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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: Christmas shopping

Christmas shopping stories: 7 news summaries

Ho-Ho-Hold on
a Minute,
Xmas in July?

Stores launch summer promotions to snag holiday dollars early

Jul 31, 09 4:38 AM CDT
(Newser) - It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in malls across the country as stores angle for some extremely early holiday dollars, the Wall Street Journal reports. Retailers like Toys'R'US, Sears and Kmart have dragged Santa away from his summer break and launched July Christmas promotions, hoping to boost sales... More »

MORE ABOUT:
retail • recession • retail sales • Christmas • holiday shopping • shoppers • Christmas shopping

Shoppers
Turn to Funny, Useful Gifts

Boots, joke books, comfort clothes score big in recession

Dec 21, 08 5:05 PM CST
(Newser) - Christmas shoppers are thinking small this year, and the gifts they're buying reveal how Americans are coping with recession, USA Today reports. Here's a list of today's trends:
  • Practical: Nearly half of the most popular items searched for online were boots, according to one mall inventory service. Gifts that
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
recession • Christmas • holiday shopping • economic downturn • Christmas shopping • presents

Israeli Salesmen the Kings of the Mall Kiosk

Pushy vendors bring bazaar-culture to holiday shopping

Dec 3, 08 2:20 PM CST
(Newser) - Chances are that shopping-mall cart vendor offering you spa lotions or whimsical toys this Christmas season is an Israeli transplant who knows how to hustle and haggle. Cart owners avoid hiring shyer Americans because "Israelis are natural-born closers," said one marketing director, and they're edging out other Turkish,... More »

MORE ABOUT:
mall • holiday shopping • Israelis • Christmas shopping

Shoppers Are Even
Grinchier Than Expected

Over a third of shoppers spent less than the same time last year

Dec 1, 08 3:16 AM CST
(Newser) - Holiday shopping sales are looking even worse than forecast, Reuters reports. A new survey conducted over the traditional weekend launch of holiday gift-buying, found that 38% of shoppers said they spent less over the weekend than during the same period last year—and 30% were unimpressed by this year's discounts.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
holiday shopping • Black Friday • survey • retailers • Christmas shopping

ANALYSIS

 Wal-Mart Death a Fitting
 Symbol of the Times

Desperate consumers, ailing economy make for dangerous combination

Nov 30, 08 1:54 PM CST
(Newser) - When shoppers charged into a Long Island Wal-Mart at the stroke of 5am Friday and trampled to death a temp who happened to get between them and the $388 flatscreen TVs inside,“it was a tragedy, yet it did not feel like an accident,” Peter Goodman writes in... More »

MORE ABOUT:
death • holiday shopping • Black Friday • Wal-Mart • financial crisis • Christmas shopping

 Twitchy Retail 
 Braces for 
 Black Season 

'Black Friday' starts days early and continues throughout season

Nov 28, 08 8:33 AM CST
(Newser) - For years, retailers across America have dubbed today Black Friday, when shoppers descend like locusts on cut-price merchandise to signal the start of the holiday season. But as the New York Times reports, stores have been slashing prices for weeks now, often with little effect. From toys to electronics to... More »

MORE ABOUT:
shopping • holiday shopping • Black Friday • retailers • Christmas shopping

Even Santa's Getting
the Old Heave-Ho-Ho-Ho

Gigs cut, pay slashed, big elf not so jolly

Nov 23, 08 7:00 AM CST
(Newser) - St. Nick is already doing some serious belt-tightening in New York City as cash-strapped stores and malls head into the not-so-jolly season, thanks to the economy. Far fewer jobs and slashed pay rates are leaving wanna-be Santas with little clause to celebrate. More »

MORE ABOUT:
holiday • Christmas • Santa Claus • This Christmas • financial crisis • holiday season • Christmas shopping

7 Stories


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