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Here in the USA, it is not unusual for department stores to be open until midnight, sometimes even 24 hours. Some close 8/9pm, but that is relatively early nowadays.
In Canada, Australia, and Europe shopping hours are much reduced, there may be two nights of extended shopping hours until 9pm or so, with reduced Saturday hours and even more reduced (if existent) Sunday hours. In the USA stores are open just as long on Saturdays, if not longer; and Sunday hours are not much shorter compared to other countries.
More than likely American customers feel the need to be able to shop at any time of the day they want to spend their money and companies are more than happy to help them spend their money in their stores.
When I worked evenings it was great for me because I could go to the grocery after midnight and no one was there but others who had just gotten off of work.
No screaming children, no one else in line at the check out, no waiting for someone to move out of your way and no problem parking anywhere you wanted to.
Very few retail workers are unionized except groceries in some areas. Even then the wages wouldn't be considered "high" except for someone with an agenda.
The reason for longer hours is that the US is a 24 hour a day country. It wasn't all that long ago that stores closed at 5 and were closed on Sunday. Banks were open 9 to 2 with an hour closed at lunch. There were no ATM machines because the technology didn't exist.
I dislike shopping when theres a mad rush of people in the store ao I appreciate the 24 hour places but I agree something has been lost in our culture being a 24 hour society where retail employees have to work Thanksgiving and other major holidays.
However in many cases you have employees in there at night stocking the shelves anyways.... doesnt take much to add a cashier or two and keep the store open.
A big reason that stores move from the 9 to 5 schedule to being open till late evening and Sunday, is simply that in the majority of the couples in the United States both are working. They stay open, as that is when their customers are able to shop. If you are in retail businesses today, if you only stayed open to 5pm and closed Sundays and holidays it would guarantee you would go broke.
Big box stores, and groceries do major stock receiving and stocking at night. As mentioned by poster above, as they are burning electricity, heat, etc., it costs very little to have a couple of people at the check out stands 24 hours a day. The do a fair amount of business after midnight, and were surprised when they watched their business increase after going 24/7.
Back in mid 70s, a man I knew who was head cashier at a local bank told me that when the officers voted to put in the first ATM in town, he voted against it as it would just be an added expense with no benefits. He told me he was sure wrong. He was shocked to see how many swing shift employees were depositing checks on the way home and how many people were both putting money into the bank and also withdrawing money after midnight. Their customer base went up 25% in a month due to that ATM machine making it possible for people to bank 24/7.
In the 50s, the wife could do the family shopping before 5 as most were stay at home wives/mothers. Today they are working, and the stores have changed to meet the change in lifestyle of their customers.
Very few retail workers are unionized except groceries in some areas. Even then the wages wouldn't be considered "high" except for someone with an agenda.
I meant in places like Australia, where the minimum wage is $16.87.
Compared to many cities in Asia, things close early in the US. In Hong Kong and Seoul for example, I have tons of options at 4am for eating, drinking, and just seeing people walking around.
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Our economy is also partially based on people spending money. The companies are happy to help out.
