There are 23 days left until Christmas, and I haven't started my Christmas shopping.
In years past, I had an extra week or two after Thanksgiving to worry about what to buy my brother who has everything, but this year we are in a time crunch.
Over break, I worked for a retail store, and I met a woman who had finished her shopping in July. I wondered what would inspire her to be so productive when snow was not even a thought yet. Then I followed my mom and sister shopping the morning after Thanksgiving, and I figured it out.
My mom and sister are the crazy people who get up at 5:15 a.m. just so they can be at stores by the time the gates open to let the flood in at 6. Yes, I braved the snow and billions of people to save $10 on a CD player for my dad. What was I thinking? I could not believe how many men were lined up outside of Sears at 6 a.m. just to save on Craftsman tools. It was an amazing sight, and it was one I shall gladly mark in the been-there-don't-do-it-again column.
The lines were exactly what retailers were wishing for Christmas. The recession in the past year has hit the retail sector especially hard, and stores are hoping the Christmas rush can save them. According to CNN, nearly half a retailer's sales come in the Christmas buying season.
Retailers call the Friday after Thanksgiving Black Friday. Stores hope the Christmas season will push them into the black, or profitable, side of financial statements. Over the past five years, retail sales have increased steadily at an average of more than five percent per year (CNN.com).
This year, however, analysts are expecting a much smaller increase. Consumers are also expected to shop more heavily at discount chains like Wal-Mart. Consumers are looking for more value to the dollar, and these stores are able to provide lower-priced items.
For the three busiest shopping days of the year I worked at a department store in a mall, and I noticed another consumer trend: Consumers are paying more with cash and less with credit this year than last year.
I attribute this to the lowest consumer confidence rating in nine years. People are not willing to go into more debt when there is a lack of security and optimism, so consumers are paying credit card balances faster and paying cash.
I have worked retail over Christmas break for a few years, and I have learned three key elements to making Christmas shopping a little more enjoyable.
First, never shop the day after Thanksgiving. Trust me, this is key to not hating Christmas.
Second, never write a check because it takes too long.
Third, the "lowest sale prices of the year" really are not all that special.
These three precepts seem simple enough, but they really are the only way to survive Christmas shopping.
Write to Liz at eabaker@bsu.edu<
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