Staples says it will stay closed on Thanksgiving. Will others follow?

Staples Office Depot

Retailers have increasingly chosen to open on Thanksgiving in recent years, but that trend might not last.

(The Associated Press)

Staples is pushing back against recent retail trends, saying it will not open Thanksgiving Day this year. That's a departure from the chain's decision to open at 6 p.m. last Thanksgiving.

"We want our customers and associates to enjoy Thanksgiving their own way," said North American Staples President Demos Parneros in a statement.

But the company might also be considering two other factors: Less-than-impressive Thanksgiving Day sales numbers; and the possibility of a shopper backlash.

Retailers have increasingly chosen to open on Thanksgiving in recent years, but that trend might not last.

Announcements last year from retailers that they would open earlier on Thanksgiving day than in the past were met with complaints from some that the companies were ruining the holiday, and prompted outrage from labor groups.

Meanwhile, some retailers vowed to stay closed on Thanksgiving, and some shoppers promised to stay home instead of hit the stores.

Last year saw holiday spending spread out over the weeks leading up to Black Friday weekend, so staying open on Thanksgiving might not appeal to retailers the way it would have a few years ago.

According to the National Retail Federation, Thanksgiving weekend traffic dropped 5.2 percent last year from the previous year, and spending was down 6.4 percent. However, overall retail sales for November grew 3.2 percent from 2013.

So what will the majority of retailers do this year? Expect announcements soon. Thanksgiving is less than 50 days away, after all.

-- Anna Marum

amarum@oregonian.com
503-294-5911
@annamarum

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