Retail sales this season seem down

a reply to: JAGStorm

Wife and I did the same thing we've been doing for a while now, order everything online. Why in the world would anyone want to be out and about during this time of year? I don't even like going grocery shopping if I can help it, luckily every local chain grocery store has either pick-up or delivery options, no need to go into the actual store. Unless it's something that's needed in an emergency, you won't see me in a retail store until mid January at least.

Our Christmas budget for ourselves is roughly the same it's been for almost a decade now, no changes there at all. It feels exactly like every other Christmas season for the last couple of decades to me.

a reply to: Lumenari

That's called spin. The article said that people bought the most from a smart phone/device than ever with 2.9 billion in sales coming from that platform. That's it. The rest is speculation of what folks think it will be.

Brick and mortar sales were up 4.2% compared to what, last year? Sales were down then too..

Well not sure I know what to say but just came back from shopping for a few hours... I wish I went on the day the op did.. It was a complete mad house, walmart was packed we were there for 20 minutes got what we needed and got out, racks were emptied.. Bath and body works? forget it we couldn't even fit in there.. Krogers was packed, people were everywhere, I like to bake believe it or not and I couldn't even get in the aisle.... Maybe you have gone on good days but it was nuts today. Now I def need a drink as I don't like people very much, I get nervous and try to be nice but dang when an old lady is nudging my cart as she can go around it just makes me want to break some dentures... ugh I don't like the holidays but it's Saturday give me a break.

There was already a thread on this about retail theft. Sales are down because people are just stealing what they want

originally posted by: Charliebrowndog
There was already a thread on this about retail theft. Sales are down because people are just stealing what they want

Incorrect, theft only plays a small part in this .

There is a disturbance in the force. People aren't happy even though it's the holidaze Traffic is crazy!!! Mean drunks everywhere.



www.wsj.com...

originally posted by: JAGStorm

Either holiday spending is way, way down. Or people are ordering everything online.

Bingo... I went to our annual Frys Black Friday event. Its the only store we go to, BUT this year we go in and it is no longer the Frys I have known for a long time. Very empty store, no Black Friday event at all. They are changing their model to look like Amazon where their shelves are filled with contracted companies to put their stuff there. One guy I talked to said he work there 14 years and having 40 or so stores was a huge amount of warehouse and logistics involved which is now all gone. He told me 6 months before all the shelves were empty, and if you know Frys that is a crazy thing.

The landscape has changed, Amazon has changed it. You either adopt the Amazon model or you die it seems. A part of me died that day, but change is inevitable...

Black Friday is dead, long live Cyber Monday! I spent 40 bucks on Black Friday and wasted 4 hours while I spent 1200 on Monday...

a reply to: JAGStorm
Well, I am buying more big ticket, custom items where I need to go to the craftsman directly to have made. That would not be found in a store but money is still being put back into circulation.
Maybe others are deciding that having something sourced locally is not so bad after all.

Craftsmen are still there. They do not give their work away but on the upside they will stand behind it if it needs repair.

I'm doing my Xmas shopping at Dollar Tree this year.

May or may not be related but Australian retail is in recession. Last week, Harris Scarfe, a major department store chain over here went into administration. au.finance.yahoo.com...

Others have done so this past year too. In my state, several building companies have gone under this year and last week a major joinery company closed down. It seems Australia is very close to being declared in recession.

Our extended family have decided this year to buy 1 gift each and put it into a Kris Kridle round - We have never done that before. Personally, I strongly dislike how all our holidays have become capitalist 'spendathons'. It should be about sharing each others company, laughing, eating, and drinking... not buying more crap made in China.

a reply to: harold223

. It should be about sharing each others company, laughing, eating, and drinking... not buying more crap made in China.

I so agree, and have changed it to that atmosphere in our home years ago.

Sad thing is this year it looks like I am going to have to break a Christmas event that we started about 5 years ago that was actually becoming a tradition.

Around Christmas I had a huge dinner where I invited anyone and everyone that did not have family, or anywhere to go for Christmas. Last year I had over 100 people and it was the first time I ran out of food.

It is always an amazing affair, but due to poor health and decreasing finances, I don't think I can pull it off this year.

For the first time in 20 years, I've had to lay off a few of my employees this xmas season rather than hire extra help.

Perhaps people are just ordering online rather than patronize local businesses.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

Around Christmas I had a huge dinner where I invited anyone and everyone that did not have family, or anywhere to go for Christmas. Last year I had over 100 people and it was the first time I ran out of food. It is always an amazing affair, but due to poor health and decreasing finances, I don't think I can pull it off this year.

I know exactly what you are talking about. Last year we had a huge shindig. The cost and cleanup was a lot more than I was expecting. It was a lot of fun, but something i'm not going to repeat.

originally posted by: olaru12
For the first time in 20 years, I've had to lay off a few of my employees this xmas season rather than hire extra help.

Perhaps people are just ordering online rather than patronize local businesses.

That's sad to hear. On the upside, and I hope this helps you in the future. I've noticed a lot more small businesses selling
online. I just ordered from a small farm in Pennsylvania and absolutely love what I got.
It's not local, but it's still small family business so I hope that helps.