No?
Doesn't work this time?
How about? It is your Christian duty to spend money at Christmas!
What, you don't want to celebrate Christ's birthday? Sacrilege!
It's going to be an interesting Christmas in all kinds of ways. For one thing, I wonder if the consumers will do their usual "Let's wait until the last minute and get bargain basement prices!" thing again.
I suspect they may find the pickings pretty slim by that time. Oh, lots of junk for cheap prices as usual, but anything in demand it going to go out of stock sooner than usual, because the stores are going to pocket the cash instead of buying more stuff.
Lean and mean will be the phrase, among the savvy retailers.
Probably nothing to worry about, though. Most stores haven't gotten the memo yet.
Or haven't ever been in a position of actually buying less stuff.
I also suspect you'll see more decorating than ever. Atmosphere is cheap.
Sure. Sales. Lots and lots of sales. But it will be stuff they have in stock, and it will be stuff they won't replace. But with twinkling lights and the smell of gingerbread candles and that lovely Christmas music.
I'm not actually expecting a Christmas boost this year. Always surprises me when I read that many stores get a third of their revenue from Christmas. They must be petrified. I get a nice little 25% boost, usually, same as summer. Nice, but not a dealbreaker either way.
Meanwhile, I did get the memo.
A stern e-mail from the Sheriff of Nottingham.
"Cancel Christmas!"
But people have been ignoring the Sheriff every year for my entire career. More likely, they'll take after that couple in the Master Card commercial who buy his and her sports cars with their credit card.
Now THAT'S the Christmas Spirit!
Doesn't work this time?
How about? It is your Christian duty to spend money at Christmas!
What, you don't want to celebrate Christ's birthday? Sacrilege!
It's going to be an interesting Christmas in all kinds of ways. For one thing, I wonder if the consumers will do their usual "Let's wait until the last minute and get bargain basement prices!" thing again.
I suspect they may find the pickings pretty slim by that time. Oh, lots of junk for cheap prices as usual, but anything in demand it going to go out of stock sooner than usual, because the stores are going to pocket the cash instead of buying more stuff.
Lean and mean will be the phrase, among the savvy retailers.
Probably nothing to worry about, though. Most stores haven't gotten the memo yet.
Or haven't ever been in a position of actually buying less stuff.
I also suspect you'll see more decorating than ever. Atmosphere is cheap.
Sure. Sales. Lots and lots of sales. But it will be stuff they have in stock, and it will be stuff they won't replace. But with twinkling lights and the smell of gingerbread candles and that lovely Christmas music.
I'm not actually expecting a Christmas boost this year. Always surprises me when I read that many stores get a third of their revenue from Christmas. They must be petrified. I get a nice little 25% boost, usually, same as summer. Nice, but not a dealbreaker either way.
Meanwhile, I did get the memo.
A stern e-mail from the Sheriff of Nottingham.
"Cancel Christmas!"
But people have been ignoring the Sheriff every year for my entire career. More likely, they'll take after that couple in the Master Card commercial who buy his and her sports cars with their credit card.
Now THAT'S the Christmas Spirit!