Retailer's fear high energy costs...

[4dsc]

I hope someone heard this too. I heard on a radio today that retailers will try and get CONSUMERS to shop EARLY for Christmas before those LARGE heating bills arrive!! They fear once consumers get heating bills, that may be 50% higher or more than last year, that their pocketbooks will CLOSE UP!! DUH!!

I'm sorry but I am already planning on a very cheap Christmas because of higher than expect heating bills.. I'm afraid its going to be a sad Christmas for most retailers..

[texpatriot2004]

1. There was a thread about the a few weeks ago when Faux was

peddling the "it's going to be the best retail Christmas ever" rubbish.

Many people are doing home made gifts. I think you are right. I certainly can't, as it stands today, have happy retail times this winter.

[cliss]

2. Sorry, retailers. Your efforts to get me to "shop early"

will be a wasted effort. Save your money. I'm not going to the mall this holiday season. I'm going to spend PENNIES and I won't tell you where the gifts are going to come from.

We will have a beautiful, merry Christmas, anyway. Without your stuff. We'll celebrate it like they did in the 1800's: good food, cheerful family, delicious food. We'll even have a tree.

Under the branches, there won't be very much stuff. We'll STILL have a wonderful time.

[phantom power]

3. Yeah... What if people just got together and had a good time?

Spend some money on throwing a great party with good food, etc.

Once you get to a certain age, you just don't need any more #!$!#! stuff. Every year, I have to rack my brain thinking of things for people to buy me. Or I put off purchases so that somebody else can buy it for me as a gift. It's freaking ridiculous.

[Nihil]

7. Agreed!

> What if people just got together and had a good time?

It was getting that way last year and I think it will be even more
so this year. I don't mean 24-hour parties or anything (not been
a student for a few years now :-) ) but just a bunch of genuinely
friendly events.

> Once you get to a certain age, you just don't need any more
> #!$!#! stuff. Every year, I have to rack my brain thinking of things
> for people to buy me. Or I put off purchases so that somebody else
> can buy it for me as a gift. It's freaking ridiculous.

Exactly right (again!). The stuff that I actually *want* is way
beyond any "present" price tag so I'd rather people save their money
than "waste" it on a gift for the sake of it.

I think I'll ask my kids to make me something this year - a bookmark,
a hand-painted rock, anything that has involved *them* doing it rather
than some anonymous Chinese factory worker.

I'm sat at my desk now and can see the photo-frame that they gave me
a few years ago: bought a plain light wood one and each of them signed
it with a coloured pen. I've replaced the photos a few times now but
that frame is the only thing I'd try to rescue if the office caught
fire ... it is truly unique and means more to me than anything other
(non-living) thing I can think of.

Damn, I'm getting soft! :blush:

[wishlist]

4. Good Morning America had segment today encouraging early buying

Their consumer analyst was on this morning extolling the benefits of early Christmas shopping, encouraging people to set aside money each payday starting right now to make some purchases early so they won't be short on money for gifts later or have big credit card bills next year. She had good advice, including considering doing last minute purchases online since good sales and free shipping offers will be offered later online.

I have been spending a few extra minutes checking out discount bins and discontinued items and sales while doing my other shopping to pick up gifts early and avoid the stress later (and if I come down with a cold or flu before Christmas which happens quite often). I have been able to pick up some great bargains and a full selection of colors and sizes at big discounts.

I bought enough heating oil to last all winter back in July before it got so expensive, but increased costs of gas and food and medical care and everything else are putting a big strain on our household spending.

[philb]

5. Fear isn't useful unless it drives you to take action; there's lots that

can be done by merchants to improve energy efficiency and reduce exposure to high energy prices.

http://www.rmi.org

[phantom power]

6. It's their customers' energy prices that they're worried about.

What they fear is that nobody will have enough money left over after paying their utility bills to buy any Christmas presents. In general, I'd say their fear is justified.

[TommyO]

8. Very selective gift giving

I'm going to be limiting my holiday gift giving to nieces, nephews (small family, thankfully) and a few very close friends - and they're not going to be elaborate gifts.

[Boomer]

9. The parking lots are already empty

Just this last weekend, I drove to the local Lowe's and was startled by the lack of Saturday traffic that usually backs up the major intersection I have to cross.

Then, when I arrived at Lowe's, I noticed that there were significantly fewer cars in the parking lot than is usual for a Saturday afternoon. The same for the parking lot at the local mall. Yes, there were people there, but I had no trouble finding a good spot and usually I have to park several lots away from the entrance.

With gas prices up, people stay home. And that means a lot of impulse shopping is not going to happen this season. Then heating prices will go up, and a lot of "planned" shopping will be cut back.

Not going to be a good season for retailers. In fact, it may never be a good year for retailers ever again. Republicans can't seem to get it through their heads that the best way to pump up the economy is to put money in the pockets of the middle-class, not Bush's cronies.

[rkc3]

10. In the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, they mentioned over $140 Billion

will be switched from the general economy to energy companies. $90 Bn for gas and another $50 Bn or so to heating bills.

[hatrack]

11. I already made all of my Christmas presents

I have cases of spiced mead aging now in the basement. Who needs natural gas or electricity when you can drink metheglin???