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Monday, December 22, 2008 10:36 AM Price drops appear to spur holiday spending By Antonio Velarde | Times Staff Writer This holiday season, Marcia Barnes is shopping sooner rather than later. Barnes, 57, who was shopping for Christmas ornaments with her husband, Phil, at Big Lots in Wilson Sunday, said in the past she has always tried to catch sales after the holidays. But after noticing merchants this year slashing their prices and offering discounts earlier, Barnes' spending has followed suit. "I'm buying things sooner than I normally would," said Barnes, who lives near Black Creek. As economic doldrums bring merchants across the country face-to-face with one of the worst shopping seasons in recent memory, they are slashing prices and offering more discounts to keep customers shopping until the end of the holidays. And the low, low prices are expected to drop further after the holidays, since many retailers finish their fourth quarter in January. The low prices seem to be prying open the wallets of many Wilson area shoppers. Cynthia Sanders, 48, of Sims, who was perusing the 50 percent off clearance racks at J.C. Penney with her 17-year-old daughter, Cindy, said she is hitting up the bargains wherever she can find them. Her only problem, she said, is that she can't find much to buy. Sanders, who said she will also be checking out bargains in January, said there isn't much variety in the stores she goes to. She said her holiday shopping will likely continue today at Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh. "They might have more to pick from, too," Sanders said. "More variety." Christine McNair, 68, of Rocky Mount, was only in town with her 18-year-old grandson, Sheldon, to eat at Parker's Barbecue and maybe check out Wilson Mall, but they also ended up finding some bargains at J.C. Penney. McNair, who was looking at clothes marked 50 percent off while Sheldon shopped, said she was very pleased at what she saw and was taking advantage now of the prices. "I'm retired, and definitely every penny counts," she said. But not everyone said the prices were driving them to spend more than normal. Deborah Sternberg, 34, who lives in southern Nash County, was at J.C. Penney Sunday and said she is seeing and taking advantage of bargains in the stores but only because she was already holiday shopping to begin with. Likewise, Jo Ann Whitley, 61, of Lucama, was talking with friends Sunday at Big Lots about the low prices she has seen. Whitley said she took advantage of what she saw, but she said she is a conservative shopper and wasn't exactly spending more than normal because the bargains. As for the after-Christmas discounts, she said, "I'll shop for myself after Christmas." At least one person said she doesn't see much to indicate all this talk about discounts. Dee Whitaker, 30, of Tarboro, who came with her family to Wilson to check out the local flea market, said she hasn't really noticed much of a change in prices she's seen. Whitaker, who was at FYE at Wilson Mall, saw few CDs marked down in price. "Prices seem to be the same to me," she said. avelarde@wilsontimes.com | 265-7868 |
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TheHotCorner said...
I've seen some good deals at Belk and Goody's, just to name a couple of places. There are alot of un-advertised specials as well.If you shop the flyers in the paper, you'll see some good prices! Prices are slashed on the internet as well!
Monday, December 22, 2008 at 3:08 PM
Lovoniala Loreal said...I've seen some good deals at Belk and Goody's, just to name a couple of places. There are alot of un-advertised specials as well.If you shop the flyers in the paper, you'll see some good prices! Prices are slashed on the internet as well!
Monday, December 22, 2008 at 3:08 PM
Has anyone noticed low prices anywhere? I have not. They seem just as high as ever.
Monday, December 22, 2008 at 12:13 PM
