Shoppers give stores last-minute sales surge

[TomCADem]

Source: Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) -- Shoppers appear to have given the nation's stores a needed last-minute sales surge.

Early readings from Toys R Us, Sears Holdings Corp. and several mall operators show packed stores on Christmas Eve following a busy week fueled by shoppers who delayed buying, waiting for bigger discounts that never came or slowed by last weekend's big East Coast snowstorm.

Stores are counting on these stragglers in a season that so far appears slightly better than last year's disaster. The jury is still out, because the week after Christmas accounts for about 15 percent of sales as gift card-toting shoppers return to malls.

"The procrastinators were really out in force," says David Bassuk, managing director in the retail practice of AlixPartners, a global business advisory firm. "But I think retailers needed to be more aggressive to fight for those sales. A lot of people are still willing to hold out until after Christmas because the deals weren't as good."


Read more: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Shoppers-give-stores-apf-3217109050.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=1&asset=&ccode=

[xchrom]

1. We all need some economic good news. Nt

[Left Coast2020]

2. Good News?

Yeah, good news for manafactures of products from China. Remember, we don't make squat here anymore.

[theophilus]

4. Bahh! Hummmbuggg!

Du, the home for Debbie Downers, Inc. Lighten up folks.

[maseman]

8. Well let's see

The people who work in the ports who import the stuff from China and other countries are important. The people who transport the stuff to warehouses are important. The people who work in the warehouses are important. The people who sell to the retailers are important. The people who transport the stuff to the local stores are important. The local retail workers are important.

So maybe we don't make much of the stuff but the people in between the manufacturers and the final sale is still massive. The better the economy the better for the people.

[Grassy Knoll]

3. Nothing sez christmas like a liquor store....

Sales are way up !

[FarLeftFist]

5. Procrastinators of the world UNITE !

[corkhead]

7. maybe tomorrow eom

[Suji to Seoul]

6. Quick people. . .money is tight. BUY, BUY, BUY!!! Don't save

Saving is for socialists and communists!!! BUY, BUY, BUY!!!

[On the Road]

9. On the East Coast, They Weren't Procrastinators

They were Md, DC and Va residents who were snowed in and couldn't get out over the weekend. The roads and stores the last couple days were worse than any Christmas I can remember.