Posted on 12/01/2014 6:11:44 AM PST by C19fan
Fewer consumers hit the stores or went online this Thanksgiving weekend, a sign that Black Friday’s bloat into days and even weeks of promotions may be creating less urgency around the events that many retailers consider the kickoff to the holiday shopping season.
The National Retail Federation reported that 55.1 percent of consumers shopped between Thursday and Sunday, according to a survey it conducted over the weekend. That is down from 58.7 percent the previous year. The NRF said total spending was $50.9 billion, an 11 percent decline from an estimated $57.4 billion in 2013.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Americans can “Black Friday” every day. We are so $poiled that we don’t need any excuse to buy, buy, buy, buy, buy, buy, buy, buy, buy and buy.
I’ve noticed something extreme this year. That would be the incredible numbers of smaller companies sending out glitzy catalogs with mostly pretend high end merchandise, not priced at bargain rates. If all of those companies have stocked up, I’d think it will lead to some favorably priced better-that-WalMart-quality merchandise in a few months in the discount stores that specialize in that stuff.
“Have an arms race of retailers trying to grab Xmas spending dollars so they keep pushing sales earlier and earlier. “
Like the 15th of October.
Who wants to fight with the thugs on Thanksgiving? We will never go to the stores during Thanksgiving weekend. All our children and grandchildren get cash from us so they can use it as they want….no shopping for us, no returns for them.
This comes as no surprise to me. Most of the Black Friday “sales” were just ordinary sales that you could get any other time of the year.
Last year, for example, I was able to get a mechanical keyboard for $40. That’s crazy. This year, the lowest price I saw was maybe $60-65 after rebate.
But I’m sure we’ll be able to afford these higher prices thanks to Obamacare, right? Oh, wait...
In an effort to make more money, the product is diluted.
See - the black boycott of Black Friday worked !!!
/s
I just don’t understand the big deal about black friday. I never see anything priced at anything close to spectacular prices. In fact I didn’t see any products this year (or in years past for that matter) priced any differently than they had been for the last three months.
Black Friday just seems to be (with a few exceptions) a lot of hype.
They do the same thing every year.
And people are catching on with this sale crap. They shop on a more drawn out schedule now.
Understandable, many stores jumped the gun for promos/sales days(weeks)before Black Friday...making Black Friday nothing special.
I’m sure it is a mix of factors.
1. Economy IS NOT doing better, so why spend a lot on the holidays. Especially if you received notice of health insurance hikes for next year.
2. Fear of violence from protests could have deterred some. The protests at Walmarts and malls across the country didn’t help the perception.
3. After a few years of the Great Recession, at some point spending less for the holidays should become a norm.
We always had a rule about Christmas gifts for our children when they were growing up and now on the grandson. It was 4 gifts - something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. This year the grandson is only getting three gifts because there is actually nothing he needs. Tough life comes from being an only child and grandchild. LOL.
Many of us are boycotting various stores because of their stance on homosexuality, amnesty and abortion. Why would we patronize them because they had a few items less expensive or lowered or no shipping charges? Those stores are on our do-not-buy-anything from them lists and that’s not going to change in the foreseeable future. If their sales tank, so be it.
1. They are unloading obsolete TV’s and tech. (see Ultra def tv)
2. Newer versions are online
3. The stores are loud, crowded, crazy people, NO knowledgeable staffers, playing rap music.
4. excessive taxes
5. no credit or credit aversion.
6. price “fixing” ala mattress makers or “exclusive” versions that are the same but for one tiny difference.
7. Retailers who run a business like a democrat but expect results like a conservative.
I spent a grand total of $5.81 on Black Friday. No crowds at the book store!
The video at the link pretty much says it all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Mujkbu_7lE
Hehe...
I was thinking the same thing - someone’s gonna take “credit” for this.
That’s pretty reflective of my own attitude as well. With so much of corporate America and retail stores embracing and even financially subsidizing the homo-fascist agenda, I just no longer feel any inclination to either support them or spend a dime with them. Ditto for their vile pro-amnesty lobbying and bribing.
Why should I do anything to support these companies which are nothing less than total enemies to everything I cherish and value? Better to spend my dollars at second-hand shops or estate sales and such.
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