Posted on 12/25/2012 4:22:09 PM PST by Steelers6
The annual holiday shop-a-thon drew to a muted close for many retailers, according to preliminary data, reflecting what some experts said was the slowest growth in spending since the 2008 recession.
For the eight weeks from Oct. 28 through Christmas Eve, retail sales for the holidays rose just 0.7% from the year before, according to MasterCard Inc.'s SpendingPulse unit.
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A man with shopping bags sleeps in Macy's in New York on Monday. . After falling 5.5% in 2008, holiday sales rebounded strongly in 2009 and 2010, and rose about 2% last year, according to the company's data, which are based on sales activity in the MasterCard payments network and estimates for all other forms of payment, including cash and checks. The figures exclude restaurants and sales of automobiles, groceries and gasoline.
This year, "it's a lost season," said Michael McNamara, Spending Pulse's vice president of research and analysis. "Sales and volume are about the same as last year, but the growth was marginal."
He and other analysts said a steep sales decline in the mid-Atlantic states that were walloped by superstorm Sandy dragged down the overall tally.
Retail consulting firm Customer Growth Partners said 2012 looks like the worst holiday-shopping season since 2009. Sales rose roughly 2.8%, after a 5.8% jump in 2011, according to its president, Craig Johnson.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
I have the Henry on the bottom of the pic.
Maybe that's because you didn't have reasonably priced 100% American made freeper art in your gallery. :-)
The State of NY is asking for $60 Bil. NJ for a similar amount. That is more than the SUPPOSED savings if no cliff deal is reached, and this money is paid NOW>
It is another straw on the over loaded backs of the citizens and debt. If Keynesian pump priming worked the $800 Bil stimulus that was budgeted and has been spent three times in the past four years would already have created a massive boom. It hasn't.
Bushes fault...no? OK, Sandy’s fault! Elections have no consequences, now go watch sports or something....
Do you support the FairTax? I believe that would be the single most effective action to bring corporations back to the US. A complete elimination of corporate taxes would make the US the mfg center of the world!
That's the last thing Obama wants. He wants wealth redistributed around the globe, even if that means bringing us down, rather than bringing the rest of the world up.
You got that right FRiend. That is why it is so astounding that evil was re-elected!
That’s what my brother and I’ve seen to. The few times we’ve been out - we’ve been able to walk right to the register with no more than 1 person ahead of us. That would never happen in a good year.
Can you explain then why the Japanese don’t like union shops in the US? My bro worked for Kawasaki and they would rather close the plant than allow a union in.
Labor cost is the area where companies are the most flexible. It’s easier to cut workers to reduce costs than get rid of a major piece of equipment.
Visited a Target store in the Ft. Myers area on the 24th to pickup one item. No problem parking or in getting someone to help me. I asked the salesperson helping me out if it had been busy earlier. He said things had been slow all day.
You’re right. If you layoff, outsource, & convert people to part-time to avoid Obamacare, the results of these policies eventually show up at the local retailer when nobody is buying.
No I do not think so.
We have too many corporate “leaders” who simply outsource.
That must end, and we must bring back US jobs.
Now.
Smoothest Rifle I have EVER shot.
A work of Art.
My dream is to one day own Several of their pump Action .22s.
As for being made in the USA here is some explinations
I gave home canned apple pie filling, cowboy candy and salsas. Also made cookies and candied pecans. People loved it. (Or so they told me!) Oh, the one gift I bought at a “mall” was purchased at an antique mall...a pair of oil burning lamps coz we think everyone should be prepared for the coming Obama economic & societal collapse.
Aren’t they nice? Love my Henry!
“I think a lot of people were expecting a power change in DC and the overturn of Obamacare. When that didn’t happen, they shut their wallets.”
And until the dirty slimey Extorters stop, their “fiscal cliffs” will accelerate even more.
My oldest son works for a military contractor in Texas and I fear for his job, but he works as a ground refueler (which went the way of contractor, now civil service employment instead of military service member) so I'm reasonably sure his job is safe, I hope.
I sure hope you don't get cut.
That is the one for me, I’m convinced after that video. Going online shopping. I’m almost embarrassed to say it..but the only mention I’ve heard of the Henry rifle (prior to your post)’ was the movie “Silverado”.
What a stunning rifle.
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