Word: year
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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What might be the driving factor that lowers holiday retail sales and stalls a much-anticipated economic recovery? Stingy spouses with children. According to a new survey from America's Research Group, a retail-consulting firm, 50.1% of parents plan on cutting back on gifts to each other this year. That figure is up from 44.4% last year, a surprising jump considering that the U.S. was in the depths of the financial crisis during the previous holiday season. "Parents want to maintain gift-spending levels for their kids, so they are showing more willingness to trim on each other," says...
Thanks in part to these forecasted cuts in spouse-to-spouse gifting, Beemer is predicting a 2.9% drop in holiday retail sales, compared with a 2.7% drop a year ago. "I know some analysts are predicting positive numbers, but I just don't see it working out as well," he says. Given his track record - Beemer's sales predictions have been accurate within a half of 1% over the past 17 of 18 holiday seasons - the economy shouldn't expect a Christmas gift. "It's a heck of a challenging time," says Mark Israel, president of Hearts on Fire...
According to Beemer's research, 51.5% of consumers plan to spend less this year, compared with 40.1% who said they'd cut back a year ago. Retailers have been quick to trumpet how their more manageable inventory levels and smaller staffs will help control costs. But such cuts could backfire against them. Over 41% of shoppers, as opposed to 21% in 2008, say they will leave stores that are short-handed or have long lines at the register. If cash-strapped customers already feel a little guilty about shopping to begin with, they'll look for any excuse to head...
Despite the temptation to spend, many spouses are still skipping the gift exchange. Matt Batt, a public relations executive from Chicago, and his wife usually spend about $200 on presents for each other. This year, they're cutting spousal gifts entirely, opting to spend that money on their 19-month-old second child and other family members. "This doesn't mean we love each other any less," says Batt. "We just want to do what's right for the Christmas spirit." Batt's a nice Santa for his son. But for companies that are counting on Dad's splurging...
...office-furniture store owner in the Philadelphia area, couldn't believe how quickly and ferociously the recession hit his business. Demand for office furniture had surged to new highs in 2008, causing him to frantically add staff to meet furniture orders and allowing him to wrap up the year with revenue surpassing the $24 million mark - the highest level since his company's launch in 1989. But all of that came to an abrupt halt in January 2009 when the recession forced companies to postpone or cancel office expansions and renovations, causing demand for Brennan's office furniture...