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Early Data Show Weak Holiday Sales
Wall Street Journal ^ | December 25, 2012, 5:57 p.m. ET. | SHELLY BANJO

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 ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bad; christmas; obamanation; obamanomics; obamasfault; season; shopping
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To: SueRae
I spent maybe $75 total, but that's also because I've been paying for travel costs to help my sons get here for their sister's wedding this Saturday. That's it.

They know next year to not expect a thing from me, especially if my job at the local military base gets cut due to the impending fiscal cliff, and it just might, it just might. In 30-45 days, I could be among the unemployed.

41 posted on 12/25/2012 5:21:14 PM PST by ducttape45
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To: FrogMom

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2012/12/25/holiday-retail-sales-growth/1791075/ Another article about the same issue. Blaming Hurricane Sandy, Election, Sandy Hook, Fiscal Cliff, how about many people know they are going to get walloped in 2013.


42 posted on 12/25/2012 5:21:48 PM PST by Steelers6
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To: Utah Binger

That’s what I am in need of...ammo. That’s a great present he gave you!


43 posted on 12/25/2012 5:22:50 PM PST by marygam (I have extra ducktape for anyone who needs to wrap their head.)
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To: ducttape45

I’ll be unemployed no later than the end of next month. I wish you well. Contractor employee here as well.


44 posted on 12/25/2012 5:23:05 PM PST by SueRae (It isn't over. In God We Trust.)
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To: RoosterRedux

That is picture is just so wrong...............


45 posted on 12/25/2012 5:24:02 PM PST by ducttape45
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To: US_MilitaryRules

That’s about like me, I spent much less this year than when Bush was President.


46 posted on 12/25/2012 5:24:35 PM PST by Steelers6
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To: Sacajaweau
Try and find made in America.

I shop here:

Made In America Store

47 posted on 12/25/2012 5:24:47 PM PST by 50mm (Trust nobody and you'll never be disappointed.)
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To: Steelers6

My wife pretty much organizes Christmas. We seem to have dropped the annual stocking-stuffing, and we’ve cut way back on presents. We have about 20 or 30 of our family over on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. She asked our grownup kids to bring wine and stuff with them when they come, because we can’t afford to buy all the food and drink. The New York contingent brought food goodies up with them, too.

One of our son-in-laws raised and killed the turkey.

My wife and I pretty much give each other stuff that we need and would buy anyway, so there isn’t really much extra spending. She replaced a couple of pairs of pants that I had worn out, and I got her a bunch of jams and jellies, olive oil, tea, and stuff like that, which she would buy if I didn’t.

The smaller grandchildren still get a lot of toys and books, but not as much as they used to.


48 posted on 12/25/2012 5:26:05 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Steelers6

Hubby and I didn’t buy much for ourselves. I don’t spend the money like we were doing for collectibles nor does hubby. We each got a small bonus from our jobs. Part went into savings. We gave part to one children’s foundation; the rest we gave out in cash to family members who had been out of work due to lost jobs (plants closing) or they couldn’t work due to health concerns vs going to get them clothes, home decorative gifts etc. I save more now. Hubby bought a few things earlier in the year that he wanted as extras so he is happy. When he’s happy, I’m happy, as he says of me.


49 posted on 12/25/2012 5:26:55 PM PST by Christie at the beach (I like Newt. Our nation's foundation is under attack.)
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To: 50mm
Oh, c'mon. Shopping there requires work. Wouldn't it be better to have the government force us to buy American?
50 posted on 12/25/2012 5:29:02 PM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: InvisibleChurch

I’ve sold online for ten years. Sales have steadily descended since Obama’s first election. Sporadic ups and down during the campaign season, followed by almost a return to normal after the first debate and positively rebounding that last weekend before the election.

The first week after the election; d-e-a-d. Been pretty thin ever since. In fact walk-in sales exceeded online sales for the first time since I started selling online in 2001.

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.

Just my observation from a main street in flyover country.


51 posted on 12/25/2012 5:33:32 PM PST by Valpal1
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To: 50mm
I am getting to where I put back more stuff that reads: Made in China. Dollar Tree is full of that stuff. I would rather buy American made products. I do like Burberry coats and gloves. They do last for a very long time. I don't buy designer like I did since most is made under questionable factories with small under aged children working basically for nothing.
52 posted on 12/25/2012 5:38:46 PM PST by Christie at the beach (I like Newt. Our nation's foundation is under attack.)
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To: Steelers6

How can this be when the gummit is at full employment? Must not be printing enough unemployment checks.

Merry Christmas


53 posted on 12/25/2012 5:42:06 PM PST by bray (Welcome to Obamaville)
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To: 1rudeboy
Wouldn't it be better to have the government force us to buy American?

No, nor did I imply that.

Get a lump of coal in your stocking today?

54 posted on 12/25/2012 5:44:23 PM PST by 50mm (Trust nobody and you'll never be disappointed.)
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To: Sacajaweau

Broken window fallacy. We see the reconstruction. We don’t see the college tuition they could have paid, the home improvements they would have made, emergency funds used during a lull in employment now consumed during the hurricane, the money not invested in retirement plans because it went to rebuild ...


55 posted on 12/25/2012 5:44:23 PM PST by tbw2
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To: Steelers6

Well of course. I’m weary of hearing how supposedly inept Obama is. He is succeeding quite well, alas, in “transforming America” into an impoverished third or 4th world tin-pot dictatorship.


56 posted on 12/25/2012 5:44:36 PM PST by faithhopecharity
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To: 50mm

No, I was simply poking fun at our resident protectionist. Sorry that you misunderstood. The “lower holiday sales—>bring back American jobs” thing simply cracked me up, that’s all.


57 posted on 12/25/2012 5:50:55 PM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: chiller

People thougth Mitt was going to win


58 posted on 12/25/2012 5:53:27 PM PST by Steven Tyler
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To: Steelers6; a fool in paradise; Slings and Arrows
SHELLY BANJO

Whale, less selebreit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzae_SqbmDE

59 posted on 12/25/2012 5:54:49 PM PST by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong! Ice cream is delicious!)
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To: Steelers6

ABC radio news yesterday implied that the numbers were poor because everyone was waiting until Christmas eve, and then made the report all about why Americans would choose to do that.


60 posted on 12/25/2012 5:55:11 PM PST by skeeter
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