News

Target defends 'Black Thursday' decision

November 22, 2011

Target is defending its decision to open at midnight on Thanksgiving after employee Seth Coleman delivered bagfuls of petitions with 190,000 signatures to the company's headquarters Monday in Minneapolis, Minn. Another Target worker in Omaha, Neb., initially started the campaign, asking the company to open later so more employees could spend Thanksgiving with their families.

Anahita Cameron, Target's human resources director, told CBS News that workers should understand it's a matter of staying competitive.

"Our guests have expressed that they would prefer to kick off their holiday shopping experience right after the holiday celebrations, rather than getting up in the middle of the night," she said.

Other retailers are backing up their hours too - including Walmart (10 p.m. Thursday), Toys 'R Us (9 p.m. Thursday), Macy's (12 a.m. Friday) and Best Buy (12 a.m. Friday)

Hundreds of Target customers are now writing to register their opinions against "Black Thursday" on the company's Facebook page, urging the company to "save Thanksgiving."

Read more about consumer behavior.