Heads up! Sales!!

[bicker]

I think right now they are hyping the 'sales' just to get people to the stores b/c most of the stores I went to did not have big deals at all.

What I felt was egregious was how the news services are playing into this, basically providing free (and arguably erroneous) advertising about how good the deals are, including putting forward the notion that retailers in general are relaxing return policies "to encourage more sales".

 

[RangerPooh]

The sales that are being advertosed are a joke! The stores in our area seem to have the same sales now that they did before Christmas...most holiday items at 30-50% off. No real price changes yet. I figure that if I want it bad enough I'll wait a week to see if the prices improve. It was frustrating to hit the stores on the 26th and find all the same sales. In a way it's like the stores are being stingy hoping that we'll buy it just becuase it's still 50% off. I'm conservative with my cash. I'll wait until it's 75% off, lol.

 

[RangerPooh]

What I felt was egregious was how the news services are playing into this, basically providing free (and arguably erroneous) advertising about how good the deals are, including putting forward the notion that retailers in general are relaxing return policies "to encourage more sales".

DH and I have basically stopped watching the news because we're tired of hearing baout these supposed sales. Do the reporters not do their homework? Or are they being paid by the stores to fabricate how impressive the discounts are? I'll be happy once the st has come and past so that the advertising will relax a bit...hopefully.

 

[chell]

I hope that I can find some good deals when these sales start.

 

[OhMari]

The sales may be on "Christmas Items".
I went to JoAnn Fabrics.
I was able to get my gift wrapping at 70% off.
Gift Tags were 90% off
I bought 500 square ft of gift wrapping for .25

Christmas Fabric and 'ALL" remnants were 75% off.

Our church is making the tie blankets for our service men in Iraq.
Those blankets usually run around $30 for material. I was able to get material for 3 blankets for about $11 a piece.

So I think it depends what you are looking for.

Starting Wednesday JoAnn's is giving another 10% off.
I'm going back for more material and two more things I had my eye on for next Christmas.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

We went to Kohls today and I got some great summer clothes drastically reduced!! I actually got a great shirt for $1.40!! Considering we are going on the Disney Cruise in 2 weeks I was psyched. I was actually able to get about 7 nice shirts with nothing being priced over $5!!! Only 2 pair of shorts but I have few leftover from last summer so I won't whine too much about them.

 

[JimFitz]

WAIT AND SEE. These are the three deadliest words to the economy.

 

[C.Ann]

I don't recall hearing any news broadcast - or reading any news article -indicating that these price reductions would begin on December 26th - other than the usual reductions on wrapping paper and such.. I think some of you may have misunderstood what was being reported in terms of the sales you could expect "now" (the days immediately following Christmas) and "later" - several weeks from now..

First they need to clear out all of their Christmas related items and deal with returns.. Once they have accomplished that, that will do their stock inventory of non-Christmas related items, determine how much of it they are willing to hold onto, and sell off the rest.. It's really not all that much different from how they have conducted "after Christmas sales" in the past (with inventories being taken in January) - it's just a matter of them not wanting to keep more items in stock than necessary and offering bigger discounts on what they let go in order to generate some much needed cash..

It's only 4 days after Christmas!!! Patience people!

 

[crazelion]

--------------

I have to do my shopping on-line, but they claim that many of these sales will also be available via the internet, so I'll be keeping a close eye out..

I do must of my shopping online because the stores do not have what I want. So I have order online.

Plus shopping online I can use mypoints.com to rack up points. Now if only figure out ebates and live.com I would be good to go.

 

[bicker]

WAIT AND SEE. These are the three deadliest words to the economy.

True, but it cuts both ways: The retailers are the ones who have said "wait and see" first, when they've said it in the context of, "Let's not put out the really deep discounts yet, let's wait and see if people will buy at these prices, if we just say that we're offering deep discounts."

Of course, on the other hand, the word "discount" all by itself is a deadly word to the economy (among other things). The economy and retailers would be far better off if people bought everything at full price.

 

[Christine]

I agree that I think the retailers are going to wait until after Jan 5th for any real markdowns.

Traditionally, from Dec. 26-Jan 2nd, this is one of the BIGGEST shopping weeks. The kids are out of school, people are on vacation and the malls are always packed this week. The stores don't *need* to draw anyone in now. They know people want to spend their gift cards so they will hold out until there is a lull in the crowds. I am expecting to see a lot more discounts starting next week.

Having said that, I was in Kohl's yesterday and I saw a nice Vera Wang nightgown that was regularly $36.00 and discounted to $14.99 (a typical Kohl's discount). There were no other signs posted. When I paid for it, it rang up as a clearance item and I got it for $7.50! I think I'm going back today to look for more. The only problem now is that there aren't a lot of my sizes available.

 

[kydisneyfans]

Perception is everything. I call it the WalMart syndrome. WalMart has the reputation of the low price leader, and even has "unbeatable" signs throughout the store to further that thought, even if it isn't true. The days right after Christmas have the reputation of deep discounts, even though the prices are higher than the 4 weeks before Christmas and will be cheaper when crowds slow in January.

We went to visit family in NE Ohio, the regional economies were incredible. Things have been very strong in my area of Central KY. We could not find a place to park at Easton Towne Center in Columbus, OH Friday at noon. Lines were 10-12 deep everywhere, with every register open. We went to Belden mall in Canton, OH Saturday and it was as dead as the cemetery a mile away. The Target in Massillon had 2 registers open Saturday, no lines. We then hit Kenwood in Cincinnati at 4:00 yesterday and could not park anywhere, with similar lines as Easton.

Interstate travel was very heavy last weekend too.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

What I felt was egregious was how the news services are playing into this, basically providing free (and arguably erroneous) advertising about how good the deals are, including putting forward the notion that retailers in general are relaxing return policies "to encourage more sales".

I agree....when I posted I meant to mention the media but did not.

 

[Uuaww]

I agree that I think the retailers are going to wait until after Jan 5th for any real markdowns.

Traditionally, from Dec. 26-Jan 2nd, this is one of the BIGGEST shopping weeks. The kids are out of school, people are on vacation and the malls are always packed this week. The stores don't *need* to draw anyone in now. They know people want to spend their gift cards so they will hold out until there is a lull in the crowds. I am expecting to see a lot more discounts starting next week.

Having said that, I was in Kohl's yesterday and I saw a nice Vera Wang nightgown that was regularly $36.00 and discounted to $14.99 (a typical Kohl's discount). There were no other signs posted. When I paid for it, it rang up as a clearance item and I got it for $7.50! I think I'm going back today to look for more. The only problem now is that there aren't a lot of my sizes available.

I think Kohl's just sucks at keeping prices updated... this seasm to happen to me all the time. with belts though, not nightgowns.

 

[Chris2597]

Dh and I went to our local mall yesterday to return a couple items and to look around at the so called bargains that we heard about on the news.....We didnt find anything. I think the prices were reduced more prior to Christmas. I am going to wait a few weeks and check again. I might go to Kohls today to look at the Christmas items that are on sale.

 

[tchrrx]

When will Target & Wal-Mart put their Christmas stuff at 75% off? I don't really need much, but I like to stock up a little for the next year.

 

[Cindy B]

I've had good luck at Kohl's. I had $10 Kohl's cash from the prior week and bought an entire outfit for free! Yes, Free! A Vera Wang top was $4.00 and some Chaps dress pants were only $6.00! I found another chaps sweater for $11.

 

[Cool-Beans]

I don't buy the hype of everything being on sale. Prices on electronics go down when the newer, better stuff comes out.

When will Target & Wal-Mart put their Christmas stuff at 75% off? I don't really need much, but I like to stock up a little for the next year.

Wal-Mart has all Christmas stuff at 50% off the day after Christmas (but not the storage bins) every year. But after the first day it is very picked over. They had some VERY cute Christmasy tissue paper this year.

 

[cheerful chickadee]

I'm very leery of news about the so-called discounts. We've been out shopping this past weekend and have left every store empty handed, there are no real discounts to be had right now and I wish the news would stop advertising it. I also read a few articles in early Dec. that said to wait until right before Xmas to go shopping because that was when the deep discounts would come and that never happened. In good news though....gas here just dropped to 1.79 gal regular, yay!

 

[Chicago526]

I think I did okay with discounts before Christmas. On black Friday I got a Cuisinart knife set for $40 (normally $170), two 7" Kodak digital frames for $60 each (normally $100 each) and I got the Camp Rock plug-and-play guitar game for $40 (normally about $80). I didn't see any of those items for less that that between BF and Christmas, in fact I saw them for considerably more.

Then I went out early on Dec. 26 so I could get the best pick of Christmas ornamants at Target (I love their ornaments, best out of all the stores I normally shop at). I got 6 boxes of the really fancy kind, 2 boxes of the normal red/green/blue/gold/silver glass kind and a roll of wraping paper for $30. Not fantastic, but if I wait for 75% off anything I'd actually like would be gone.

Then I went to the mall and got next years Christmas cards and some plain red wraping paper (can be used for other occasions than Christmas, just use different color ribbon), for $25 at Papyrus . Papyrus is expensive but I love their quality, so much better than Hallmark, especially their greeting cards.

I got my wall and desk calandars for work for $15, again 50% off.

And at JC Penney's I got a queen sheet set and 4 extra pillow cases for $65, normally $160. 300 count Egyptian cotton, very soft and seems well made, they should hold up well, I think.

Overall, I've done okay with the discounts so far, to the point that I really don't want to shop anymore for the most part. Although I do really want an ipod, but that I'm going to wait and see what happens with prices. No real hurry, it's most definatly a want and not a need! If I see it for a steal I grab one, otherwise it goes on my wish list for my birtday in May!