is shopping at locally-owned businesses, not chain stores. And you can save by doing so on Small Business Saturday, the day after Black Friday.

Thanks for adding the link.

I found some Frozen things on Amazon that were on the must have list. I don't want to be stuck with a tickle me Elmo situation. I bought one of those two months before if was suddenly a must have. In fact, I seriously thought about selling it for a thousand bucks as someone was willing to buy it from me. But I resisted and glad for it. Consumers were crazy that Christmas I remember. Buy early so you don't have to get caught up in the drama. Online is a great place to shop. Saves on gas and destruction of the planet.

Warehouse employees don't get paid for lengthy, daily security and anti-theft screenings. Warehouse employees have poor working conditions and are low paid.

Not to mention all the unfair business practices--unethical or rigged reviews; playing favorites with books and even not allowing certain books to be sold on their site or to be downloaded on Kindles (isnt' that censorship?); and price fixing to name a few.

I don't buy from Amazon--try eBay--lots of small businesses eager to get your business.

I will give it a try. I like to look at new websites. eBay has been around but I never went to it because I thought it would be like Craigslist....sketchy!

Republicans and quite hardcore about it too. I will shop Costco as much as possible. Just because you are small does not mean you are not a right wing asshole.

instead of multiple houses, luxury cars, vacations etc .

No thanks. I know too many republican business owners. My money goes to union shops and progressive companies. Small, local, and republican does not get my money.

And if Mr. Sinegal and Mr. Brotman get an extra beach house, good on them. They provide good jobs with excellent benefits and should be rewarded appropriately.

I am not going to give the local owner of the lumber yard a penny. He is a GOP hack and I know he has had an employee for over ten years that still makes minimum wage.

I live in a red community. They are not getting my money. Costco will though.

I live in the land of beans and corn. The farmers here had $8/bushel corn that was pushed artificially high (cattle herds are way down as are hog populations) due to Farm Bill subsidies for ethanol production. They are only taxed at 70% on their land (agricultural mil levy), not taxed at all on outbuildings, and their farm vehicles are tax exempt.

The local school was built in 1954. It has no fire suppression system. School board put a bond on the ballot to fix the school up. Nothing fancy, just safety issues.

Farmers went on a bender fighting this bond. Billboards EVERYWHERE.

It, of course, lost.

I am not supporting anyone in this town with my business dollars. They can all go fook themselves.

Gets ugly. Problem is, Costco won't help with your local issues. Hate to see towns die, though. Truly needs grassroots organization and that doesn't always happen in time.

ask shopkeepers how they voted.

and it drives me crazy when people assume I'm Republican just because I own a business.

I'm a bleeding heart Liberal, Tree-hugging, Feminist Democrat.....and I'm damned successful at my business.

We aren't going to be able to have our whole family together for Thanksgiving because of them.

I saw earlier this week that TJ Maxx was on a list of the 10 worst-paying American companies, along with Walmart, Macy's, and others. So you kinda hafta put the entire picture out there when compiling these sorts of lists.

Just don't.

If you work in one of those stores chances are you are not rich and could really use the extra money (Time-and-a-half). In my youth I worked every holiday I could, the family would celebrate a day before or after the holiday. We would use the extra money for presents for the boy or just to help with bills. Then I got a union job and holidays became double time and the opportunities to work holidays were dramatically cut back. Thanksgiving being one of the few holidays we work, car plants close for about 16 days in NOV. for Thanksgiving and needed equipment upgrades

Almost felt like I'd won the lottery.

You won't see me in the crowds the next three days either.