Doesn't it seem like the after-Thanksgiving special deal emails would be more effective if they went to family and friends of the person who was interested in those sales and had signed up with the businesses?
This isn't the time of year I take advantage of the great sale prices on AR magazines (for example) because I'm focused on getting gifts for other people. People who are getting the deal offers I need to see so I can get better prices on gifts for them.
Of course, if the advertisers figure out a way to do that, they will be (at least) a hundred times more intrusive.
And, I suppose some people probably are buying stuff for themselves now. So maybe this works well enough,
After Christmas or after my birthday-- times when I may have gotten some money to spend-- would be the best time for me to get special price offers. Not before Christmas, and certainly not right after Thanksgiving!