just .00, .308, 7.63x39 and 9mm... you know, the usual suspects
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 ...
>>Try and find made in America.<<
Yet another “Union benefit!”
I spent a fraction of what I used to. F Obama.
Kimber. I read that Weatherby is returning manufacturing to the US.
I just bought a book at Barnes & Noble. Surprised to see...printed in China.
duh - nobody has any money, what did they think was gunna happen?
Bought the missus a bottle of perfume. She bought me a t-shirt. Grandsons got one small thing each. Have only made two sales in the fine arts gallery in sixty days. Can’t even sell bin junk on ebay. Had sixty pieces listed with not one bid.
Normally we do at least ten grand a month.
Cut my Christmas spending in half from last year. My big spluge was a Ruger 10/22. If someone told me that instead of great clothes or shoes, I would be buying guns and ammmo 8-10 years ago, I would tell them to GTFO! Times have surely changed and so do priorities. As far as shopping in a mall, what is a mall? Haven’t been in one in years. Macy’s and the like’s should be very worried as we have changed our habits over the last 5 years and this type of spending is not important any longer!
And then....nose dive. Crash to the bottom. Quite dramatic.
It just won’t happen....CORPORATE TAXES. We FORCED people out of the states.
Not much spent here either. We spent about 25% of normal.
I do crafts, and repurposed stuff I already had - didn’t have to buy anything at the mall - awful experience now that they cater to the crowd that has “sticky fingers” - the food court now shows suggestive music videos.... won’t buy food there, found it’s easier to make something unique and save my mall money :)
just .00, .308, 7.63x39 and 9mm... you know, the usual suspects
The only way to get people to ‘Buy American’ is to make American products more expensive. Get with the program. The road to prosperity is more money out of your wallet.
Glad to know I wasn’t the only Scrooge. Love Christmas and its true meaning but hate what it has become. I cant hack the stress of shopping anymore especially when not even motivated one iota.
Brother in law gave me a case of LR shells for my Ruger 10/22. A great gun!
That's about it really.
We WILL be getting a shotgun or two after the holidays though.
Let me tell you. I observe people when I’m shopping and the crowds weren’t any better than any other Saturday. I shopped at Valley Fair and valeted the car. Bought a bunch of stuff went dinner and the waitress said tips were down. I tipped her double. It’s Christmas and she had the best smile.
Went get my car from the valet and noted there weren’t many cars. Valet said there weren’t that many people valeting. Tipped him good as well. It’s Christmas.
Went to Neiman Marcus to get a watch and a friend I’ve known for over twenty years works in fine jewelry said he was praying for some improvement. I guess sales sucked loudly this year and he was worried about his commissions. that was two days ago.
Went upstairs to get some crystal for a party and the gal I’ve been buying from for years was equally worried. I bought an extra thing I hadn’t planned on.
Everyone says the customers are worried about fiscal cliff. I nervously agreed it remarked I was clueless as to what my taxes will be next year, so I drew down some extra money and will probably take less next year than I usually do.
That will have the result of me spending less.
Say Ah Vee .....
A great brother-in-law!
I went to Wal-Mart yesterday (Christmas Eve) for 3 last-minute items. Parked fairly close to the door, got my stuff, one person ahead of me in line. Far less pain than many other visits.
Daughter went to two malls in Tucson, didn’t wait anywhere.
Did not look good for the merchants!
I hope all the Obamorons lose their jobs. and I flat-out TELL it to the ones in my life. if that’s what it takes to get them to vote properly, so be it.
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