While most retailers saw the falling economy as the Grinch spoiling Christmas this year despite dramatic markdowns, one local business saw sales increase in the four weeks between the two busiest shopping days of the year.
Aurelius Bass Pro Shops General Manager Jeff Burdick said that not only are sales since Black Friday up this year over last, but also the store is "currently 138 percent over the sales projection" for Friday, the day after Christmas.
"I think pre-Christmas is the biggest determining factor for what post-Christmas will look like for Bass Pro," he said. "We had more customers pre-Christmas, and with them will bring more traffic post-Christmas."
Burdick said the store on Friday was very busy, twice as much as the year before, even though no new markdowns were offered.
While Bass Pro seems like an anomaly to what other retailers are reporting, Burdick said Bass Pro's marketing strategy was very different from that of other stores.
Rather than slash prices, Bass Pro Shops introduced "Santa's Wonderland," a return to what Burdick referred to the "nostalgic" view of Christmas. The store offered free photos with Santa in the weeks prior to Christmas, a move that brought in more traffic and overall sales. Burdick said 6,000 photos were given out in that time.
"It was very well received," he said, "because we took the commercialization out of Christmas."
However, other businesses have been less lucky this year. The holiday season -- which typically accounts for 30 percent to 50 percent of a retailer's annual total sales -- has been less than jolly for most retailers. Job cuts, portfolio losses and other economic woes have convinced consumers to cut back on their spending. Meanwhile, strong winter storms during the holiday season kept some would-be shoppers at home.
According to preliminary data from SpendingPulse -- a division of MasterCard Advisors that tracks total sales paid for by credit card, checks and cash -- retail sales fell between 5.5 percent and 8 percent during the holiday season compared with last year. Excluding auto and gas sales, they fell 2 percent to 4 percent, according to SpendingPulse.
Sales of women's clothing dropped nearly 23 percent while men's clothing sales slipped more than 14 percent. Footwear sales fell 13.5 percent. Sales of electronics and appliances fell even more drastically, dropping almost 27 percent.
More consumers appeared to do their shopping online, particularly in the last two weeks of the season when storms snowed shoppers in. Online sales dipped just 2.3 percent from last year, according to SpendingPulse.
Sheila Chilson, who owns Purple Monkey Antiques on Seneca Street in Weedsport with her husband, Bob, said sales this holiday season have nearly been cut in half. Business was slow on Friday, she said, with about two dozen people coming in and picking up small things. It was not expected for Friday sales to make up for the year-over-year loss.
"We've had a lot of people come in, but they are not spending the money they did last year," Chilson said. "They will tell you that they are nervous spending and putting it on their cards, that kind of thing."
But with that said, she's also noticed an increase in sales the last two weeks. "People seem a little more adjusted to the changes that are going on with the economy," she said.
Marty Goldman, owner of The Liberty Store in Auburn, said he has not seen any dramatic change over the holiday season. Friday's traffic and sales, "is standard over the last couple of years," he said.
Goldman attributed this to being a fixture in the community for nearly a century, people knowing the merchandise the store carries and not offering any sales until later in January.
And while most retailers start unloading winter merchandise to make room for the spring lines, The Liberty Store continues to sell winter clothes during the harsh months people need them the most.
"We sort of have the business to ourselves," he said.
The Associate Press contributed to this report.
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
"I think pre-Christmas is the biggest determining factor for what post-Christmas will look like for Bass Pro," he said. "We had more customers pre-Christmas, and with them will bring more traffic post-Christmas."
Burdick said the store on Friday was very busy, twice as much as the year before, even though no new markdowns were offered.
While Bass Pro seems like an anomaly to what other retailers are reporting, Burdick said Bass Pro's marketing strategy was very different from that of other stores.
Rather than slash prices, Bass Pro Shops introduced "Santa's Wonderland," a return to what Burdick referred to the "nostalgic" view of Christmas. The store offered free photos with Santa in the weeks prior to Christmas, a move that brought in more traffic and overall sales. Burdick said 6,000 photos were given out in that time.
"It was very well received," he said, "because we took the commercialization out of Christmas."
However, other businesses have been less lucky this year. The holiday season -- which typically accounts for 30 percent to 50 percent of a retailer's annual total sales -- has been less than jolly for most retailers. Job cuts, portfolio losses and other economic woes have convinced consumers to cut back on their spending. Meanwhile, strong winter storms during the holiday season kept some would-be shoppers at home.
According to preliminary data from SpendingPulse -- a division of MasterCard Advisors that tracks total sales paid for by credit card, checks and cash -- retail sales fell between 5.5 percent and 8 percent during the holiday season compared with last year. Excluding auto and gas sales, they fell 2 percent to 4 percent, according to SpendingPulse.
Sales of women's clothing dropped nearly 23 percent while men's clothing sales slipped more than 14 percent. Footwear sales fell 13.5 percent. Sales of electronics and appliances fell even more drastically, dropping almost 27 percent.
More consumers appeared to do their shopping online, particularly in the last two weeks of the season when storms snowed shoppers in. Online sales dipped just 2.3 percent from last year, according to SpendingPulse.
Sheila Chilson, who owns Purple Monkey Antiques on Seneca Street in Weedsport with her husband, Bob, said sales this holiday season have nearly been cut in half. Business was slow on Friday, she said, with about two dozen people coming in and picking up small things. It was not expected for Friday sales to make up for the year-over-year loss.
"We've had a lot of people come in, but they are not spending the money they did last year," Chilson said. "They will tell you that they are nervous spending and putting it on their cards, that kind of thing."
But with that said, she's also noticed an increase in sales the last two weeks. "People seem a little more adjusted to the changes that are going on with the economy," she said.
Marty Goldman, owner of The Liberty Store in Auburn, said he has not seen any dramatic change over the holiday season. Friday's traffic and sales, "is standard over the last couple of years," he said.
Goldman attributed this to being a fixture in the community for nearly a century, people knowing the merchandise the store carries and not offering any sales until later in January.
And while most retailers start unloading winter merchandise to make room for the spring lines, The Liberty Store continues to sell winter clothes during the harsh months people need them the most.
"We sort of have the business to ourselves," he said.
The Associate Press contributed to this report.
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
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