Target to shut stores on holiday
Thanksgiving closing an answer to coronavirus, company says
NEW YORK — Target is joining Walmart in closing its stores on Thanksgiving Day, ending a decadelong tradition of jump-starting Black Friday door buster sales.
The move, announced Monday, comes as stores are rethinking the Black Friday in-store bargain shopping as they try to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has seen a resurgence in a slew of states. Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, announced the move last Tuesday, and at the time, analysts expected more would follow.
“Historically, deal hunting and holiday shopping can mean crowded events, and this isn’t a year for crowds,” said Target in a statement.
“The investments we’ve made in our business and our incredible team have enabled us to move with flexibility and speed to meet guests’ changing needs during this global pandemic,” Target CEO Brian Cornell said in a statement. “This year more than ever, a joyful holiday will be inseparable from a safe one, and we’re continuing to adjust our plans to deliver ease, value and the joy of the season in a way that only Target can.”
Macy’s Chief Executive Officer Jeff Gennette said earlier this month that the department store will be pivoting its Black Friday business more toward online and will likely be going “full force” with holiday marketing right after Halloween. It also will be staggering events to reduce customer traffic in the store.
The last time Target was officially closed for Thanksgiving was 2011, though it opened that year at midnight for the Black Friday shopping rush. Some workers and consumers pushed back on that in an online petition that garnered about 200,000 supporters.
Since then, Black Friday has continued to creep into Thanksgiving Day for many major retailers. Last year, Target opened its stores at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving, the same time it did the year before.
Still, while some shoppers enjoy shopping on Thanksgiving, the events have drawn criticism particularly from labor-backed groups who have lambasted stores for impinging on workers’ holiday. Thanksgiving sales, which are not even on the top 10 busiest
days of a retailers’ calendar, have also eaten into Black Friday sales, though Black Friday is still the year’s biggest or second-biggest shopping day.
Walmart’s announcement last week marked the first major indication of how covid will affect Black Friday store shopping.
Given Walmart’s clout as the nation’s largest retailer, other major retailers could follow its lead.
Walmart also said last week that it will be giving out another round of bonuses for workers on the front lines of the coronavirus. The company said that it will be doling out $300 for full-time hourly workers and $150 for part-time hourly and temporary workers. Drivers, managers and assistant managers in stores, clubs, distribution centers and fulfillment centers and health and wellness will also receive a bonus. The bonuses will add up to approximately $428 million, Walmart said.
They will be included in Aug. 20 paychecks for eligible workers employed as of July 31.
“Our associates have been working at an incredible pace, they’ve solved problems, and they’ve set an amazing example for others,” said John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S., in a corporate blog post. “To further appreciate their incredible work, we are pleased to share another special cash bonus this summer.”
Walmart and others have been under increasing pressure by labor-backed groups to extend bonus pay for front line workers as surges in new cases have spiked in many states.