Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Dec. 21, 2006, edition 1 / Page 12
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4B LlFE/tE^e Charlotte $o«t Thursday, December 21, 2006 ing ideas Stores count hi procrasunators to make their THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK-Get ready for the final showdown between the nation’s retailers and con sumers. With Dec. 25 only a week away, many stores are finding themselves in the same posi tion as in recent yeai-s, count ing on those procrastinators to meet their sales goals even amid early reports of a strong shopping weekend. With some' notable excep tions, stores have generally stuck to planned discounts throughout the holiday sea son, not buckling to pressures from shoppers who are wait ing for the best deals. That’s good news for i;etailers’ fourth-quarter profits. But it also makes it more nerve-racking as merchants wait for the big sales surge. After pulling in better-than- expected crowds on Black Friday, the start of the holiday shopping season, shoppers have been returning to stores at a slower-tban-expected pace after a post- Thanksgiving lull. Shoppers did shop early for certain hot toys such as Fisher-Price’s T.M.X. Elmo and Sony’s PlayStationS, and popular consumer electronics like flat-panel TVs. Pricey fashions and jewelry as well as luxe handbags have been hot too, but for most of the other merchandise, particu larly apparel, consumers are dilly-dallying. Overall, “it has been a bit sluggish in the month. Everyone is counting on the last days, but I am still opti mistic,” said Michael P. Niemira, chief economist at the International Council of Shopping Centers. “It will get down to the wire.” Kim Roffcy, a strategist at Kurt Salmon Associates, agreed, noting with Christmas Lights: some homeowners pay professionals to deck halls THE ASSOCIATED PRESS OMAHA—Most Americans who adorn their homes for the holidays still wrestle with extension cords and balance on ladders to put up wreaths, icicle lights and Santa fig urines. But for a small yet growing number of homeowners, it’s easier to hire professionals to festoon their homes for the holidays—design, install, takedown and storage includ ed—starting at about $1,000, with no limits to speak of. Enter companies like Omaha-based Brite Ideas Decor'ating, with 254 franchis es nationwide and lights on about 40,000 homes, accord ing to founder and president IVavis Freeman. Freeman, 35, says his busi ness is growing about 30 per cent annually, with 50 new franchises added around the country every year. Christmas falling on a Monday, shoppers know they have a full weekend before the holiday. Merchants, how ever, still were hoping that shoppers would be a bit more motivated to buy as Hanukkah occurred earlier this year than last year. “The general consumer con sensus is that they have time,” Roffey said. “That’s great for consumers, but nerve-racking for retailers.” Many consumers inter viewed at the malls on Saturday seemed to be in no rush. “I shop for all of my gifts on Christmas Eve,” said Theresa Watson, of Detroit, who was at Eastland Mall near Detroit. “I get up real early knowing that’s what I’ll be doing all day and then I wrap gifts all night.'That’s my tra dition.” She added, “There’s all kinds of deals. Everyone’s try ing to get rid of everything.” Ruby Shelley of Houston, who was at a local Sears, ■ Roebuck and Co. store said she hadn’t had the time to shop. ‘Tve been too busy,” she said. Clearly, this holiday season, the nation’s stores—both online and on land—have made it easier for consumers to procrastinate. Shoppers who waited are faced with expanded hours and even more enticing deals in the final days. J.C. Penney Co. had an 18-hour blowout sale on Saturday, which started at 6 a.m., an hour earlier than last year. Meanwhile, Toys “R” Us aims to pull in procrastina tors by having huge ship ments coming this week of the hard-to-find toys. 'They include more than 65,000 T.M.X. Elmo units, more than 30,000 Fisher-Price’s Kid Tbugh Digita Cameras and more than 6,000 Sony Inc.’s PlayStation3 consoles. Jerry Storch, chairman and chief executive of Tbys “R” Us said that the toy seller is bet ter stocked with the hottest toys in the final days before Christmas compared to years past. “We made this an intense focus,” he said. “We expect this week to be huge.” Meanwhile, in cyberspace, retailers are making it easier for procrastinators by pushing back deadlines for standard shipping in time for Christmas deliveries as their operations become more sophisticated. The retail industry is being forced to kowtow to con sumers who are “shopping much smarter than they use to,” said Craig R. Johnson, president of retail consulting firm Customer Growth Partners. “Unless it is an exclusive item or the supply is limited, they are not going to pay full price.” Jackie Vargas, from Trenton, said she was plan ning to finish her holiday shopping over this past week end, after researching deals both online and offline. “I did a lot of shopping online this year to avoid the crowds and see what online deals they had that depart ment stores didn’t have,” she said. Early reports of this past weekend were encouraging, but analysts say that the gap between the winners and losers is only widening. The toy industry has been helped by a plethora of hot toys, giving analysts hopes that the industry will see a reversal in several years of sales declines. 'Ibys “R” Us’s Storch said he has been “pleased with results.” Ernie Speranza, chief mar keting officer at KB Ibys, noted that traffic this week end was up over a year ago, but said he expects KB to meet holiday sales goals by the end of January. “It is no longer a two-month period,” he said. The well-heeled, benefiting from a stock market rebound and big bonuses on Wall Street, have splurged on dia mond necklaces and luxury handbags, helping to boost sales at such stores as Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue. For most other apparel, shoppers are waiting for the best deals. Department stores such as Federated Department Stores Inc.’s Mac/s and Bloomingdale’s as Wishing You (j^rter Jftmeral - Since 1930 - “Serving the Family with Dignity and Personal Understanding” Funeral Services... Pre-Arrangements... Pre-Need Planning Cremation Services... Out-of-Town/Country Shipping John A. McCarwII, President, General Manager, Funeral Director James B. Humphrey, III, CEO, Funeral Director and Embalmer 115 N. Cloudman St. Charlotte, NC 28216 704-332-7109 Fax: 704-332-5273 704 Walkup Ave. Monroe. NC 28110 704-283-5423 Fax: 704-282-4197 well as J.C. Penney Co. Inc. are expected to have solid gains, benefiting fix)m indus try consolidation and better fashions. But the sales perfor mance at mall-based apparel stores is mixed. John Morris, managing director at Wachovia Securities, noted that dis counting at the mall-based apparel stores he tracks has been “contained,” though some like struggling Gap Inc. are discoimting heavily, while others like American Eagle Outfitters Inc. are not. In addition to American Eagle, winners this holiday season include J. Crew Inc., Coach Inc. and Abercrombie & Fitch Co., according to Jennifer Black, president of Jennifer Black & Associates, an equity research firm. Black noted that it will be interesting to see if stores will accelerate discounts even more beyond what they planned. 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