Community Chat

[chrystaltree]

I don't know where that article came from but the reality is that people who shop online will shop online for their Christmas items.  They aren't going to suddenly stop and exclusively shop in brick&mortar stores.  No one would do that.  Whatever the percentage of online shoppers was last year, it will be a percentage point or more higher this year because online shopping is the growing in leaps and bounds.  

[Caaareful Shopper]

This "research" was conducted by a company that makes its bread & butter from brick & mortar merchanidise and retail stores.  They are a member of the Retail Merchandising Services that work on in-store displays, in-store marketing, and all the analytics that go along with that.  It's very nice to say more people will be shopping in stores, to try to get more people shopping in stores. I'm not saying this is bogus, just a bit slanted.

So I'll wait till after the holiday season to see unbiased results of where people actually did their shopping.  This before-hand consumer research is dubious to me.

I love my local shops and shop there quite a lot all year, but I shop equally online.  Full disclosure...during the holiday season, with everything else going on in my life, I shop primarily online.

[deepwaterdotter]

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@Gorgf wrote:

So many of our local  B and M stores have closed that I used to enjoy. I feel forced to shop on line or travel two hours to shop. It is easier to shop on line.

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I agree.  Only things I buy in B&M stores are groceries, Costco, and local home improvement retailer.

[50Mickey]

I really miss the days when Christmas shopping began the Friday after Thannksgiving. Right after the Christmas parade ended everyone would rush into the stores in the downtown district and shop. The stores were decorated and shoppers were into the Christmas spirit. Even after shopping moved to the malls I loved going there on Christmas Eve for a couple of last minute gifts and just to sit and watch the shoppers and listen to Christmas carolers. Sitting at a computer and ordering gifts may be easier but just dosen't feel like Christmas to me. I will definitely be shopping in local stores this year.