Survey finds shoppers want stores closed on Thanksgiving to give workers the day off

Listen to this article

By Dalvin Brown
USA Today

Shopping on Thanksgiving is set to look a lot different this year.

Not only have a growing number of retailers announced plans to be closed on the holiday, but Americans also plan on staying home and believe retail workers deserve the day off.

That’s according to a new survey data by Accenture, which found that 76% of U.S. consumers said retailers should be closed on Thanksgiving Day. Slightly over half of those cited the desire to give employees a well-deserved day off.

The remainder said retail workers should spend the day with their families.

People also are cutting back on spending during the economic downturn. The number of people planning to spend less this year nearly tripled over 2019, the data found. On average, people said they expect to spend roughly $540 on holiday shopping, a 15% drop from last year.

There’s also increased focus online, with 75% of shoppers saying they will do at least some of their holiday buying online. That’s up from 65% last year, and 43% of people plan to shop exclusively online.

Most people (61%) said they plan to minimize shopping in-store to reduce health risks posed to essential workers amid the pandemic, according to the data. That same number said they are more likely to shop at places that display commitments to health, safety and hygiene.

Several of the sentiments captured in the survey mark a shift in the way consumers typically behave during the holiday shopping season, which has typically been marked by scores of aggressive shoppers snagging deals and causing a ruckus on Black Friday and beyond.

“Our survey findings show that this could be shaping up to be a very ‘human’ holiday, with a desire to support the people who have served our communities,” said Jill Standish, a senior managing director at Accenture and head of its Retail practice globally.

Americans are also showing support for retail workers in other ways, too. 

More than half (57%) said they would be inspired to shop at stores that supported staff and customers during the crisis, and 41% said they won’t shop at stores that have laid off employees or cut workers’ benefits amid the pandemic.