Holiday Shopping Begins With Anxious Consumers, Retailers

CNBC ^ | 11/24/2011 | Reuters

[Rational Thought]

The holiday shopping season starts in earnest on Thursday, with retailers anxious to see if U.S. consumers are willing to spend despite an endless stream of scary headlines about the fragile economy and their own precarious finances.

However, in the eyes of retailers, the shopping period has been churning along for some time as retailers like Walmart Stores [WMT 56.64 -0.21 (-0.37%) ] and Toys R Us started early by offering layaway programs, and others offering major deals to lure shoppers.

These incentives have increased the stakes for retailers, and when Americans are done with their turkey dinners on Thursday, many will be getting a jump-start on 'Black Friday', the biggest shopping day of the year, and one that sets the tone for the entire season.

"If Thursday and Friday are not very good, chances are it will not pick up going up to Christmas," said Keith Jelinek, a director at consulting firm AlixPartners's retail practice.

[Rational Thought]

While I wish retailers well, I'm not seeing how numbers will be strong with all the severe problems the economy still faces.

I know in the RT household, there are no plans to participate in the Black Friday promotions.

One thing for certain. There will be glowing reports tomorrow on the news, along the lines of how strong sales were. If this year is like the recent past years, those glowing news reports of sales will be revised downwards in the weeks ahead.

[gimme1ibertee]

...unless the "Occupy Black Friday" morons show up and then the glowing reports will be about "democracy in action" or some such nonsense.As an aside, I thought it was pretty amusing that these OWS idiots thought they could somehow deter people from what (they think)is their God-given right to push people down,throw punches,scream profanities at one another,trample and stomp one another into the local ER and cause damage and chaos in order to get that half-price wide-screen TV.

I'm with you, FRiend. This chickie won't be anywhere NEAR a store on Friday.

[SandRat]

Reuters and CNBC are so STUPID! It’s Christmas! Not Holiday!

[momtothree]

“This chickie won’t be anywhere near a store on Friday”.

Me either, sister! I don’t like crowds and the idea of people shoving/pushing/grabbing/fighting over a television set in name of Christmas... well, it isn’t something I am into. Have a relaxing day on Friday!

[Caipirabob]

I couldn’t believe I saw people camping out in front of Best Buy down in Glendale the other day. What could they possibly need that badly?

[AlaskaErik]

I saw all the advertisements in this morning's paper and there isn't a single thing that I felt I really needed or wanted. I'm sleeping in on Black Friday. Let the idiots fight over all that crap.

[AceMineral]

Paternal Mineral and I will traveling to help Fraternal Mineral and the new Mrs. Fraternal Mineral move. There will be large amounts of moving heavy objects back and forth.

Moving is Satanic.

[bravo whiskey]

i’ll hit the gym in the morning to bike for an hour and home and model ship building until dinner

[mason-dixon]

At least there is Black Friday SANITY on this thread!