Gamestop is known as one of the biggest video game retailers in the world. It not only sells games but also other popular items such as consoles and peripherals. However, the company's profits have reduced as many people do not visit physical Stores and buy products online. In a bid to increase its sales, GameStop has decided that it will keep its stores open this Thanksgiving Day as well, much to the dismay of its employees.
Stores open this Thanksgiving Day
This year, the company has informed all of its employees and management that the stores will be kept open even on Thanksgiving Day, in a bid to cash in on the huge array of new games that are arriving at this time.
This festival period is also known to drastically improve footfall in the GameStop stores, as sales are improved as well.
Two employees who were on the calls which informed them of the decision later talked to Kotaku about it. They detailed that the company has indeed decided to keep its stores open on Thanksgiving this year. However, the store timings will not be the usual one and it will be open for a shorter time. Still, this decision has raised many eyebrows among the employees.
The company said in a statement to Kotaku, that this decision was taken after taking into account customer demands. It further revealed that many of its store associates and guests have asked for this change. This is why the company is changing the previous policy of keeping its stores closed on Thanksgiving.
Previous policy for the holiday
In 2014, the company had announced that it would be keeping all of its stores closed for Thanksgiving. At that time, company spokespersons had claimed that the main motto that the company followed was “protect the family”, which meant keeping the doors of all its stores and that of its associates closed on Thanksgiving.
They further added that it was out of respect for its employees that the retail chain had taken this decision.
However, what the company seems to have followed since 2014, but will be reversed this year. This move comes amidst debate whether these companies should offer holidays to people on Thanksgiving. Growing number of customers believe that these retail chains should close down their doors for this auspicious day.
Barnes and Noble, and Home Depot have already signed off on Thanksgiving as a holiday for all their employees. It remains to be seen if the company's new policy is able to increase sales significantly.
