If you were hoping to get your loved ones and friends office supplies for Christmas or Hanukkah, you won’t be able to get them at Staples on Thanksgiving Day. That’s because the retailer announced today that it is bucking the trend of stores opening on the holiday.
While Staples will have special deals on its site on Thanksgiving Day, stores will not be opening until 6 a.m. on Black Friday, which isn’t until Nov. 27 this year.
“We want our customers and associates to enjoy Thanksgiving their own way,” Demos Parneros, president, North American stores and online, said in a statement. “On Thanksgiving Day, customers can shop from home on Staples.com and then continue their shopping in stores starting at 6 a.m. on Black Friday. Whether our customers like the convenience of shopping online, in our stores or a combination of both, Staples will have amazing products at great prices throughout the holiday season.”
Staples also said that it will have several holiday deals in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.
The company’s decision comes as many stores have started opening on Thanksgiving Day in recent years, even as some have criticized retailers for keeping employees from their families. As USA Today notes, Best Buy, Kohl’s, Macy’s and other stores opened at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. last year. KMart even had stores open all day on Thanksgiving.
Despite the protests, there probably won’t be many stores following Staples’ lead. The big issue this year for retailers is the calendar itself. Thanksgiving is late once again and isn’t until Nov. 26, giving shoppers only a month before Christmas.