Are Blue Laws Outdated?
I caught a news piece this morning that "Blue Laws have had their day"
http://newhampshire.watchdog.org/2010/02/blue-laws-have-had-their-day/
Many states including the one I reside in (Indiana) have blue laws that prohibit the sale of automobiles on Sunday. There are widely differing opinions on the matter. Some folks view it as a good thing because no salesman will bother me if I want to browse on a Sunday, while others find it annoying because it is a day in which they would have time to actually shop.
My question is how do dealerships feel about Blue Laws? (I'm still not clear on how Blue and Religion go together but that's another story entirely).
I'm all for forcing a day off on a weekly basis we all need down time, but I have to wonder why automobiles are so much different than a new suit or a new pair of shoes? And why do automobiles and alcohol often fall in the same category regarding these laws?
Any history buffs who want to fill in some blanks?
If your state does not have a Blue Law do you wish you had one?
If your state does have a Blue Law, would it matter if it were repealed?
http://newhampshire.watchdog.org/2010/02/blue-laws-have-had-their-day/
Many states including the one I reside in (Indiana) have blue laws that prohibit the sale of automobiles on Sunday. There are widely differing opinions on the matter. Some folks view it as a good thing because no salesman will bother me if I want to browse on a Sunday, while others find it annoying because it is a day in which they would have time to actually shop.
My question is how do dealerships feel about Blue Laws? (I'm still not clear on how Blue and Religion go together but that's another story entirely).
I'm all for forcing a day off on a weekly basis we all need down time, but I have to wonder why automobiles are so much different than a new suit or a new pair of shoes? And why do automobiles and alcohol often fall in the same category regarding these laws?
Any history buffs who want to fill in some blanks?
If your state does not have a Blue Law do you wish you had one?
If your state does have a Blue Law, would it matter if it were repealed?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Courtney Cole on -
Love the Blue Laws ... a day of rest, family time!! Need more of it in this industry:).
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Permalink Reply by Stephanie Thompson on
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As a consumer & fellow Hoosier, I would like to be able to shop on Sundays, however I agree with Courtney that it's nice for dealers an all employees to have a day they know they'll be off with their families. Besides that most dealerships in our area (Indy) tend to be very flexible with their hours and we've had no problem looking and purchasing vehicles on weekdays after work.
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Permalink Reply by Tom Gorham on
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Illinois has Sunday prohibion on selling cars, but it really had nothing to do with religion. When unions were trying to unionize salespeople in the auto industry here (I believe back in the 70s), they were enticed into voting down the unions with the promise of Sundays off. In order to prevent any one dealer from spoiling that, they made it a law. At least this is what my dad told me. He was running a dealership here in the Chicago area at the time.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Mosher on -
Tom, Great story but I don't think it is true. I've been in the car business in Illinois since 1974 and, as I remember it, the bill to force dealers to close on Sunday was sponsored by Richard Mautino, a very pro-union Democrat, so your version seems unlikely.
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Hi Alan, you may be right. I wasn't here; I was in Ohio. Was Richard Mautino very religious? My dad was running Schaumburg Jeep at that time. That's the way he told me. Is it possible that dealers told their emplyees that they would support that bill if they voted down the unions? I don't know. I truly doubt it was a "religious" law. Politicians tend to do what is "politically" popular here as elsewhere.
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Permalink Reply by Ted Heater on -
It puts us at a unique disadvantage. Being in Kansas City, a customer can shop a Kansas dealer on Sunday but not a Missouri dealer. Although it is nice to have the time off for family it provides an "unfair" advantage for the dealers in Kansas who readily exploit the fact that Kansas City consumers can shop and buy in Kansas EVERY Sunday. Also, we get asked daily if we are open on Sunday so I think consumers would embrace shopping on Sunday. I think it would be a good thing to be open on Sunday. One easy remedy could be if you work Sunday, you get Saturday off.
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Permalink Reply by Harry Seretti on -
im in pennsylvania, "KEEP THE BLUE LAWS"
we really need to help this business get better and attract quality sales reps
the younger group coming in cant even stand 9/9 let alone Sundays too
i know how business is i been at it 28 years, its not necessary to have people there 60 hours
a week, you can be productive at 40/45 hours
harry
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Permalink Reply by LOUIS MOORE on
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Well, after being in the car business since 1960 (VW waiting list haydays) Chrysler, Studebaker, Ford, then entering the lease/rental before reirement (recently) I think that many dealers could take a lesson from the giant of the fast food business (Chic Fil A) & be better of for ALL employees by taking a "day of rest" get recharged, & refreshed.
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Permalink Reply by lonestar on -
If you care to do the numbers, operating a seven day week allows the extra volume needed for extra staff to allow workers to have a five day work week. The savings on overtime combined with sales you should gain, will give you the same structure of being open five days but you make more money. Also, my customers are mad at me because I can't sell to them when they want, they think it's because I'm lazy or don't care. Every other major retail industry sells seven days a week and its not because it looses money.
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Permalink Reply by A Jay Gould on
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In Texas you have the option to open either Saturday or Sunday-In my opinion you won't sell enough vehicles to make it profitable . In consulting with dealerships that are open 7 days a week the cost is excessive but to a man they all say the need to be open to compete.
Having a day off helps employee morale if nothing else.
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Permalink Reply by Gene Daughtry on -
The blue law is a good thing I believe. If you can be open 24/7 someone in your market will be and you will have to decide to compete or not. By having to be closed it insures everyone gets that day off. Customers are going to shop and buy when they have time. Those customers will make time and buy when the stores are open. An aggressive dealership will stay late or come in early to accommodate a customer need.
When I was in Texas, where the store can be open Saturday or Sunday (not both), the stores that choose to open Sunday did not do the business that we did on Saturday.
lonestar makes a good point about having shifts when you can be open 7 days. That does give you the opportunity to have more employees and everyone can work 5 days ect. I'm not sure that's a plus.
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