Who needs Black Friday? More stores are opening Thanksgiving Day.

After the last of the turkey is eaten and the pumpkin pie consumed, many Americans will head for the mall to do a little shopping.

Shopping? Wait a minute! Nothing is going to be open, everyone will be watching football games and getting ready for the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday.

Not anymore. An increasing number of stores are opting to open on Thanksgiving Day. Stores such as Walmart, Sears, and Gap will be open for business.

Retailers say they are just responding to demand, that some people want to shop instead of sit in front of the television set. And they say employees are happy to get paid time and a half. But some retail employees who have to work that day have taken to Facebook or blogs, complaining about the new policy and trying to organize boycotts.

The debate over opening on Thanksgiving comes amid steadily improving consumer sales. On Wednesday, the Commerce Department reported October personal spending rose a nominal 0.4 percent after dipping slightly in September. And the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan November survey of consumer sentiment improved to its highest level since June.

“We have confidence up, spending up, income up, it’s all coming together,” says economist Joel Naroff of Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Pa. “A few months ago, I thought the holiday season would be just OK, but now I am up to thinking it will be decent, a little better than expected.”

Mr. Naroff thinks one of the reasons retailers are starting to open on Thanksgiving Day is desperation.

“The real question is: Are you displacing sales for the rest of the weekend?” he asks.

A National Retail Federation (NRF) survey found a steady increase in the number of people who say they would like to shop on Thanksgiving Day. Last year, about 10 percent indicated they would shop. This year, 15 percent said they would shop.

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