Reply #10: The spin! The SPIN!

[Lorien]

(snip)


What is hurting merchants is that there is no must-have item, except in consumer electronics — iPod music players and the PlayStation2 (news - web sites) video game console, for example, have become difficult to find in many areas, according to Marshal Cohen, senior industry analyst at NPD Group Inc., a market research company based in Port Washington, N.Y.

The Saturday before Christmas is traditionally the busiest day of the year for merchants, though last year, the day after Thanksgiving stole that crown. However, the last weekend before Christmas could be losing its luster as there are more ways to shop for a holiday item.

The increased popularity in gift cards and online spending could be helping to skew the holiday sales figures. Gift cards are only recorded as sales when they are redeemed at the stores. Online sales, which are expected to increase 20 percent to 26 percent this holiday season, are not included in ShopperTrak's sales figure

(snip)


So, luxury stores are booming because of the surging economy, but the rest of us just can't find that "must have" item, so we're all buying gift cards instead. Wouldn't be because we're boycotting or are f*cking broke, now would it??