Staples, etc) were open a little earlier and a little later, I usually end up getting there just after the damn store closes. But 3AM is seriously excessive.
Working all night at 7-11 was actually pretty fun since there were no managers so I was da Boss man. And people would actually tell me how happy they are that there's a store open at all times. Especially teenagers coming in just after midnight to buy 2 cartons of eggs... Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Aw, that's so sweet. All those kids wanting eggs so they could make their folks breakfast in bed. . .
Posted by Chris (Member # 71) on :
In another instance of insane consumerism, the local Wal-Mart opened their doors at 9am yesterday morning. They haven't closed yet, and won't until 10pm tonight. What's the point?
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
quote:Originally posted by Shik: The day after Thanksgiving in the US, which traditionally starts the Christmas shopping season. Called so becasue of the massive rush of consumers buying, buying, buying. Ther term was no doubt coined by someone at the retail end of operations.
It's actually called Black Friday because of the idea that if you're in the red (back in the paper days, you wrote negative bank amounts in red), you'll be "back in black" after this Friday. Which is also then obviously where 'back in black' came from. I can't cite where I read this, cuz I don't remember *sob* It's just general knowledge
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
quote:Originally posted by Chris: In another instance of insane consumerism, the local Wal-Mart opened their doors at 9am yesterday morning. They haven't closed yet, and won't until 10pm tonight. What's the point?
Your Wal*Mart isn't 24/7/365?
Although um, it really ought to be "24/7/52" don't you think...?
Posted by Ventriloquists Got Shot (Member # 239) on :
I like to get shit I need when I need it. Sounds good, moving me to Amurrka.
There will always be people not pinkishly proud enough to staff the 3AM shifts. Stop bitching. Clean up. Do something that matters, shiplists don't count. High School's over. Get a brain morans.
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
Although I know that UM's being facetious (when is he not?), I'll still bite...
When an establishment is not normally open 24 hours, and the employees therein are not expected or planning to work at crazy hours, then it's ridiculous to expect them to open up the stores because of some silly belief that more people will come that early.
However, if a store is normally open at crazy hours (like one store in the chain where I work), then that's a completely different story.
Also note, there's a difference between needing to stay and assist with after-hours maintenance (like inventory, which is a normal part of any retail job), and opening up for customers who should by all rights still be asleep in bed.
Posted by Chris (Member # 71) on :
The only thing that's even near to being open 24/7 around here is Sobey's (a grocery chain), which opens at 9am on Monday mornings and closes at 11pm on Saturday evenings thereabouts, opening again on Sunday for 12-5 (this province has really backwards Sunday shopping regulations, with year-round Sunday shopping only being legal as of a couple years ago). Oh, actually, some Irvings (gas/convenience stores) are open 24/7 along with some Tim Horton's' (think Dunkin' Donuts, but better).
Posted by bX (Member # 419) on :
"Oh crap, after stuffing myself with turkey and gravy all night, I need a Mac Book Pro, right this instant to upload these Thanksgiving snaps. But it's 3:03AM. If only there were a store open which might sell me such a thing..."
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