Advertisements plastered on billboards, televisions and newspapers scream the best deals and the prettiest colors in town. Although Thanksgiving is still more than a week away, retailers are already revving up strategies they hope will lure customers during the next five weeks. Retailers have been trying to out-think each other for years. Come hear carolers and munch on holiday snacks, said Target Store, which set aside one December morning to attract elderly and disabled shoppers at its stores nationwide. Some 93 percent of adults in the United States celebrate one holiday in December, and for 98 percent of them, it's Christmas, according to a survey conducted for American Demographics.
All signs point to a strong season.
Unemployment recently hit a 24-year low, consumer confidence is up, even the stock market gyrations seem unlikely to dampen shopping expectations. Indeed, retail analysts and economists predict sales this season of between 3 and 5 percent higher than last year. And last year was a good year. Kids who accompany parents get trinket grab bags. If kids see something they want, they're going to hound you.