Harry Wilmerding
Target will permanently close all stores for Thanksgiving heading into the holiday shopping season, multiple sources reported.
Retailers were forced to extend the holiday shopping rush with sales beginning in October, the Associated Press reported.
“What started as a temporary measure driven by the pandemic is now our new standard — one that recognizes our ability to deliver on our guests’ holidays wishes both within and well beyond store hours,” Target chief executive Brian Cornell wrote in a message to employees, the AP reported.
Distribution and call centers will have some staff on Thanksgiving, and all stores will remain closed, according to the AP.
Target began opening its stores on Thanksgiving 10 years ago, allowing the company to start Black Friday sales a day early and compete with online competitors like Amazon, the AP reported. The decision to open its doors during the holiday brought criticism that said people were forced to work rather than being able to spend time with family.
Target did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
Meanwhile, experts project a record-breaking holiday shopping season, with nearly 2 million more people than last year expected to shop from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, according to a National Retail Federation (NRF) release.
“We’re expecting another record-breaking holiday season this year and Thanksgiving weekend will play a major role as it always has,” NRF president and chief executive Matthew Shay said in the release.
“Nonetheless, consumers are starting earlier than ever to be sure they can get what they want, when they want it, at a price they want to pay. Black Friday stopped being a one-day event years ago, and this year some consumers started shopping for Christmas as early as Halloween,” Shay added.
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