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We’ve been writing a lot about major retailers’ plans to open on Thanksgiving Day. In case it isn’t clear, we aren’t fans of this phenomenon. According to to our poll data, our mailbox, and comments left here on the site, neither are our readers. We received a lengthy rant from an anonymous Geek Squad agent about how things look right now at Best Buy, and what workers at Big Yellow and Blue have to look forward to. 

The anonymous agent signed his or her name as “Behind the Clip-on.” You know, the clip-on bow tie. BTC started by quoting from last year’s memo to Best Buy workers about the chain’s planned hours for Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. The powers that be decided to open at the stroke of midnight on Black Friday in 2012. According to the memo BTC passed on, thong bikini online they wanted to balance competing with other retailers and letting their employees actually celebrate one of the few holidays that retail workers consistently have off.“Throughout all the holiday strategy meetings we decided, not only will we have a unique competitive opportunity with a midnight opening,” said the memo, “but we will also provide a balance of being there for our customers when they want us to be there and giving our employees time with their loved ones before the winter holidays.” 

Yeah, sounds cheery. While BTC admits that they’re only a front-line employee and don’t know a lot about the big picture or the bottom line, from behind the Geek Squad counter there isn’t much of an advantage to opening earlier every year. “Yes, there will be hundreds of people in line for the store opening…but they will be there no matter what time the store opens,” notes BTC. “The initial rush is always people trying to get the early deals, after which it tapers off for 4-5 hours where there is very little traffic.” Moving the opening time back just means that customers will rush in six hours sooner, and employees will have more time to sit around pondering how their lives have gone wrong. Really, it’s the people camping outside who should be doing that.