Are retailers ruining the holiday of Thanksgiving?



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Are retailers ruining Thanksgiving? This year, the Black Friday shopping is starting earlier than ever. It used to be Friday at 4 a.m. -- and then midnight. But now, two major retailers are upping the ante.

Big retailers like Kohl's and Macy's have recently announced the much-anticipated holiday shopping season will begin at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

Some shoppers think it may be a bit overboard -- they're crying foul.

"Definitely won't be going out on 8 p.m. after Thanksgiving," said Tecia Sellers.

Macy's say it has planned this early to give employees time to review available shifts.

Stacy Vogel Davis with The Business Journal says stores feel they have good reason to encroach on the family holiday.

"The holiday season is crucial to every stores budget. So it's an effort get the shopping season started earlier. This year we've seen some economic uncertainty so that's making retailers nervous about  how much people are going to buy," said Vogel Davis. "Another problem that retailers have is a short shopping season. Thanksgiving is as late in the year as it can possibly be, which shortens the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas."

Vogel Davis says when one store changes its opening time, others feel pressure to do the same.