NEWS AND OPINION:
Shopping spawns peculiar culture. One-out-of-10 Americans actually shop while they’re drunk, for one thing - or they’re wandering the aisles sleepless. A new survey from RetailMeNot, an online discount coupon distributor, found that 12 percent of Americans are buying while bombed. Yes, they’ve had a few before venturing to the mall. Another 36 percent report they are sleep-deprived. And still more are tired of shopping as entertainment. The thrill is gone.
One good number: The nation is projected to spend $50 billion on Christmas and holiday shopping this weekend according to the National Retail Federation. That amount looks like this: $50,000,000,000. The weekend of turkey, turkey leftovers, interesting family dynamics, mall walks and traffic jams will affect a huge population: An estimated 249 million Americans will be in shopping mode, in stores or online.
Then there’s shopping and politics. But the long Black Friday weekend is also a showcase for some activism. Making Change at Walmart — an activist group anchored by the United Food & Commercial Workers, union members, community organizations and other factions — is calling for protests and possible employee strikes at 1,600 Wal-Mart stores nationwide Friday, along with a demand that the company raise it minimum wage to $15 an hour. A public petition supporting the idea has already drawn 75,000 signers. One potential presidential hopeful has offered support.
“Walmart, America’s largest employer, can and should lead on the minimum wage, equal pay & schedules that work. It’s about economics & values,” tweeted Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Democrat and a potential presidential hopeful already honing her populist style.
BLACK FRIDAY FOREVER — OR NOT?
Oh, numbers, more numbers. Some researchers contend that the year’s biggest buying spree is losing momentum. “Is Black Friday dead?” asks Jeanine Skowronski, an analyst for Bankrate.com where research reveals that only 28 percent of Americans plan to brave the stores on the much ballyhooed day. The reason for disinterest? Many stores already jumped the gun, offering price-buster sales as early as Halloween, she says.
SEE ALSO: Kmart Black Friday begins at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving 2014
“When everyone opens on Thanksgiving Thursday, the advantage erodes,” says Randy Allen, former senior vice president of strategic planning at Kmart. “When retailers continue to launch their Black Friday promotions and deals earlier in November, Black Friday becomes meaningless.”
Some disagree. Completely. “We are one of the biggest, oldest, highest traffic Black Friday sites. This year we joined forces with BlackFriday.info and Black-Friday.net, to make one combined Black Friday powerhouse site. We are BlackFriday.com, making every day Black Friday,” the online marketing group reports; it now boasts 1.4 million Facebook followers.
IN PRAISE OF MAIN STREET BUSINESS
“This summer, Gallup asked people how much confidence they have in various institutions. According to the survey, only 7 percent of Americans said they trusted Congress a great deal or quite a lot, compared with 29 percent who trusted the presidency. Small business, on the other hand, came in second, with 62 percent of those surveyed considering it trustworthy. The only organization to score higher, not surprisingly, was the military,” points out Gregg Thomas, a state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, and a contributor to the Raleigh News & Observer in North Carolina.
“While our politicians squabble, Main Street has endured. Some small-business owners, instead of laying people off, have cut their own salaries to keep their full complement of employees. Others have dipped into savings or taken out second mortgages to keep their doors open or to avoid cutting back employee hours,” Mr. Thomas observes. “That’s incredible when you think about it, and when we have a chance to thank small business and support it, we should take it.”
Mr. Thomas refers to Small Business Saturday, an event that generated $5.7 billion last year, and likely more this time around according to projections from his organization.
SEE ALSO: Thanksgiving: Immigrants celebrate U.S., add flair with ethnic traditions
THE TOP 10 TURKEY LEFTOVERS
Well, someone has to figure out what the heck Americans like to do with turkey in a post-Thanksgiving world. That job goes to the all-knowing National Turkey Federation, which charts both bird and industry with precision. Naturally, a reprise of the actual turkey dinner itself is the most popular, what with the siren call of hot turkey sandwiches bolstered with stuffing and gravy. That is, of course, unless Junior and Uncle Ralph didn’t get to the turkey first.
Meanwhile, the federation has their top picks for leftovers, based on public response to the huge flock of recipes they keep handy online. And the winners: turkey mandarin salad came in first, believe it or not, followed by “use it all” turkey soup. Yes, there’s a carcass and onions involved. In third place: Creole turkey bake, followed by turkey pot pie, turkey Reuben sandwich, turkey cranberry croissant, cheesy turkey enchiladas, turkey Monte Cristo and turkey Thai grilled pizza.
Aw, go ahead — find the recipes at the ready here: EatTurkey.com.
ATTENTION REPUBLICAN SHOPPERS
The Grand Old Party was not too keen to retailing the Republican cause — well, not like Democratic Party, which typically offers hundreds of branded, politically attuned items. But Republicans are expanding their marketplace. Slowly. Now ready for GOP shoppers as premiums for modest donations:
The GOP Ronald Reagan Shirt — red, emblazoned with the Reagan quote, “We’re too great a nation to limit ourselves to small dreams,” for a $27 donation; the GOP Camo hat — made in the U.S., “designed exclusively for our hardworking, loyal and patriotic supporters” for a $24 donation; the Official GOP Fleece Jacket — American made, GOP logo, “designed exclusively for our most committed supporters” for $69.
And last, but not least, there’s the “I Miss W” special edition T-shirt for a $27 donation. “President George W. Bush led our nation through some of the most challenging moments of our nation’s history,” the GOP explains. Find things here: GOP.com
WEEKEND REAL ESTATE
For sale: The Rumpe House, a cross-gabled Gothic Revival home built in 1867 in Rising Sun, Indiana; 1,800 square feet, three bedrooms, the “time-capsule” site retains all original interior and exterior woodwork, windows, doors, on a quarter-acre lot in historic district near Ohio River. Partially restored, new roof, stabilized “gingerbread” front porch, clapboard repair. The home needs some very basic systems like heating, some additional interior structural work, exterior paint, and interior finish upgrade. Priced at $45,000 from IndianaLandmarks.org, find under the “For Sale” heading, “outside Indianapolis” listing.
POLL DU JOUR
• 87 percent of female American shoppers say they get the biggest joy from seeing a smile on a recipient’s face.
• 78 percent aspire to be done with their Christmas and holiday shopping by mid-December.
• 54 percent say their favorite part of holiday shopping is finding the perfect gift for someone; 18 percent cite “great deals”; 15 percent name holiday music.
• 36 percent say finding a gift for their significant other was the biggest shopping challenge.
• 34 percent cite being clueless about what to buy for someone as the worst aspect of holiday shopping; 27 percent cite parking and traffic; 10 percent name staying on budget.
• 32 percent don’t finish their shopping until Christmas Eve.
Source: A Mall of America survey of 1,010 female shoppers ages 25-55 conducted on site throughout October and released Tuesday.
• Handy advice, stray thoughts to jharper@washingtontimes.com.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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