Angry Kmart customers threaten to boycott stores


Recommended Posts

Kmart had barely announced its decision to stay open for 41 hours  :huh:  straight starting on Thanksgiving Day, when people started lashing out.

Hundreds of Kmart customers took to social media and threatened to boycott the store if it didn't reverse its decision, so that its employees can spend Thanksgiving with their families. People called the decision "heartless," "greedy," "shameful" and "disgusting."

Kmart has opened at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving for the past three years. Last year, however, stores closed for a few hours at 4 p.m. to let shoppers and employees get to their Thanksgiving dinners.

"Shame on you, Kmart. I will never set foot in any of your stores again," wrote Tracy Lane on Kmart's Facebook page. "I have family members that work in retail and because of greedy retailers like you, will not be able to spend the day with us."

Many customers expressed how upset they were for Kmart workers who would have to work through the holiday.

"Maybe Kmart should have shown they are thankful for their loyal employees and let them be with their families on Thanksgiving," Jenn Tayrien wrote. "I realize you are a corporation and your goal is to make money...but sometimes you need to show and prove that people are important, too."

One shopper said he hoped the retailer would go bankrupt because it has "proven [to be] morally bankrupt" by being open all day.

Kmart, which is owned by Sears, responded to a number of these negative comments, saying it will staff stores with volunteers and seasonal associations whenever possible.

"This gives associates the opportunity to make some some additional money this holiday season," the retailer wrote.

A Kmart spokeswoman said the company made the decision to extend the hours based on feedback from customers, who wanted more "flexible holiday in-store shopping times" and were eager to shop for deals.

Many stores are opening on Thanksgiving Day, but are waiting until the evening to throw open their doors to deal hunters. Toys R Us is by far the earliest among those, announcing Tuesday that it would open at 5 p.m., three hours earlier than last year. Macy's, Kohl's, J.C. Penney and Sears will let customers in at 8 p.m.

source

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I sometimes go to work on New Years Day, I honestly couldn't give a damn, and neither do the customers that still walk through the door. Some people still want to continue business as usual whether it's a holiday or not. I know it's not the same occasion but the principle is the same.. some people just think that work is never an option on certain holidays.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't work in retail, but I'll be working over Christmas. My family are thinking of visiting just so that they can see me for a couple of hours after I finish. Such is life.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i personally wish i could work on Holidays, They are boring to me and i would rather be at work getting stuff done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

KMart still has stores? So they are going to Boycott all 3 stores?

FYI they have 1,221 stores as of Feb. 2013 and are the 3rd largest discounter in the world after Walmart & Target.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Shame on you, Kmart. I will never set foot in any of your stores again," wrote Tracy Lane on Kmart's Facebook page. "I have family members that work in retail and because of greedy retailers like you, will not be able to spend the day with us."

 

I hear this all the time but the funny thing is the next day the customer is back at the same store. Guess she/he can't live without the store.

 

(I work for woolies so I know this).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am with the customers on this. As someone who has worked retail for a number of years and the holidays, I can recall how exhausting and stressful it can be. Many of you above say you could care less about working during the holidays. The fact is though many of these retailers don't give its employees the option. Its either you work Black friday or you are fired. I personally thanked the company I worked for for not caving what the other retailers were doing. The fact is, there needs to be a national mandate, that "Black Friday" not start till well you know Friday. Every year retailers fight to be the first open to get the first customers, its sickening. Let everyone enjoy Thanksgiving for what its meant for, being with Family and Friends and not thinking about shopping. Only other thing I have to say, is that I sure hope that Kmart if they don't reverse their decision gives their employees a nice bonus 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some stores are purposely trying to ruin peoples holidays also... *cough* Hallmark corporation *cough* where they make you not only open at midnight (8PM Thursday this year in a lot of locations) but they make your shift split into segments so you can't do anything... so you work say a 4hr shift from 8PM till 12AM then go home for 6 hours then work 7AM till 12PM... then go home for a few hours then come back AGAIN... I know all our regional stores did this last year just so you couldn't do anything that day... they claimed they "had to do it this way for safety"....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This made me remember the scene from Rainman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Sometimes we have to do things that we don't really like. Guess what, that's life. You signed up for the job. Don't like it? Quit. "there are no jobs" doesn't apply in retail. It's not the responsibility of the employer to make sure you spend time with your family. It's their job to make money, so you and all the other employees can be paid, and their investors stay happy.

 

I don't understand why people think "oh my employer should give me every holiday off, because I need to spend time with my family". What about the 345 other days of the year numnuts? You can't spend that time with your family? Who arbitrarily decided that you HAVE to spend time with your family on holidays?

 

Also, what about those that do want to work on holidays, should we boycott the stores because those people aren't getting enough hours to feed their family? No? Just as long as they're together, it doesn't matter if they're homeless.

 

PS. I doubt that ANYONE has been told "you have to work or your fired". And if you had, and you stayed at that job, you deserve all the **** you get.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Sometimes we have to do things that we don't really like. Guess what, that's life. You signed up for the job. Don't like it? Quit. "there are no jobs" doesn't apply in retail. It's not the responsibility of the employer to make sure you spend time with your family. It's their job to make money, so you and all the other employees can be paid, and their investors stay happy.

 

I don't understand why people think "oh my employer should give me every holiday off, because I need to spend time with my family". What about the 345 other days of the year numnuts? You can't spend that time with your family? Who arbitrarily decided that you HAVE to spend time with your family on holidays?

 

Also, what about those that do want to work on holidays, should we boycott the stores because those people aren't getting enough hours to feed their family? No? Just as long as they're together, it doesn't matter if they're homeless.

 

PS. I doubt that ANYONE has been told "you have to work or your fired". And if you had, and you stayed at that job, you deserve all the **** you get.

/thread

 

Would love to hear the reasons the entitled people have in this thread to why K-Mart is at fault.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What about the people who don't have friends or family? If I were single, I'd be watching TV and treating it like any other day. I did that last Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 

I think it's crass and downright desperate for a retail establishment to open on a major holiday but it is what it is. "Blue laws" and stuff that's similar in nature is unnecessary. Why do most stores have shorter hours on Sunday?

 

At the end, I wouldn't be surprised if some of these champions of righteousness were the same people going nuts on Black Friday for "sweet dealz".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I worked at 2 Kmart stores that were both open for 72 hours up until closing on Christmas Eve.  Heck, last year I had a 4hr break between my shifts on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, and on Black Friday and the Saturday after.  Customers got angry, said it was stupid, boycott, blah blah blah.  Why?  It's Christmas Eve.  This time, I can see why people would get angry, but will they actually do anything?  Nope.  It's no different than a 24hr grocery chain staying open 24/7, yet people don't boycott those stores, do they?

 

Customers will complain about anything, but when it comes down to it, they'll be out there shopping while we're all working.

 

Luckily I don't work retail anymore, so I don't have to deal with it again this year.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

/thread

 

Would love to hear the reasons the entitled people have in this thread to why K-Mart is at fault.

 

Haha, true dat.  All things considered, it's the consumer's fault.  They expect everything to be open to them at all times.  Stores have to adjust to that or risk going out of business.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.