November 23, 2007
What About Teal Tuesday?
Is Black Friday really the busiest shopping day of the year?
Between 1993 and 2002, it cracked the top five just three times, never rising higher than the fourth-busiest day of the year, according to snopes.com, a Web site that debunks urban myths.
I almost [spot the operative word in this sentence] wanted to get up and see how many people were at Kohl's for their 4AM opening today. I made a schedule while watching football: Kohl's at four, BestBuy at five, Target at six and Macy's at seven. I think Dante described something similar.
The early word seems to be pretty positive, though the AP reporter Anne D'innocenzio can't bear to type it.
NEW YORK - Shoppers — shrugging off a spate of lead-tainted toy recalls and higher prices for food and gas — jammed stores before dawn Friday to grab discounted TVs, toys and the hard-to-find Nintendo Wii, for the official start of the holiday season, expected to be the weakest retail showing in five years.Stores, including Toys "R" Us and Macy's Inc. said more people were showing up this year for pre-dawn specials but merchants need them to keep coming throughout the holiday season to make their sales goals.
Hat-tip: Everyday Economist
I was driving past Sam's Club and Wal*Mart at 5AM. Unlike you, it wasn't because I was specifically curious, but it was because I was on my way to work. Regardless, those lots were as full as you would expect them to be after sunrise on such a day.
Don't forget, also, the so-called CyberMonday, when people go back to the office and shop from work (unbeknownst, allegedly, to their bosses - who are also probably shopping!).
Black Friday will always ebb and flow, not unlike the climate. And since many of the retails chains offered online sales almost as good as those in the stores at 4AM, its very likely those sales took away from the elbowing this morning!
Oh well.. time to go home!
Posted by: Charlie on the PA Turnpike at November 23, 2007 3:46 PMI had noticed the same pessimistic article. I've been meaning to blog about that -- and the Strange Case of the Changing AP Headline. Or maybe not so strange?
Apparently Martin Crutsinger and Jeanne Aversa were on vacation. The AP had to have another bear journalist fill in.
Posted by: Perry Eidelbus at November 27, 2007 4:46 PM | What do you think? [2]