Retailers seeing signs of a good ‘Black Friday’

[TomCADem]

Source: MSNBC

CHICAGO - When the U.S. holiday shopping season kicks off on the day after Thanksgiving, retailers can expect to see millions of less frightened, but even more bargain-hungry customers cross their thresholds.

Industry experts expect a strong turnout on Black Friday, which falls on November 27 this year, as deep discounts lure shoppers after more than a year of subdued spending. But they caution it will not mean a bumper holiday season in the weeks leading up to Christmas since consumers still remain cautious.

"Given what we know about consumer shopping patterns, even this month, I would suspect it will turn out to be a very strong performance," said Michael Niemira, chief economist of the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Special promotion days have been big drivers of sales, he said, pointing to the lift retailers saw on the November 11 Veteran's Day holiday.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34094487/ns/business-retail/

---

Dang it. I was hoping that I would not have competition for those limited time $299 HDTV offers. I was planning on replacing my old tube with a big giant hole on the plastic casing.

[imdjh]

1. When I see Apple computers at half price I'll get excited.

[onehandle]

17. They're the most profitable consumer electronics company and sell the best computers in the world.

Why slash prices? They can barely keep up with orders as it is.

Analysts are predicting that they might be worth more than Microsoft by next year.

If you want one that bad, I have a nice 17-inch Mac laptop I'm about to put on eBay.

You could end your Mac envy right now.

[Mudoria]

21. Best? That's debatable to say the least...

[high density]

22. I guess the people buying them have to think they're the best to spend such a premium on them

Lenovo or Dell could probably sell the same thing to them for half the price, but that would come with Windows 7 on it. Oh, the horror! :web:

[imdjh]

27. The cheaper laptops of Dell and HP are no savings. What you save in $$ you pay in aggravation and...

.... shorter lifespan.

[high density]

28. Shorter lifespan?

The components are essentially the same. Just keep dust out of the fan duct work and the laptops will last just fine.

[imdjh]

31. That's kind of like saying "All cars are about the same, so a Chrysler lasts as long as a Lexus.".

[high density]

33. Well it's certainly like saying Toyotas last as long as a Lexus

The interior OEM components of these systems are all quite similar.

[imdjh]

26. My macbook lasts on battery long after PC laptops have run out of juice.

[imdjh]

25. I have a 266, a Lombard, an iBook white, and a black 2.46ghz macbook. All functional.

I want more... more..... MORE.

[paparush]

2. Yeah, cause the bankers with their $30+ billion compensation packages

are gonna hit the stores running.

:puke:

[Hawkeye-X]

3. No Black Friday for us

We'll be in Las Vegas. Away from the hell.

And I'll be trying to get Mr. Reid a brand new 2010 spine model.

Hawkeye-X

[madrchsod]

4. it`s the following weeks that really matter.

everything we are buying is pretty much off the grid...thrift store stuff or artists.

[endless october]

5. make stuff in the USA and you'll see Americans buying stuff again. nt

[msongs]

6. friday is buy nothing day at our uu church - and we're having a leftovers potluck as well. nt

[smirkymonkey]

24. Great idea!

I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would want to participate in this madness. Our family is just cutting back on gifts and picking names for the kids. I'm buying everything on-line (which isn't much) and having it shipped.

[prolesunited]

7. I won't be there

I made an appointment to donate blood. Seriously.

[Mari333]

8. sorry retaliers

I have to pay taxes in january
I will ignore friday and sit at home and digest all day and ignore all the sales of

ITEMS MADE IN OVERSEAS WITH SLAVE LABOUR BY MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS.

[Arctic Dave]

9. I won't be there, I'm going skiing.

[CoffeeCat]

10. Of course people will flock to the stores...

...because this is the day that you get the great deals. People are still scared, and guess what we're not just "cautious" and
"subdued" as this article references. We're unemployed. We're dealing with current paycuts. We're recovering from previous
paycuts. We're worried about whether unemployment may happen to us in the not-so-distant future.

I'm going out. I'll admit it. There's a local department store in my area that puts $10 off any $10 coupons in the local paper.
I'm buying 30 papers and I'm going to go to town. I'm also going to do a couple of other deals at various stores--totally cheap stuff.

We're buying less this season. And I will be shopping and buying stuff at rock-bottom prices because I want my dollar to go
as far as possible.

We used to drop a lot of money on Christmas. This year, we're being more conservative, and I feel good about that. I'm also
going to feel good paying less than $20 for more than $300 worth of stuff from that department store. HA! Suckers!

[Lurks Often]

11. Not me

No bargain is worth putting up with the Black Friday crowds. Besides, I am already 2/3 done with my Christmas shopping

[Dr.Phool]

12. Bah, humbug.

After State Farm jacked up my homeowners insurance by 40%, and Progress Energy tacked on a 30% surcharge on my electric bill, not to mention property taxes due. They can all go fuck themselves. I'm staying home.

[Sherman A1]

13. I hope the sales are good and it's a good Christmas Season

many retail jobs are at stake. That said, I really don't expect it to be so. As for Black Friday, I will look over the ads and make what choices that seem best for me, if there is a deal worth the effort and it fits the mix of what I think will be of benefit, then I will try to take advantage of it. For the most part we shop for the nieces & nephews while on vacation each year and give each a book store gift card through our Discover Card Cash Back program, then they can go buy themselves some books, which I think to be a much better choice than a toy or electronic thing, but that is just me.

But for the "I won't go out on Black Friday..........." line of thought, well I find "absolutism" rather silly.

[fasttense]

14. Yeah right, Here is a snippet from what the experts were saying about Christmas 2008

"The forecasts of doom and gloom are self fulfilling. A survey of customers this week (9/24/08) STILL indicates that most people are expecting better Q4 than in 2007. Also the national forecasts are saying that the percentage of increase will be 1.5% or like it was back in 1999. No one is saying that Q4 will be less than the previous year."

I remember back in 2008 retail forecasts as high as 3% increase over 2007 Christmas shopping sales.

We'll see what happens.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. Notice that the very last sentence of the article says

A Consumer Reports survey found that 66 percent of shoppers heading out over the weekend will be shopping for themselves.

:P

[Soylent Brice]

16. yay.

[onehandle]

18. Wal-Mart isn't going to let us trample to death other people as we rush in the store anymore.

So I just don't see any point in buying anything on 'Black Friday.'

Pass.

[imdjh]

34. Those bastards!!!

[quispquake]

19. It's also the national "Buy Nothing Day"

"So this November 27 (November 28 in Europe and overseas), we’re calling for a Wildcat General Strike. We’re asking tens of millions of people around the world to bring the capitalist consumption machine to a grinding – if only momentary – halt.

We want you to not only stop buying for 24 hours, but to shut off your lights, televisions and other nonessential appliances. We want you to park your car, turn off your phones and log off of your computer for the day.

We’re calling for a Ramadan-like fast. From sunrise to sunset we’ll abstain en masse, not only from holiday shopping, but from all the temptations of our five-planet lifestyles."

<SNIP>


https://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd

[phantom power]

20. I would expect Black Friday to do well cuz of the sales....

it's the rest of the season that is likely to be very depressed.

[Arkana]

23. Yeah I'm not going out Friday.

Has nothing to do with protest, I just don't feel like getting trampled by psychotic housewives in a scramble for the last Furby or whatever the fuck the new hotness is.

[TomCADem]

29. My Take Is That With The Recession, It Should Be Low Key This Year

I would not kill myself, and would turn away if there was a mob, but with the recession, I am expecting that I should be able to head to Best Buy and get a $299 32' Flat Screen to replace my old TV Bessie with the big hole on the top of the tube finally. It has served me well for about 15 years, but it is about time. I can't imagine things will be as bad as they were in 2006 when it was a freaking circus with officers directing traffic in and out of malls.

[superconnected]

30. I'm finishing my shopping tonight so I avoid the crowds.

Last night - when I started my shopping, the dept store was empty. Beautiful. I can't think of any electronic equipment worth the crowds that are going to be there Friday.

[Garam_Masala]

32. One has to be crazy to fight the zombies on black friday

I will be on the golf course weather permitting.