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BUYING TIME: A Calendar Quirk Gives Procrastinating Holiday Shoppers 1 More Day - and Retailers a Bonus

Posted on: Saturday, 24 December 2005, 12:00 CST

By Heather Landy and Andrea Jares, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

Dec. 24--John Thomas got a twofer Friday: a cardio workout and power shopping.

"I'm a two-day shopper," said Thomas, a Bedford resident who was walking briskly toward the Foley's entrance at North East Mall in Hurst for 30 minutes of high-intensity, last-minute holiday retail cramming Friday. "I'm on the second half."

This late in December, Thomas might not find everything on his list. But in an ironic twist, it's the ultimate procrastinators like him who are getting an early holiday gift this year. With Christmas and Hanukkah arriving Sunday, last-minute buyers have most of Saturday to beat the clock and finish shopping.

It's a calendar quirk that merchants, too, can be happy about. This year's day-after-Thanksgiving sales were lackluster for much of the industry, which could make today the busiest shopping day of 2005.

"Retailers customarily see high sales the week before Christmas and are preparing themselves for even more foot traffic this Saturday, when even the worst procrastinators will be hitting the stores," said Phil Rist, vice president of BIGresearch, which conducts holiday shopping surveys for the National Retail Federation trade group.

Foley's advertised that it will stay open today from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. J.C. Penney also opens at 7 a.m.

Despite warnings of disappointing sales so far this holiday season at a handful of large chains, including Gap and Pier 1 Imports, the National Retail Federation is sticking to its forecast for 6 percent revenue growth compared with last year's season.

The Saturday before Christmas is often one of the busiest shopping days, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers, which ranked it No. 1 in 2002 and 2004, and No. 2 in 2003, when it was edged out by the day after Thanksgiving.

Across the country, two-thirds of consumers were still picking out gifts this week, and as many as half of all shoppers will hit the stores for a final round the day before Christmas, according to a Best Buy survey.

The poll showed that an additional third of consumers will shop for holiday gifts the day after Christmas.

"Since many shoppers will also have the day after Christmas off, we expect to see sales on Dec. 26 out-perform those of 2004, adding another strong day to the holiday shopping calendar, which bodes well for the retail industry," said Bill Martin of ShopperTrak RCT Corp., a Chicago-based firm that measures retail traffic.

Shoppers were out in force Friday, if that's any indication of what's to come today and Monday.

Sally Zamaripa of Fort Worth was on her way into Dillard's at North East Mall for drawstring pajamas for the children on her shopping list. She's planning to spend less this Christmas and is doing it with more joint gifts for the couples on her list.

Many of the shoppers out Friday were loading up on stocking stuffers.

Barbara Magee of Haltom City was shopping at North East Mall for a few to go with the gift cards she had already bought. Her goal: to be done by the end of the day.

"Tomorrow's just a rest day," she said.

But there was no rest yet for Holly Lang of North Richland Hills, who was still working on 65 percent of her shopping. A hectic schedule had kept her from completing it earlier.

She planned to hit several stores Friday, searching for gifts for her husband and two girls -- who are too old now to be looking for Santa's sleigh tonight.

"No, they're looking for electronics," she said.

Craig Calhoun of North Richland Hills was at Toys "R" Us in Hurst with a full cart, including a Barbie bicycle that is too big to wrap. He saves his shopping for gifts from Santa until a few days before Christmas to keep the pressure off finding clever hiding spots. Antonio Wallace of Arlington was at a Hurst Toys "R" Us searching for the elusive Dora the Explorer kitchen -- one of the season's hottest items -- for his niece. But they were sold out there and at Wal-Mart. He planned to try his luck at Hulen Mall.

Then he would be done with all of his shopping.

Heather Landy, hlandy@star-telegram.com (817) 390-7725 Andrea Jares, ajares@star-telegram.com (817) 685-3851

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Copyright (c) 2005, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

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Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas)

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