Not-so-black Friday: Shoppers flock to discount chains

from the NY Times:



By MICHAEL BARBARO
Published: November 24, 2007

American consumers flooded stores yesterday on the traditional first day of the holiday shopping season, but the irrational exuberance of the Black Fridays of the last five years has been replaced by pragmatic restraint.

With an uncertain economy, a slowdown in the housing market and high gas prices hanging over their heads, consumers flocked to discount chains like Wal-Mart, Target and Best Buy, brandishing bargain-filled fliers.

In a reversal from years past, they largely bypassed more expensive retailers, including such powerhouses as Nordstrom, Coach and Abercrombie & Fitch, according to shoppers and merchants interviewed around the country.

This shift has prompted industry analysts to christen this the “trade down” holiday season.

In Columbus, Ohio, Theresa Johnston, a 47-year-old social worker, was shopping at the Big Lots discount chain — because she had to, not because she wanted to.

“It’s a little embarrassing, actually. I don’t like to be seen here,” she said, planning to buy a set of 42 knives for $35. ....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/24/business/24shop.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin

Poor fuckin' you. Embarrassed to shop at a discount store. That just drips of condescension, and elitism. Shows how she feels about others who go there.

And that's ridiculous anyway. I can afford to shop at Nordstroms myself, but sometimes I *gasp* go into Big Lots anyway because they sometimes have interesting cheap shit. I personally don't give a crap who sees me or what they think. Actually, I doubt anyone thinks anything at all about whether I'm shopping at Big Lots because their world probably doesn't revolve around thinking about me and what I'm doing. This lady needs to get over herself already. Seriously.

cheap stuff they have, but neither of us like to be seen there. Our store is a run down dump...

who will see you there are other people who are shopping there. So who gives a crap anyway? Just about everything everywhere is made in China anyway. People need to get off their high horses.

black Friday, but usually. I didn't know I have to be embarrassed over it, or be scared somebody might see me there. LOL.

“It’s a little embarrassing, actually. I don’t like to be seen here,” she said, planning to buy a set of 42 knives for $35. ....(more)

she really means... "i would be embarrassed to be seen shopping with the same people that i "help"

Maybe she is a BMW-driving, Dom Perignon-drinking social worker, but who knows.

"Like thousands of Americans, Ms. Johnston has an adjustable-rate mortgage, and her rising payments have stolen from her holiday spending budget. “Before this, I shopped mostly at Macy’s and some at J. C. Penney, so shopping at Big Lots is, like, two big steps down for me,” she said. “This is going to be a hard Christmas.”

ask any kool aid drinker..they'll tell you how wonderful the economy is under hitler-lite.