Why are we supposed to care if the shopping season is off to a slow start?

[punch]

They say this EVERY year after thanksgiving.. same old shit. "Stores are reporting holiday shopping in a slump" blah blah blah.

Why do they report this stuff on every news outlet every year. Are we really supposed to care? I think it's a ploy to make Americans feel like they have to go out and shop more, seriously. As Americans we are expected to gorge ourselves between thanksgiving and Christmas and help keep all these major corporations afloat for the rest of the year..

If my conspiracy theory is wrong, and we actually are not spending as much money durring the holidays as we used to, I say GOOD! Means people are being smarter with their money.

I'm just tired of hearing how much we are expected to spend over the holidays. Christmas is about the holiday, not the presents.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/535/5757709.html

[ScotWithOne_t]

The spending season drives the economy. Store see more profit, but the economy as a whole gets boosted too. Store use more energy and resources, so they hire more people, truck drivers get more business, energy companies get more business, gas companies, repairmen, paper mills, restuarants, EVEYTHING benefits from the holiday spending season. THAT is why we should care. now...I do agree that the news is over hyping it and being sensationalist as usual.

Go out and spend, people! SPEND SPEND SPEND!

[Outrun]

From what I have read, many families are one Paycheck away from filing bankruptcy. In 1992 the average credit card debt per American family was 8,000, no in 2005, I think it was somewhere in the range of 20,000. So go out and spend it, even if you don’t have it. Plus I think that eBay and online companies are offsetting the Malls.

[LX Sport]

ya, i know what you mean. but dont the news reports usually say that the stores are not reaching the "levels" they "expected" like they figured they where gonna sell more, but they didnt. I can see them just setting higher standers using this conspiracy theory, or lying about it all together, to get more people out of the house to shop

[YouNeverSawMeHere]

WOOT for not getting ass raped!!!!!

I spent $28 on 4 Extra large Hotel towels @ Marshall Fields....

Another tip is to Check the clearance racks:

I know that the womens and juniors departments have 3 times as much clearance as what they have on the floor. Mens Dress shirts, same deal... they even have ties on clearance that are back in the stockroom.

The funny thing is that Every retailer is in the same boat.... they just ordered too damn much this year and had to get the orders in by aug/sept... before Katrina.

I hate to sound cheap but Spending $625 vs 1455.. on xmas is a large difference. Bide your time and they will more than likely start having 50% sales 1-2 day before xmas....