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Economic Woes Sink Retail Sales

Consumers could see lower prices this holiday season

By Jim O'Neill,  Newser User

Posted Oct 23, 2007 6:08 PM CDT

(Newser) – With the holiday shopping season set to kick off, retailers are lowering prices on thousands of items to clear space for seasonal products, cutting into profits and producing the worst drop in week-to-week sales since May, Bloomberg reports. US retail sales for the week ending Oct. 20 fell 1.5% from the previous week, said an industry group.

This year's holiday sales could show the slowest growth in five years, as shoppers expect to increase their spending just 3.7%, to an average of $923. To entice consumers faced with rising gas and food costs, along with housing woes, Macy's cut prices on jewelry, handbags and shoes; Wal-Mart rolled back prices on more than 15,000 items.

Crowds fill the halls Concord Mills in Charlotte, North Carolina, for a second day of holiday shopping fever on Saturday, November 27, 2004.
Crowds fill the halls Concord Mills in Charlotte, North Carolina, for a second day of holiday shopping fever on Saturday, November 27, 2004.   (KRT Photos)
This is a display of NFL merchandise in the J. C. Penney store in the Mall at Robinson, in Robinson Township, Pa.,  Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007. Retail sales posted a stronger-than-expected gain and prices at the wholesale level jumped up significantly in September. The Commerce Department reported Friday, Oct. 12,...
This is a display of NFL merchandise in the J. C. Penney store in the Mall at Robinson, in Robinson Township, Pa., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007. Retail sales posted a stronger-than-expected gain and prices...   (Associated Press)
This is the J. C. Penney store in the Mall at Robinson, in Robinson Township, Pa., seen on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007. Retail sales posted a stronger-than-expected gain and prices at the wholesale level jumped up significantly in September. The Commerce Department reported Friday, Oct. 12, 2007 that retail sales...
This is the J. C. Penney store in the Mall at Robinson, in Robinson Township, Pa., seen on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007. Retail sales posted a stronger-than-expected gain and prices at the wholesale level...   (Associated Press)
Ornaments at Neiman Marcus' Holiday Store in Dallas' North Park Mall illustrate that the tradition red and green holiday colors will be joined by red, white and blue for this season.
Ornaments at Neiman Marcus' Holiday Store in Dallas' North Park Mall illustrate that the tradition red and green holiday colors will be joined by red, white and blue for this season.   (KRT Photos)
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