So Thanksgiving Day behind us, the shopping for Christmas can start in earnest. This year the Black Friday sales events at stores started on Thanksgiving evening already, on Thursday. The ugly face of capitalism clashing with family time? Yes. Should there be a law to keep stores closed? Probably not. Can a store force its workers to come in on Thanksgiving Day? Of course. But then it may have to deal with an unhappy workforce (or maybe it will keep the store in business, and save some jobs?). Doorbusters! 30% off ! screams the headlines. But most items were not meant to sell at the ‘full price’ at any time of the year, anyway. It’s marketing hype and marketing theater. As had been said already in the times of the Roman empire : caveat emptor. Buyer beware.
