It aint what it used to be! Let's discuss early opening times...

[zim05]

I too dislike these early times. I think our BF of the past is now gone and so is our family's BF traditions with it. Every year I would look forward to BF and started a mental countdown in August.

 

That started to change last year when everyone, and I mean everyone, was out and about at the midnight openings. So many around us in line stated that it was their first time doing the opening times. Groups of young teenagers were everywhere just watching and rushing the doors - it seemed for the heck of it. A lot of observers who wanted to see what it was about and had no game plan and were always in the way. Last year soured it for me.

 

In the past, my mom, sister and I would gather around the table with pie and the ads spread everywhere and make a game plan. It was a tradition. As my younger siblings have gotten older, we no longer need the hot toys and none of us want TVs or electronics. So this year I will buy online though Amazon and a few stores. I'll probably go out still around 5am or 6am on Friday and see what's left. I'll also go out on Saturday for those that have sales.

 

The weird thing is that, oddly enough, I'm not really mad/sad about not fully participating this year. Because if I had to choose between Thanksgiving dinner with my family or waiting in line - I'll choose Thanksgiving every time. I don't need any blockbuster deal that badly.

[First Lady]

I dislike the stores opening on Thanksgiving day. Years ago it was kind of neat to hop over to Kmart for a quick sale, but now everyone is doing it, and earlier and earlier. Seems Black Friday is Black FRIDAY anymore, it's Thursday. The only good thing I see about the Thursday BF sales is it gets me out of being with the inlaws for the whole night

[shoppinmama]

I also hate the Thursday night opening time. Last year there were so many young teens that were never out before. The line at Belk was wrapped around the store. In years past it was less than a quarter of that length. Also, I enjoy having a glass of wine with my family and spending time with them. I don't want to miss out on family time just to go shopping. And I haven't seen anything in the ads to make it worthwhile either. This year I think I'll enjoy Thanksgiving, do some online shopping, sleep a bit and then maybe go out in the early morning or whenever I feel like going out. I have also been stashing gifts for my kids away all year and have a pretty good start. I think this will be a mostly online shopping year for me.

[princess01]

I miss the old days too. They know it's easier for people to just go out Thanksgiving evening and stay awake for the 'early' sales. And I'm sure they make more money that way too. It's disappointing that they are starting earlier this year. Shopping all day Friday was always so much fun. Last year we did the 10:00 sale at Walmart - got there around 9, and were out until Friday after lunch. We were exhausted, almost falling asleep driving.

 

I think we might not shop as long or 'browse' as much this year. I'm going to try to purchase as much as I can ahead of time, before BF so if I don't get as many doorbusters I won't be so upset...

[fluffkin79]

I'm taking over Thanksgiving this year and I plan to enjoy the day with family, cook with the kids, watch some football, eat around 5pm, maybe even have a glass of wine. That's my priority. I'll still work some shopping in, but it's definatly not like it used to be. I prefer to have family time on Thursday, shopping on Friday.

 

Last year was a blur. I didn't get any real sleep so I was cranky and somewhat overwhelmed by the crowds (even though I skipped store openings and the store weren't THAT crowded - tired will do that to ya). I didn't really enjoy myself like I have in the past. I got some deals, but I really just wanted to be back in bed.

 

This year I plan to make an a.m. drugstore run on T-day, then keep an eye on here and (hopefully) get most of my goods ordered as sales go live. I'm sure I'll make it out to B&M stores at some point; when I go out will depend on how much I'm able to get online. I'm hoping to resist the urge to head out until at least midnight. Or maybe skip the wine, head out for 8:00 deals then back home till 5-6?

Edited November 9, 2012 by fluffkin79

[jstluvem]

I would rather get up early then shop all night long. I don't want to miss family time. I feel bad that the employees are losing another holiday with their families.

Ditto !

[happysunshine28]

I will do just about anything to save money, that being said I wont camp out, lol.

[Pepper_Mint_Tea]

Shorter in stores. I had to be in line hours ahead of BB opening last year at 12 am, which you have to do anyway but something was just ...off. Then had to stand in the check out line(s) until 4 am just because of my big purchases. Large screen tvs and pcs/laptops had to be paid for in their departments. By then I was spent and passed out sleep about 6 that morning. Everything after that was online only shopping. I would normally be pumped and ready for shopping if I am just starting at 5 am.

 

I am also not crazy about carrying out electronics and expensive purchases while its still pitch black dark. When you start at 5 am usually its light out when you are done. And if you are store hopping you have to leave all the items in you car in hopes that no one sees what you put in the truck or followed you to your car.

 

I really enjoyed the 5 am start time and have done so for years. But as with all things I'll adjust and change...but I am not happy about it.

 

 

I agree with ya, Im not too crazy about the "earlie opening or stores this year.

[abentley]

Something that concerns me is the lack of sleeping hours will make crowds meaner and crazier.hoenstly if i go it could end up being 36 hours with out sleep by the time i cook AND show up for all the sales. I think it will be a crazier year, some bad incidents will happen and blamed on the lengthy duration of sales. I like it being spread out, just not on Thursday. I think they sectioned the sales for crowd control issues, but what if we want things from all of them! Lol!

[JollyGG]

I really enjoyed sneaking out of the house in the wee hours while my kids slept and doing my shopping and then either going to work or going home. I did the late thing last night and lines were so long that I ended up just standing for way too long. I do fine when I'm moving, but my back was killing me from the standing. Lines were unbelievably long and slow. More so than in years past. I had absolutely no fun. I went with my SIL and brother who love shopping but get rather crabby and hard to take the more tired they get. They weren't too bad, but I don't think they had much fun either.

 

I'll do what shopping I can online. Then I'll pop in and see what's still around in the morning before heading to work.

[Deal Grabber]

I shop shorter times.No matter what time the stores open ppl will come.Earlier isnt better.

[Deal Grabber]

And t hey dont realize parents cant leave at early times.We wait for kids to sleep to shop and home before they wake.Now ill be shopping when they r awake and ill be sleeping when they are awake.NOT FUN!!!!!

[hpowers]

I don't really mind it. Like I've said before, I can have family time anytime so "It's Thanksgiving" doesn't get it with me. I like getting a good price on something I was wanting anyway. My kids love to go now that they are old enough. Even my 21 and 23 go to watch the crowds panic over $5 movies, LOL. We go with family and friends and just hang out all night in Walmart. We travel between lines so it's not so boring just standing in one line so we really make a fun night of it.

[breandmia]

Ugh..... Its the the same stuff every year in these ads. People risk life and limb for $1.00 towels and $5 DVDs. I don't know why I subject myself to this madness every year. Starting at 8pm is just going to make it worse. I really hope the things I need are available online, or Meijer will have a good ad. I heard they are starting at 5am this year.

[howpomp]

Not a fan of the Thursday night sales but they are hard to ignore. I think there will be more gravitation to Thanksgiving sales and we will see the sales spread over the two days which may dilute the excitement. When the standard was 5am there was more of a competition to get the shoppers into an individual store.

 

Overall I think I am shopping less time since everything is being targeted at specific time frames.

[Elmck]

I am not sure what I am going to do yet. The best ads for me so far are the Sears at 10PM and Best Buy. If Office Max had one of the other items that Best Buy has I would go there instead of Best Buy simply becasue it is less crowded and they don't open until 6 AM. I am still confused on all the times for things but it is slowly making sense.

 

I wish they would go back to the 4AM openings. The thought of staying up all night makes me tired now!!

[atipton129]

Do you guys think you shop for a longer or shorter overall time in stores because of the Thursday night openings?

I definitely shop less. I start at the scheduled opening times, but as the sun starts to come up, I am utterly exhausted. Those few hours of sleep that I would get with the 4am/5am opening times made a world of difference.

[Kimmisue]

I know I'm in the minority here but my family has Thanksgiving at 1 pm so we are done eating/visiting & home by 6pm. I hate getting out of bed & have slept thru some sales in previous years. I enjoyed Wal-Marts 10pm opening time last year, I'd prefer it over 8pm but I'm not complaining.

[berry1014]

Do you guys think you shop for a longer or shorter overall time in stores because of the Thursday night openings?

I am out shopping less with the earlier times. We host Thanksgiving and have family/friends over. I do not to rush them out of the house to cut my time short with them because the stores are opening earlier on Thanksgiving. If I see a MUST HAVE item that is on my list that may only be a couple dollars more than the BF prices I will go ahead and pick it up. Last year I went to the Walmart at 10 pm on Thanksgiving, picked up the movies and games I wanted and then went home and went back to bed. Hubby and I got up around 5 am on BF morning and headed out shopping to shops that were 20 to 30 minutes away and we were home before 10 am. When the stores opened at 4/5 am we were out shopping until mid afternoon.

 

Another thing with people being up all day on Thanksgiving and then being up all night shopping, I am surprised there are not more car accidents where the driver fell alsleep at the wheel.

[Kanyon71]

I know last year and most likely again this year we shopped less. I won't give up my Thanksgiving in any part to head out to the stores. We still got up early and headed out to the stores but all the crowds had died down and the door buster sales had long since been gone and to be honest I was ok with that. Made our shopping much smoother and no mass stupidity out there.

[monster2369]

Last year was the first year that I only went to one early morning sale. I went to target for games that had the gc offers, went back home to bed until 11 am and took the kids to the mall. With the stores opening on Thanksgiving nite I will be there and get to go back to sleep and take kids out later on Friday. So no big deal to me, I just will take a quick nap after me and my girls eat on Thanksgiving.

[3 boys]

Do you guys think you shop for a longer or shorter overall time in stores because of the Thursday night openings?

I personally shop shorter. Last year I went to BB got my 3 things(2 tvs and a bluray) and went home... Not a fan of the Early opens.

[luvmyboys]

I too dislike these early times. I think our BF of the past is now gone and so is our family's BF traditions with it. Every year I would look forward to BF and started a mental countdown in August.

 

That started to change last year when everyone, and I mean everyone, was out and about at the midnight openings. So many around us in line stated that it was their first time doing the opening times. Groups of young teenagers were everywhere just watching and rushing the doors - it seemed for the heck of it. A lot of observers who wanted to see what it was about and had no game plan and were always in the way. Last year soured it for me.

 

In the past, my mom, sister and I would gather around the table with pie and the ads spread everywhere and make a game plan. It was a tradition. As my younger siblings have gotten older, we no longer need the hot toys and none of us want TVs or electronics. So this year I will buy online though Amazon and a few stores. I'll probably go out still around 5am or 6am on Friday and see what's left. I'll also go out on Saturday for those that have sales.

 

The weird thing is that, oddly enough, I'm not really mad/sad about not fully participating this year. Because if I had to choose between Thanksgiving dinner with my family or waiting in line - I'll choose Thanksgiving every time. I don't need any blockbuster deal that badly.

I totally agree with you. I have gone every year since I was a little girl...and now am a mom to teenagers. But I refuse to give up family time on the Holiday and I don't like that so many workers are asked to give up their Holidays too. The good thing for me is that I don't really want/need any of the "hot ticket" items. Mom and I will get around early and head to the mall for a fun day, and hopefully still get some good deals. And hopefully this fad will run its course...

[BFQueenofNY]

First off I feel bad for the employees that have to work. I mean really, they used to get a holiday like everyone else. Second, there is nothing I need that badly that would warrant me shopping for 12 hours before 5am on BF. This isn't supposed to replace Thanksgiving, it's in addition to. I wonder what the CEO's are thinking about the consumers, just out of curiosity?

[Deal Grabber]

Ive been thinking about this for a few weeks now.After asking my kids 13 & 16 what they want for Christmas and i get a i dont know.Im really thinking about taking the $1000's i spend on them and buying presents for others.Considering the crap i buy and the crap i get pplout there having nothing.A warm pair of pjs to me is like oh great my 47th pair but to others means the world.I think ppl take things for granted because we have so much.Christmas to me was always about buying and gifts.yes and family to.I dont consider myself a money rich person but i have a great family and great husband 2 very smart kind children and to me im the richest person in the world.Just my thoughts.

[dmintelsgt]

Not gonna do it, no way, no how!! I will have my Thanksgiving!! I will get up at 0300, pick up my friend and start at the stores around 0400 - just like it should be! I did the early thing last year and it sucked! We ended up so tired it was no longer fun to look around. I want my BF to be fun not a chore, so I will do it my way this year and if I miss out on something so be it.

[mrstoots]

I agree with everyone who feels it's crazy for WM (or any other store) to be opening so early on Thurs evening. At least in my state (Massachusetts) we have a law that prohibits the stores from opening on Thanksgiving. (however, I have seen CVS and Walgreens open on Thanksgiving...probably because they are pharmacies(?)). However, even with that, the WMs in MA are opening at 1:00 AM Fri morning, when they used to open at 4:00 AM the past few years and for years before then the store didn't open until 5 or 6. We have always shopped at WM when they opened at 4:00, we'd check out at 5:00 and head to the mall for 6ish. Well, I found out that even the mall is opening at 12:30 AM this year! So it looks like it's gonna be an allnighter for us! Hope the turkey does its job on Thanksgiving and lets me take a nap! I'll need it!

[katkat777]

Not a fan of the early start times. I really do feel bad for the employees who cannot spend a proper holiday because they have to work. I will be spending less time in the stores this year. I usually leave my Aunt's house around 9pm. Then I will have to go home and drop off my DD. Then I will head over to pick up my Bff. So I will miss the 8pm and 10pm start times. I am shooting for midnight and sneak some online shopping. I just feel that nothing is sacred anymore...family, holidays, traditions all out the window in exchange for corporate greed.

[humble1]

hate it...don't agree with it...won't participate

 

It was fun; an exciting event when after Thanksgiving dinner was done we would set up our game plan, take a nap, get up early and spend the entire day shopping. And that all day shopping was like being part of an exclusive club...all of us die-hards. Now everyone and anyone is out after drinking and so many little kids...just driving in the parking lots is dangerous!

 

There were so many large groups of teens, parents with little kids, lots of people who had never done BF before and just didn't know how it worked. They have every right to be there, but it sure made the atmosphere different and it was more difficult to navigate around the stores, find ends of lines, and find parking spots.

 

I'm sad that it seems to be all over

TOTALLY AGREE!!!!! The merchants are asking for trouble. The earlier times are inviting more troublemakers who could care less about saving money. I have shopped on BF for more than 20 years. I simply don't understand what is up with the retailers. If they want to increase sales and revenue, stock up on more merchandise! Every BF that I have participated in, the majority of merchants ALWAYS RUN OUT OF DOORBUSTERS! Demand is not the issue IT IS SUPPLY! So we now have earlier times and guess what? They will RUN OUT OF MERCHANDISE AT THE EARLIER TIMES ALSO! GO FIGURE! The only difference is that every knuclehead that would not be out during the 5am times will be there similiar to the knucleheads that cause trouble at the malls on the weekends. For someone such as myself that taught safety training for my employer, I am bothered about the potential problems.This year my wife and I have already purchased most of our stuff online (since we are smarter about the pre-BF online deals thanks to sites like this one). We will try and get a few more things online and maybe go to a few stores afterwards for some of the less popular stuff and head home. In addition, my relatives live an hour and a half away so it is almost an eat and leave if we want to get back for BF shopping. I think more of the diehard BF shoppers in the future will be buying earlier to avoid the potentially chaotic events that are being set up by the earlier times for BF or let's now call it black Thursday. DONT LIKE IT!

[sbwolfer]

I'm with pretty much everyone else. I don't like that most stores are opening on Thursday. For the last few years I have started out at Toys R Us. I waited until my kids were about to go to bed, kissed them good night and headed up to get in line there. We waited out for hours, made friends in line and had fun. I'm not going to cut into 1/2 a day of family time in order to go shopping.

 

I hope that there will be some backlash over this and eventually we'll see the trend swing back the other way.