That is strange; I should probably buy another artificial tree (mine is 15+ years old, and looking every bit of them). Our Wal-Mart is packed all the time (you have to go early, to miss the gibsmedats), but many of those shopping are buying staples - cheap food and clothing (and other stores are feeling the loss of those customers). We’ve lost a Foodtown and a Pathmark, as well as many small businesses, just as many other areas have.
They must be including gift cards as “sales”, though they are actually very different. They are future sales, and the store issuing the card basically carries a liability on its books until the cards are used/merchandise is bought. For the items you describe (Christmas decorations), I don’t see many people buying them in the weeks after Christmas.
“gibsmedats”
Absolutely love it. I am stealing it.
Not mentioned anywhere is the impact of returns on net sales.
That won’t be know until mid February, I would imagine and most of us will never really know what the last answer is.
I agree with a lot of observations: this season has been slow with the possible exception of the 23rd: I was out in the rain and mess around here and it was an absolute ZOO. And people were actually buying, but it appeared to be small stuff: couple items, few bags. But you never know: gift cards do not take up a lot of room.
But even yesterday, I did not see anything approaching an overwhelming crowd crush.
I think the most of it is breathless msm hype, trying to save their BOY’s and the dumblecrat’s bacon.