Holiday Shopping Soars 18% Over Last Year

CBS Evening News: Despite A Lousy Economy, Millions More Shoppers Kicked Off The Holiday Shopping Season

(CBS)  Despite all the talk of an economic slowdown, the holiday shopping season is off to an "energetic" start, according to a retail survey out tonight, reports CBS News correspondent Randall Pinkston.

The survey says 172 million shoppers visited stores and websites this weekend - up 15 million from last year, and the average shopper spent more than $372, up 7.2 percent from a year ago.

Like an unexpected present under the Christmas tree, retailers received a pleasant surprise from shoppers on this bellwether weekend, Pinkston reports. Despite a national economic slump that's driven consumer spending down to its lowest level in almost 30 years, many Americans put anxiety aside and opened their wallets.

"We're trying to be as smart as we can be with our dollars because it's not getting better any time soon," one shopper told CBS News.

The National Retail Federation reports Americans spent $41 billion over the Thanksgiving holiday, a whopping 18 percent increase over 2007.

"I think there was some pent-up demand from the last month or two," says Robert Guerra of the Simon Property Group.

Guerra, a manager for the largest mall company in America, believes sales are up because of deep discounts.

"That $500 last year this year is worth $800 to $1,000 dollars because of all the terrific bargains we have."

That's exactly what's motivating shoppers in New Jersey.

"The sales prices that were going on, and I had some coupons that were good for this weekend," says one New Jersey shopper.

"But only going on the clearance rack, not going for the full-priced items," she said

"If you look around, if there's a rack that doesn't have a sale sign on it, we know something is probably wrong," says Marilyn Rizzuti, a Sears store manager.

Sears is also enticing customers with credit card deals - no interest payments due until 2010.

"I am seeing that more customers are opening up credit applications, so they're buying with credit a little more," Rizzuti says.

But while consumers are spending, Pinkston reports, they're also holding back.

"Just in case, you never know, just the way things are, there's a lot of layoffs all over the country, we just want to be safe and be careful," says another shopper.

[fredflinsto2]

This story is at best "mis-information" at worst a complete lie. All the financial pages are saying that sales are off compared to last year. It looks like someone is trying to lie to the American people again in order to get some more sheeple to invest in the stock market tomorrow morning. How stupid does this guy think the sheeple in this country are???

[dkhorse1]

I''m waiting for the story on credit card defaults.

[whitemale08]

That''s impossible!

For the last year inventory levels have been dropping like a rock. For them to say that people bought 18% more then last year is completely impossible.

The dead ''global financial system'' is so desperate that it is resorting to outright ''lying'' to the public.

[donbl1]

Lots of different takes on this story with lots of different statistics: lower sales for the weekend (MSNBC), 3% gain (CNBC) and this one at 18% increase.

Someone is smoking something or we have high school coops working the weekend shift.

[likenoone-2009]

just how much was cash

[mikezembill]

I think this 18% rise is bull it did no happen.

[mikezembill]

If $500.00 bought $800.00 to $1000.00 worth of goods and spending was up 18% the stores should get bigger trucks at this rate if they sell everything in the store they will be broke.

[redtrash]

Inflation is the highest it has been since 1982. An 18% gain in sales compared with last year is in reality a loss to the retailer, because prices are at least 30% higher than they were a year ago. Regardless, Wall St should get another bump the first of this week based upon this new retail data, at least until the latest unemployment numbers come out on Friday.

[noloyalisti]

I just read something exactly the opposite. That there were less shoppers and they were all spending less. I wonder who planted this propaganda? Maybe owners of Mal Wart. Or the fascist government. You know like in 1984, Newspeak. Experts agree, everything is fine. Now go out an spend like the rest of the lemmings. Before you go over the cliff.

[shanev137]

I don''t believe any of these numbers.

[wdh3007]

Ho Ho No I don''t think so was that with or without coupons or maybe a misprint of 18% increase instead of 1.8%?

[billpl-2009]

that''s because there is NO recession
never was one
it''s all media bull $hit
they''re just making hype and headlines out of non-sense

just because a bunch of big fat companies along with a bunch of big fat rich guys, got caught with their pants down, doesn''t mean the rest of us are going to go down with them

not to mention...100''s of billions of cheap government money going around

[skeezix06]

I''m sorry but based on what I saw around here, that is an outright lie.

[lewiston14]

I don%u2019t think it was an outright lie but rather much targeted areas where some people still have a few bucks left Country wide 18% no way. There are several large mall areas about 3 miles south from where im sitting and in years past you would see local news casts of traffic backed up for miles. No reports this year nothing. Even in wealthy areas I find 18% hard to believe. It%u2019s so bad here they are even robbing pizza drivers at gun point for $10. They better do something soon or 3 hots and a cot are going to become a normal life style.

[skeezix06]

In years past, when they get on tv and talk about increased sales, you can see a lot of people pushing past each other in the background and if you go into town, traffic is heavy. Instead, traffic was normal and only an occasional person walked past in the background.

This story is either a mistake in decimal point or an outright lie. Take your pick.

[ffoulkes-2009]

You all seem to be forgetting Online Sales. A larger chunk will be sold online this year than ever before as just about EVERYTHING you could possibly want to buy is available online, and people have become more accustomed to buying online with the higher fuel costs.

So you might not be seeing the huge crowds (with the obvious exception of WallyWorld''s murderous mob).

[omnibus66]

I don''t know if their numbers are correct or not. But I do know that nobody in my family spent any money last Friday, which is a change from past years.

Maybe some people do have extra money to spend, and the retailers will do just fine. On the other hand, maybe someone is cooking the numbers to try to make the economy look better than it really is.

My family have all agreed to enjoy the holiday season more by spending more time together, rather than by seeing who can outspend each other on gifts.

[vcofreason]

Except for the murder and violence at Walmart, most stores I went to were lightly crowded. I would never shop at Walmart because although you think you are getting low prices, you are getting junk made by the oppressed backs of workers all over the world. I avoid them like the plague. Stop Walmart and bring back the wonderful old time stores and service. Yes, SERVICE. You''ve forgotten about it because of the nasty cashiers and elusive floor people at Walmart. You sacrifice more than you think to shop in that smelly hole of a store.

I spent more this year than I ever have. The deals were small and few, but I didn''t buy more house than I could afford and have a brain so I got a fixed rate.

[wardoglrs]

There lying what about the ones who put it on credit who wont be able to pay it back.

[wardoglrs]

Its the MSM doing the bidding of the Neo Conservatives
Believe me this country is bankrupt

[nothappyatall]

Yeah and on the radio they were talking about this shopper who spent 90 minutes in line after spending 20 minutes driving around trying to find a PARKING space, LOL what an idiot! if people like that calculated the worth of their TIME- 2 hours there, plus the gas and wear on the car circling around a parking lot for 20 minutes, suddenly the "savings" go away.

Gezus, buy on-line for crying out loud! COuple of mouse clicks to read reviews, another to get the best price, and one to order and it''s done, and in a few days there it is on your front steps tax free, no lines, no wasted gas.

[radiob21]

From my own personal observation, more people are shopping now. This is not news per se, the presidential election and the uncertainty of the outcome is over. This is one catalyst, another is the fact Christmas is fast approaching along with the discounts. Regardless of how it was payed for (credit card debt most cannot file chpt.13,7 or 11 on)is irregardless, this will give a temporary boost to the economy. January for those who wait until after the "official holiday" will bring more. Yet we are still faced with a economy that needs innovation that is not coming from either party.

[getoffmine1]

actually there was not much growth at all compaired to the last few years. They are saying this year''s black friday shopping was up 3% from last year. This is compaired to the 8.7% growth in 2007 compaired to 2006.
Also there are many ways to manipulate the numbers.
It seems like the news is trying to make everyone think they need to run out today before the good deals are gone. Believe me, if you wait until Dec 20th items will be cheaper then they were this past Friday, it is not just that people are spending less, it is the fact that companies have produced all kinds of goods that are just sitting in warehouses.
Don''t shop unit the week before Christmas. If the banks benifit from the downturn the averge citizen should as well. It is not your responsibility to go out and spend your hard earned money to rescue the economy.

[getoffmine1]

Read: Holiday Sales Get Off to A Slow Start

http://www.cnbc.com/id/27968805

[perceptions5]

So much for the "doom and gloom" that the liberal fascists is our MSM wolfpack press along with their Party, the Dems are "trying to push".

Bottom line....................if you have a job and not worried about your 401K then these are the BEST of times because prices are dropping on commodities as the price of oil has gone from $147 barrel to $53 barrel.

That''s translates into a $400 billion + stimulus for the Amerian people.

And it doesn''t cost $1 in extra Federal spending and deficit spending at that.

Soooooooooooo this huge public works project that Obama, the fascists in our press, and the rest of the Dem party are "setting" us up for ...................................doesn''t have to happen.

Balance the Federal budget.....................like you promised in 2006, Dems........

[getoffmine1]

take consumer advice from this guy folks.....he is so smart he didn''''t spell any words wrong at all in his post..... or did he?

Posted by jamesm12341 at 09:13 AM : Dec 01, 2008

Hey at least I know enough to know that prices will be slashed the second half of December. Hereis an example, Apple I pod Nanos 8GB are selling for $147.00, they produced most of these before the downturn became evident. They''ll be selling for $100.00 to $120.00 by Dec. 20th. They have new models coming out and excess inventory.

[perceptions5]

It''s been nearly two years since the Democrats have taken control of our Do Nothing Congress and the economy and this is what the American people are feeling after just TWO YEARS:

"Consumer Confidence Crashes 46% in Last Two Years
Monday, December 01, 2008
Full monthly results for the Rasmussen Consumer Index in November shows the economic confidence of American consumers has fallen to another all-time low at 64.5. That%u2019s down nearly five points from the previous all-time low set just last month and is the sixth record low set in the last nine months.

The economic confidence of consumers has fallen 46% since January 2007. At that time, the Consumer Index was at 118.8 -- 54 points above the current level. "

Of course the liberal fascists in our MSM wolfpack press aren''t singing that tune are they?

Nope.......................they wanted to blame it on Bush.............................welcome to Nazi America.

[getoffmine1]

Nope.......................they wanted to blame it on Bush.............................welcome to Nazi America.

Posted by perceptions5 at 10:23 AM : Dec 01, 2008

go to the story:
Meltdown Warnings Ignored, Analysis Shows
Thereis a good reason Bush deserves a lot of the blame.

[getoffmine1]

wow, all of that shopping must be why the market is tanking again. Say good bye to the record gains of last week

[fredflinsto2]

I guess Pinkston has not learned yet that we are not going to put up with the same old lies that CEO and other analysts have been telling for the last 10 years. the reporter who wrote this story needs to be fired for participating in "yellow journalism" as well. Common-sense has finally started to take hold again in this country and we have had enough of the same old BS

[fredflinsto2]

I can not believe CBS was irresposible enough to actually print this garbage. I guess they are reaching to print anything that will catch the eye. I guess if some idiot told them that they saw Santa Claus on Mars it would make headlines too

[fredflinsto2]

Bush has announced that he will not critique every one of Obama''''s moves. I for one am very thankful for that. Hopefully he will just go away into obscurity and we will never have to hear from him again.

[legacyabq]

LOLOLOLOL

This story is funny

[rrozsa-2009]

to Morphndol4 -- Did they ban you from using your usual ''autumn987'' moniker? Or have you just forgotten your old log-in and password after all those drugs?