Liquidation sales can be found at Garden Botanika , Store of Knowledge and Natural Wonders stores, just to name a few. Earlier in the year, Montgomery Ward Inc. closed its doors and J . Penney Cos. shuttered underperforming stores. It's when the discounts go deeper that the markdowns can take their toll on retailers' bottom lines, he said. Kurt Barnard of Barnard's Retail Trend Report in Upper Montclair, N.J., said he believes discounts are deeper than usual this year.
Sales are pretty rampant.
Barnard said consumers are being bombarded with reports of layoffs nationwide, which causes some to rein in their spending. Consumer confidence is at one of its lowest points in years. According to figures released by the University of Michigan a week ago, the April consumer confidence index slid to 88.4 from 91.5 in March, suggesting job insecurities have unnerved shoppers. Continued consumer spending was credited with helping the GDP continue to grow. And they're taking advantage of sales, he said.