Retailers adjust to economy

By Tim Damos

Kelly Vedvik isn’t a Black Friday kind of gal.

She’s never been one to push her way through crowds at retail stores the day after Thanksgiving hoping to score a sweet deal on Christmas gifts.

But this year she’s taking part in the shopping extravaganza.

Vedvik recently started as an employee at Tanger Outlet Center in Wisconsin Dells, which opened its doors to shoppers at midnight and will remain open until 9 p.m. today.

"I really don’t know what to expect," Vedvik said Wednesday.

Vedvik isn’t the only one doing things differently this year.

As stores prepare for hordes of Black Friday shoppers and mark down high-definition TVs and hot toys, they’re also pushing deals on something more mundane — necessities like socks and diapers.

Toys R Us, Walmart and clothing stores in malls are responding to tough economic times by luring people who are making it a more practical holiday this year.

What should shoppers expect? Fewer sumptuous sweaters, $200 robotic toys and other flashy items. Everyday items like flannel shirts, blankets and underwear are the order of the day.

Toys R Us’ Babies R Us stores were armed with deals on jumbo packs of diapers and baby food for their 5 a.m. opening on Black Friday.

Walmart’s Black Friday promotions include $7 fleece jackets and $3 children’s pajamas alongside 50-inch Sanyo plasma HDTVs for $598.

The promotional blitz at the start of the holiday shopping season has high stakes this year both for retailers that have suffered through a year of sales declines and for the economy, which could use a lift from consumer spending. Thanksgiving fell fairly late this year, meaning fewer shopping days.

The National Retail Federation trade group expects Black Friday crowds to be

bigger this year, but retail consultant Walter Loeb said spending for the weekend will be at best unchanged from last year.

People are still "very nervous about the future," said Tracy Mullin, president of the federation. "But I think the good news is that stores get this new consumer, and the products are much less showy."

Todd Wickus doesn’t expect the economy to drive down holiday sales at his downtown Baraboo store, Just Imagine Toys.

"We’re kind of like their fresh spot in the shopping day," Wickus said. "They don’t necessarily come here for door buster deals. They come here — after they’ve gotten some basic essential items from certain stores — to get the unique items that they’re looking for."

The Better Business Bureau encourages shoppers to compare prices at different stores to make sure deals are what they seem.

"Consumer beware in reference to what’s a real deal and what isn’t," said Wickus, who is also president of Downtown Baraboo, Inc.

He said shoppers should read the fine print on sale coupons to make sure there aren’t limited quantities of a product.

 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.