Macy's will open the doors at most of its 800 namesake department stores at 8 p.m. on Nov. 28. The company said the shift was voluntary for workers and that the move was ” consistent with many other retailers.”
Macy's opened most of its stores at midnight in 2011 and 2012 to kick off Black Friday sales.
Macy's statement read, “In response to interest from customers who prefer to start their
shopping early, most Macy’s stores will open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving
evening, consistent with many other retailers. In a move to minimize the
impact on associates, Macy’s began planning early to allow associates
the time to review available shifts throughout the holiday season,
including on Thanksgiving weekend, and to volunteer for the shifts they
prefer.”
Last year, rival Lord & Taylor opened some stores for business on
Thanksgiving for the first time, as were some Sears stores. In 2012, Target Corp opened at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving, three hours earlier than the year before.
Traditionally, retailers have waited until Black Friday, the day after the Thanksgiving, to start their end-of-the-year push for sales.
“Black Friday is the biggest shopping event of the year and brings with it a level of fun and excitement to our customers around the nation,” said Peter Sachse, Macy’s chief stores officer, in the statement. “For Macy’s, it's important to make this day enjoyable and convenient for everyone, as our customers search for great deals on favorite wish-list items. Shopping at Macy’s on Black Friday means having the opportunity to purchase the most sought-after products at unbelievable savings.”
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