Why is the Great Mall in Milpitas opening at midnight the day before Black Friday?”
It’s the retail equivalent of a nuclear arms race: Macy’s is starting its post-Thanksgiving sale at 5 a.m. Friday, so J.C. Penney and Kohl’s plan to unlock their doors at 4. Officials at the Great Mall in Milpitas believe they can top that by offering special discounts at stores that will open at midnight tonight. But why wait until then? While some businesses will be closed for the holiday, executives at Kmart, Old Navy and the Sports Authority chain are convinced customers would rather skip washing up the dishes today and visit their stores instead. “It’s a social event. People come with their friends in groups. We had all ages, people with strollers and babies,” said Robles, who added that the crowds had dwindled by 3 a.m. Post-Thanksgiving shopping took a tragic turn at one Walmart in New York last year, when frenzied shoppers knocked over a security guard and unwittingly trampled him to death. The retailing giant said it has taken steps to prevent a recurrence. Walmart says most o
It’s the retail equivalent of a nuclear arms race: Macy’s is starting its post-Thanksgiving sale at 5 a.m. Friday, so J.C. Penney and Kohl’s plan to unlock their doors at 4. Officials at the Great Mall in Milpitas believe they can top that by offering special discounts at stores that will open at midnight tonight. But why wait until then? While some businesses will be closed for the holiday, executives at Kmart, Old Navy and the Sports Authority chain are convinced customers would rather skip washing up the dishes today and visit their stores instead. After years of hyping day-after-Thanksgiving discounts and seeing shoppers turn out in droves as a result, big retailers now are vying to outdo one another by racing to open earlier than the guys down the street. Experts say the trend probably doesn’t increase overall sales, but many retailers view it as a necessary part of competition, especially in a difficult economy. “The original motivating factor was momentum: If I can get you to sh
Officials at the Great Mall in Milpitas believe they can top that by offering special discounts at stores that will open at midnight tonight. But why wait until then? While some businesses will be closed for the holiday, executives at Kmart, Old Navy and the Sports Authority chain are convinced customers would rather skip washing up the dishes today and visit their stores instead. After years of hyping day-after-Thanksgiving discounts and seeing shoppers turn out in droves as a result, big retailers now are vying to outdo one another by racing to open earlier than the guys down the street. Experts say the trend probably doesn’t increase overall sales, but many retailers view it as a necessary part of competition, especially in a difficult economy.
