Local retailers hope to maximize holiday sales

It’s hard to believe, but there are only 30 shopping days left until Christmas, and just three days until Black Friday.

Retailers are hoping Santa will deliver a strong holiday shopping season.

Since 52 percent of holiday consumers have yet to start shopping, big crowds are expected.

Even so, the National Retail Federation predicts a 1 percent slump in holiday sales. That has local stores slashing prices, and offering layaway and other incentives to lure customers in.

The countdown to the holiday shopping season is officially underway.

And with unemployment at its highest level in nearly three decades, shoppers are looking for bargains.

“I always look for sales – absolutely—sales and unique products,” shopper Alycia White said.

According to the National Retail Federation, consumers will spend 3.2 percent less this holiday shopping season.

And those who do hit the stores will shop based on sales, price discounts and everyday low prices.

“I’ll be buying more items that are on sale and less big tickets,” shopper Julie Smitherman said.

Sam Watts is the co-owner of Gadsden Christian Bookstore. And he’s listening to what his customers want.

The big sale sign out front says it all. Prices have been slashed by 25 to 50 percent.

“Everybody wants a good deal, and especially nowadays with the economic hard times even more so, people are really looking for the bargains, and we’ve got lots of them,” Watts said.

Big retailers like Wal-mart and Kohl’s are also planning aggressive price cutting campaigns to lure in shoppers.

But small locally-owned stores, like Mommy and Me, say the key to bringing in the green is good customer service.

“We do free gift wrap, we offer call-in service, and we do baby shower registries, which is a wonderful business for us,” Mommy and Me owner Ella Clark said.

Paige Rouss of At Home Furnishings said, “We have really seen an upswing in sales, which is very encouraging. Obviously people are getting into the holiday season, and I think they’re starting to feel a little more comfortable economically, or at least that’s the trend that we’re seeing.”

Another trend? Local shoppers are paying with cash.

“I’d say half the people use it, lot of people use debit cards, fewer use credit cards,” Watts said.

The National Retail Federation estimates 25 percent of holiday shoppers will be using cash instead of credit to pay for purchases.

And they’ll also be doing a lot of their shopping online.

“I always shop online. I think it’s a great way to do shopping. You can do it from home in the comfort of your home and when you want to do it,” shopper Smitherman said.

National online retail sales are expected to reach $44.7 billion this Christmas. That’s an 8 percent increase over last year.

And although many local, privately owned stores, like Homewood Toy and Hobby, don’t offer on line shopping, what they do offer is unique merchandise and a loyal customer base that’s kept them in business for 60 years.

“We’ve got a great client base,” Homewood Toy & Hobby’s Katherine Gillespie said. “Homewood’s a great place to be right now, we’ve got the same people coming back we’ve had parents who’ve bought their children here and their children are now grown bringing their own children back.”

And that’s the hope for local retailers—that despite the national trends, frequent customers will fill their stores this holiday season. But they admit that only time will tell.

“Due to the recession, if I can keep my sales at the same that they were last year, I’m going to be extremely happy with that,” Clark said.

For those of you who like to shop online, expect a lot of sales this Cyber Monday on Nov. 30.