Lookers and Shoppers

[socrattt]

This weekend I had a chance to visit the lovely Fashion Valley where I felt like I was in London’s Heathrow Airport waiting for a connecting flight. I honestly have never seen so many languages spoken in one place. I know San Diego is a melting pot, but it seemed more like a foreign buying frenzy. The mall was packed, so I had to get down to business to find out what was really going on.

I had a chance to speak with a salesman at Nordstrom and asked him how sales were going. He said he had never seen anything like it. He said a huge percentage of the people shopping were lookers and getting information on clothing and shoes, but little buying was going on. As I proceeded to walk through the entire mall I noticed very few people actually had shopping bags and those that did seemed to be in a group of 8 or 10 that were about to board their tourist bus back to the airport.

This, of course, is my visual opinion on the situation. My guess is this will be the last hoorah for buyers. Plenty of people still take advantage of their credit cards (many planning to walk away from those debts) and I assume that will be the case this Christmas. But come the New Year things will be so bad for retailers that we are going to see large chains closing left and right.

[peterb]

“Shopping” is now an American habit. But “buying” has some real restrictions now placed upon it.

Kinda like going fishing verses actully catching the fish.

[peterb]

“Shopping” is now an American habit. But “buying” has some real restrictions now placed upon it.

Kinda like going fishing verses actully catching the fish.

[peterb]

“Shopping” is now an American habit. But “buying” has some real restrictions now placed upon it.

Kinda like going fishing verses actully catching the fish.

[peterb]

“Shopping” is now an American habit. But “buying” has some real restrictions now placed upon it.

Kinda like going fishing verses actully catching the fish.

[peterb]

“Shopping” is now an American habit. But “buying” has some real restrictions now placed upon it.

Kinda like going fishing verses actully catching the fish.

[NotCranky]

Maybe shop and release is catching on?

[NotCranky]

Maybe shop and release is catching on?

[NotCranky]

Maybe shop and release is catching on?

[NotCranky]

Maybe shop and release is catching on?

[NotCranky]

Maybe shop and release is catching on?

[Coronita]

It’s not just folks don’t have money to spend (that may also be the case). People who have money to spend are wiser that this holiday season, sales are going to look really bad. For one, After-Thanksgiving starts late this year, which means it cuts into holiday sales already. Second, the economy is feeling bad…

Smart buyers know that retail sales are in trouble..Hence, smart buyers are pretty much just looking at stuff they would like to get after Christmas, when things will be discounted 50-60% beyond already being discounted 50-60% after thanksgiving. I know I am.

I get coupons (friends and families) from most of the retailers courtesy of folks in the fashion, retail business space. Some of the coupons are getting more and more ridiculous. Coach rarely gives discount coupons for example. And this year, there’s a plethora of them. Banana Republic/Gap/old navy, ditto…

So as for me and family, it’s window shopping until after X-mas.

[Coronita]

It’s not just folks don’t have money to spend (that may also be the case). People who have money to spend are wiser that this holiday season, sales are going to look really bad. For one, After-Thanksgiving starts late this year, which means it cuts into holiday sales already. Second, the economy is feeling bad…

Smart buyers know that retail sales are in trouble..Hence, smart buyers are pretty much just looking at stuff they would like to get after Christmas, when things will be discounted 50-60% beyond already being discounted 50-60% after thanksgiving. I know I am.

I get coupons (friends and families) from most of the retailers courtesy of folks in the fashion, retail business space. Some of the coupons are getting more and more ridiculous. Coach rarely gives discount coupons for example. And this year, there’s a plethora of them. Banana Republic/Gap/old navy, ditto…

So as for me and family, it’s window shopping until after X-mas.

[Coronita]

It’s not just folks don’t have money to spend (that may also be the case). People who have money to spend are wiser that this holiday season, sales are going to look really bad. For one, After-Thanksgiving starts late this year, which means it cuts into holiday sales already. Second, the economy is feeling bad…

Smart buyers know that retail sales are in trouble..Hence, smart buyers are pretty much just looking at stuff they would like to get after Christmas, when things will be discounted 50-60% beyond already being discounted 50-60% after thanksgiving. I know I am.

I get coupons (friends and families) from most of the retailers courtesy of folks in the fashion, retail business space. Some of the coupons are getting more and more ridiculous. Coach rarely gives discount coupons for example. And this year, there’s a plethora of them. Banana Republic/Gap/old navy, ditto…

So as for me and family, it’s window shopping until after X-mas.

[Coronita]

It’s not just folks don’t have money to spend (that may also be the case). People who have money to spend are wiser that this holiday season, sales are going to look really bad. For one, After-Thanksgiving starts late this year, which means it cuts into holiday sales already. Second, the economy is feeling bad…

Smart buyers know that retail sales are in trouble..Hence, smart buyers are pretty much just looking at stuff they would like to get after Christmas, when things will be discounted 50-60% beyond already being discounted 50-60% after thanksgiving. I know I am.

I get coupons (friends and families) from most of the retailers courtesy of folks in the fashion, retail business space. Some of the coupons are getting more and more ridiculous. Coach rarely gives discount coupons for example. And this year, there’s a plethora of them. Banana Republic/Gap/old navy, ditto…

So as for me and family, it’s window shopping until after X-mas.

[Author]

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