Friday - November 25, 2005

Black Friday

In my youth (back when dinosaurs ruled the Earth), I was fortunate to be able to work in retail a number of years. That experience taught me to always be courteous to the help behind the counter. I remember being screamed at, yelled at and even punched on one occasion. It seems to me that nowadays people are even more rude to each other in the stores than they were back then.

I probably couldn’t work retail now as I would be sorely tempted to haul off and smack the crap out of some of the specimens I see on shopping expeditions. Yelling at their children, dragging them through the stores as the kids scream, demanding this or that, using abusive language if they don’t see exactly what they want - too much for me.

When I go shopping nowadays, I tend to rush in quietly, grab what I want (or a suitable substitute if the #1 choice is unavailable) and quickly go through checkout with a smile and a kind word or two to the cashier. Not so the majority of the shoppers I see. Pity them. They have no idea the grief they cause over something as petty as a pair of socks.

Anyway, today is what is referred to as “Black Friday”, the day after Thanksgiving when the Chirstmas shopping season opens. During the next four weeks, a majority of retailers will make 80% of their annual profit for the year as Americans swarm into the stores and buy up everything in sight during the season of giving. This year will be a little tight after the hurricanes and high gas prices gouged our pocketbooks a few months ago so retailers are worried. I have faith in the American people though. The plastic cash will be stretched to the limit ... as usual.

Good luck to you all. I started years ago just giving gift certificates to my family and friends. It’s so much easier that way. They can then go choose what they want and I can avoid the stampede of unruly cattle in aisle seven. Use this thread to tell us of your horror stories if you’ve ever worked in retail or have been run over by shoppers during this season of gimme, gimme, gimme ....

Retailers Usher in Holidays With Discounts
NEW YORK (AP)

The nation’s retailers are set to usher in the 2005 holiday shopping season with the usual come-ons - deep discounts and expanded hours - along with a slew of stores offering early bird specials for the first time. In an improving but still challenging economy, merchants are hoping for big crowds to set a positive tone for the entire holiday season.

After slipping up last year by not offering enough deep discounts, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), the world’s largest retailer, is making sure that won’t happen again. It’s offering enticing deals including $98 20-inch flat-screen TVs with DVD players. Its supercenters will open 5 a.m., an hour earlier than last year. For the first time, it’s also matching any price featured on an identical product in a local rival’s print ad that day.

Meanwhile, at the company’s Sam’s Clubs, members and nonmembers can pick up 1,200-thread count sheets, priced at $97.88, while being treated to a continental breakfast. “We are seeing quite a bit of interested in this already,” said Jolanda Stewart, a Sam’s Club spokeswoman. “Home improvement is a huge fight now and the 1,200 thread count sheets have sparked a lot of interest.”

At Target Corp., the nation’s No. 2 discounter, stores open at 6 a.m. It’s also reprising one of last year’s marketing gimmicks, a wake-up call that shoppers can arrange in advance. This year, it’s also adding tuck-in calls, which customers receive the night before the big shopping day. With a wide range of retailers, from department stores to specialty boutiques, now offering early bird specials, some analysts are concerned that it will hurt the overall industry, as more retailers compete for shoppers’ attention.

“If everyone does it, it is a no-win situation for everybody,” said Michael P. Niemira, chief economist at the International Council of Shopping Centers. While he noted that it gives some stores a “competitive edge,” it’s not a good strategy “industrywide.” Retailers’ spirits have improved in recent weeks amid falling gasoline prices. In fact, the Washington-based National Retail Federation upgraded its holiday growth forecast to 6 percent, from 5 percent, announced back in September. Still, many shoppers are cautious. While gasoline prices have fallen, they are still high, and this winter, shoppers will face higher heating bills.

Posted by The Skipper     on 11/25/2005 at 06:26 AM   
Filed Under: • Economics •  
• Comments (19) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

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Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

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It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

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