Tim Cook vetoes Apple Retail plan to open additional stores on Thanksgiving, gives workers holiday o
Last week, over the objections of Retail Market Directors, Apple's chief executive Tim Cook canceled plans to open several stores on Thanksgiving, citing the importance of allowing retail employees to be with their families over the holiday.
The U.S. Thanksgiving holiday always falls on the fourth Thursday of November, and has traditionally held back holiday Christmas shopping until "Black Friday" sales the next day. A variety of retailers, including Kmart, Macys, Sears, Target Toys R Us and WalMart, have recently made plans to open on Thanksgiving in order to capitalize on holiday crowds.
Last year, only three Apple Stores heavily trafficked by tourists opened on Thanksgiving: locations on the Las Vegas Strip, Waikiki Beach in Hawaii and the company's 24/7 Fifth Avenue store in New York City.
A series of other flagship Apple Retail stores were also planned to open on Thanksgiving this year, including select additional locations in San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Miami, San Diego and Portland.
An expansion of store openings this year was reportedly lobbied by retail Marketing Directors who argued "the company was missing out on substantial holiday sales," according to a posting by IFOAppleStore.
"Market Directors were reportedly motivated by large potential holiday-quarter bonuses based on performance targets, adding to their $400,000 salaries. The last calendar quarter at Apple retail is always the busiest and generates the most revenue, leading to the largest bonuses," the site noted.
While some attempts were being made to account for the extra holiday hours by providing workers alternative time off, Cook acted to cancel the plans "over the objections of Market Directors," and keep those stores closed over Thanksgiving so that employees could spend the holidays with their families.
Apple joins other retailers, including Costco and Nordstrom, who have preferred to give employees the holiday off rather than seeking to cash in on early crowds.
Retail Stores are an increasingly significant part of Apple's business, but the company makes the majority of its money from hardware sales, most of which are sold by other retailers, including those who are keeping their stores open on Thanksgiving.
Cook can't be too concerned about Apple's sales during the holiday quarter, having already envisioned the coming of "an iPad Christmas" during the company's most recent earnings conference call. And despite earning more than any other consumer electronics company, Cook paired that comment with the importance of also acting as "a force for good in the world."
Cook also specifically credited Apple's employees for their "tireless" work in his concluding remarks, stating, "I'd like to thank all of our customers and our long term shareholders for their loyalty, and I'd also like to thank Apple's many talented employees who have worked tirelessly to bring us this far and who are passionately focused on making great products that enrich people's lives."
The U.S. Thanksgiving holiday always falls on the fourth Thursday of November, and has traditionally held back holiday Christmas shopping until "Black Friday" sales the next day. A variety of retailers, including Kmart, Macys, Sears, Target Toys R Us and WalMart, have recently made plans to open on Thanksgiving in order to capitalize on holiday crowds.
Last year, only three Apple Stores heavily trafficked by tourists opened on Thanksgiving: locations on the Las Vegas Strip, Waikiki Beach in Hawaii and the company's 24/7 Fifth Avenue store in New York City.
A series of other flagship Apple Retail stores were also planned to open on Thanksgiving this year, including select additional locations in San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Miami, San Diego and Portland.
An expansion of store openings this year was reportedly lobbied by retail Marketing Directors who argued "the company was missing out on substantial holiday sales," according to a posting by IFOAppleStore.
"Market Directors were reportedly motivated by large potential holiday-quarter bonuses based on performance targets, adding to their $400,000 salaries. The last calendar quarter at Apple retail is always the busiest and generates the most revenue, leading to the largest bonuses," the site noted.
"I'd also like to thank Apple's many talented employees who have worked tirelessly to bring us this far and who are passionately focused on making great products that enrich people's lives" - Tim Cook
While some attempts were being made to account for the extra holiday hours by providing workers alternative time off, Cook acted to cancel the plans "over the objections of Market Directors," and keep those stores closed over Thanksgiving so that employees could spend the holidays with their families.
Apple joins other retailers, including Costco and Nordstrom, who have preferred to give employees the holiday off rather than seeking to cash in on early crowds.
Retail Stores are an increasingly significant part of Apple's business, but the company makes the majority of its money from hardware sales, most of which are sold by other retailers, including those who are keeping their stores open on Thanksgiving.
Cook can't be too concerned about Apple's sales during the holiday quarter, having already envisioned the coming of "an iPad Christmas" during the company's most recent earnings conference call. And despite earning more than any other consumer electronics company, Cook paired that comment with the importance of also acting as "a force for good in the world."
Cook also specifically credited Apple's employees for their "tireless" work in his concluding remarks, stating, "I'd like to thank all of our customers and our long term shareholders for their loyalty, and I'd also like to thank Apple's many talented employees who have worked tirelessly to bring us this far and who are passionately focused on making great products that enrich people's lives."
Comments
“Apple would just lose money by opening on Thanksgiving because no one wants their products, like how your local grocery store closes at 8 instead of midnight; can’t justify it with the amount of foot traffic.”
“Apple’s supply shortage is so great they don’t even have any stock to sell on Thanksgiving.”
“Steve Jobs would never have closed on Thanksgiving.”
Everyday is Thanks Giving for Apple
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Stock story is all together different ball game!
Excellent move Tim! Thanksgiving should be a day to be with family, not being bombarded with shopping deals and whatnot.
Those marketing executives that want the stores open should have to man the stores themselves.
LOL!
[IMG ALT="*"]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/35303/width/350/height/700[/IMG]
One major difference between Steve Jobs and Tim Cook is that the latter seems to have more of a heart. I suspect he doesn't throw yelling, screaming and cursing fits either.
I graduated from Auburn University in electrical engineering a few years before Tim Cook graduated from there in industrial engineering. I'm now back in Auburn, since it's a near-perfect place for an independent writer to live.
In 2010, Time Cook gave the spring commencement address at Auburn. Those who'd like to watch it can find it on YouTube at:
--Michael W. Perry, My Nights with Leukemia: Caring for Children with Cancer
Way to go Tim Cook! I'm happy that he realizes the importance of family.
I'll bet that those same whining market directors that are making the $400K salaries do not work on Thanksgiving.
Besides, I would think the real selling time would be the day after Thanksgiving and the weekend.
The guy "vetoes plans to open additional stores". He says nothing about closing stores that were already planned to be open, and you're all congratulating him on what a nice guy he is for not screwing up everyone's thanksgiving?
If ever there was a non-story to be read, here it was. Right here.
“Apple would just lose money by opening on Thanksgiving because no one wants their products, like how your local grocery store closes at 8 instead of midnight; can’t justify it with the amount of foot traffic.”
“Apple’s supply shortage is so great they don’t even have any stock to sell on Thanksgiving.”
“Steve Jobs would never have closed on Thanksgiving.”
What a tyrant. How dare he lower even further Apple's low paid employees' wages by denying them the right to work more hours!!!! On a freakin' Holiday no less!!!
On a more serious note, well done Tim, and Happy Thanksgiving AI peeps.
“Apple would just lose money by opening on Thanksgiving because no one wants their products, like how your local grocery store closes at 8 instead of midnight; can’t justify it with the amount of foot traffic.”
“Apple’s supply shortage is so great they don’t even have any stock to sell on Thanksgiving.”
“Steve Jobs would never have closed on Thanksgiving.”
"Tim Cook denies holiday hours to thousands of eager Apple Store employees."
Were the Geniuses given something else to think about, or will they be in limbo for a while?
Guess Black Friday came early this week...for Samsung.
You mean Red Friday, because a jury handed their ass to them....... again.