They'll keep a light on for you

Keeping the store lights on longer is becoming as much of a promotional strategy for retailers as coupons and newspaper circulars.

Starting Monday, Best Buy will open at 8 a.m., an hour earlier. On Dec.24 panic-stricken shoppers can hit Best Buy stores at 7 a.m. (The retailer also will open 700 stores at midnight on Dec. 7 for release of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.)

Target stores already are open for extended holiday hours, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Beginning Dec. 13, about 85 percent of stores will keep the lights open until midnight, said spokeswoman Amy Reilly. With some shoppers still looking for an excuse not to spend, retailers clearly want to make it easy for them to avoid crowds or to squeeze some time in before they start their day. Merchants obviously believe that the added expense of paying staff and utilities is worth the extra sales. Outside of the holidays, retailers such as Macy's, Kohl's and Herberger's often throw open the doors early to promote short-term sales. The idea seems to be to create a "get here early or lose out" feeling, or to build buzz around a special event. I'm a big fan of off-peak shopping. Does the convenience of longer hours make a difference in deciding where you'll shop?