Consumers aren't stupid. They know what the holiday season is like just as well as retailers. They know there are certain things that are part of the holiday season -- and waiting in line is one of those things you can't separate from the holidays. |
I have seen what I expected to see. I've seen people out doing a lot of window shopping, people doing some buying, lots of folks lined up before the crack of dawn to get the hot toys. I saw consumers out there feeling good, attracted by the big sales, but nothing to justify the gloomy sales forecasts people have made. |
I think you should look for retailers to find ways to drive consumer traffic, but not necessarily through markdowns. There will be all kinds of promotions, coupons, open up a credit card account and get a discount, use your charge account and get a gift with a purchase. If they can get you into the store, even if you don't buy what's on sale, chances are during the holiday season you're going to walk out with something. |
That's an incredibly low error rate, given the amount of price changes that take place in a single department store. It's nothing for retailers to be ashamed of. |