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Path: utzoo!utcsri!utegc!utai!ubc-vision!watmath!looking!brad
From: brad@looking.UUCP
Newsgroups: ont.general,can.general
Subject: Re: Sunday openings
Message-ID: <708@looking.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 2-Dec-86 19:23:47 EST
Article-I.D.: looking.708
Posted: Tue Dec  2 19:23:47 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 3-Dec-86 05:08:10 EST
References: <2819@watdcsu.UUCP>
Reply-To: brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton)
Distribution: can
Organization: Looking Glass Software Ltd. Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 35

In article <2819@watdcsu.UUCP> brewster@watdcsu.UUCP (Dave Brewer / Sys Des Eng / PAMI / U of Waterloo) writes:
>  Sunday openings are the worst idea around.  In the short run it may
>  be better for the store to open if the competitors don't, but in the
>  long run everyone will be open, and there is no advantage.  In fact,
>  there are huge disadvantages.  i.e. increased overhead for sales staff
>  without increased sales, a lot more time spent away from family by
>  the people who must work on Sunday.
>  Protest Sunday openings, shop at stores which don't open Sundays.

This is a classic case of the "I don't see a need for it, so let's ban
it" syndrome.

At various times in my life I have lived in other parts of the world where
things are open on Sunday.  The convenience was much appreciated.  I
don't know about you, but many people get the impulse to buy things on
Sunday and then realize that the stores aren't open.  While it is true that
sales of necessaries would not increase with Sunday openings - people won't
drink more milk - sales of other things that do rely on impulse buys would
increase.

The retail industry exists for the consumer, and should be open when
the consumer is able to shop.  The idea of a retail store that is only
open 9-5, M-F is a throwback to the days when families were supposed to
have a non-working individual called the wife whose task it was to shop.
If you haven't noticed, these days are over.

Every argument I have seen for Sunday closing applies well to requiring
stores to only open during "banker's hours."

An employee protection law that limited the work week to 6 days would
be another story (not that I would agree with it, either), but at least
it would not specify one particular day for resting based on some religion.

-- 
Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd. - Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473