[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Spending was way down. I am a small business person, my sales were about the same if you look at number of sales BUT if you look at price oh what a difference. My average item was $40-80 last Christmas, this year $15-$30. It was an ouch of a month.

I don't depend on Christmas for my sales but for some of the people that do this could put them out of business.

[EBH]

I am a small business person too. And Christmas is a good time for me, but not where all my eggs are.

That said, my average price for service is $15 per visit(pet sitter). We had an off pro sitter under cutting the area. All of us pro’s caught on early in Dec. when reservations were slow. The 5 pro’s cut their sitting rate by 20%. While we sucked it up and did it to gain the clients long-term, it was surprising for some who still lost the client...even after highlighting we're insured, bonded, pet first aid trained, vet networked in the area etc. You want to leave your holiday home and pets in the hands of an amateur/stranger/no references? They did.

http://www.longislandpress.com/2011/12/12/pet-sitter-accused-of-staging-plainview-burglary/

Sitters generally don't have high margins and 20% hurts.