bigjimslade Posted November 1, 2007 Posted November 1, 2007 Good Article!!!! Some retailers bring Black Friday forward04:50 PM CDT on Thursday, November 1, 2007By JEFF BRADY / WFAA-TV Crazy crowds - jockeying for huge deals. It's a scene usually left for the day after Thanksgiving. But the deals are starting earlier than ever - tomorrow in fact. The reason - skyrocketing foreclosures numbers - now one out of every 196 homes and Texas is one of the ten worst states. That has retailers begging for your bucks. High gas prices and a crumbling housing market are two reasons consumer confidence is falling, just eight weeks from Christmas. "All you have to do is see that oil's at $93 a barrel, and see all the foreclosures, you couldn't help but be that way," said Teri Sanchez, a shopper. "Housing has corrected big time, and we've yet to feel the aftershocks, but I am telling you they are coming and you're going to see slower consumer spending," said Joseph Lavorgna, chief economist at Deutsche Bank. So much slower that Walmart - the nation's biggest retailer - will launch its holiday push three weeks early this year, with so-called Black Friday prices starting this Friday. Black Friday's the term used to reference the day after Thanksgiving - when most retailers finally turn a profit. Starting tomorrow, Walmart will offer five major holiday specials - starting with a $348 laptop. Toys-R-Us will have a two-day sale featuring 100 discounted items. Circuit City will have sweepstakes and deep discounts on hot electronics. But not all retailers are starting early. Target is putting out the holiday wrapping paper and decor, but not making drastic price cuts. "Basically we're just doing what we generally do as far as our sales promotion. We have a circular which goes out for Sunday, which will advertise certain toys," said Target assistant manager, Trina Peterson. Still, shoppers say they'll be looking for bargains, this year more than ever. "I'm looking for quality stuff, but at good prices," said Becky Arguijo.
jaymacfla Posted November 3, 2007 Posted November 3, 2007 Hey jim, remember last BF when you were a hot woman avatar? Jarerice has just upstaged you! But seriously now, have you noticed the level of bad press against walmart recede, since the news that they would be stepping up their blitzes?
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