Whither the "holiday shopping season?"

[PSPS]

I haven't been to the malls this year, but I remember how the media was awash on Black Friday with gushing stories about how they were all jammed and, the next day, were exclaiming how sales were "up over the previous year!!11!" (It turns out profit was way down.)

But I'm having my doubts. Things have been surprisingly quiet on the subject lately, kind of like how Soviet-era Pravda would suddenly stop talking about a subject if it didn't please the Kremlin or a leader if they had died.

Today, of course, we have the equivalent -- corporate media owned entirely by a cabal of no more than six "loyal bushies." And they reliably dance to the tune of their corporate advertising clients.

A few things I've noticed this year that are new:

Almost daily email from online retailers like Land's End, Harry & David, etc., proclaiming in the subject that they have "Free Shipping – One Day Only!" Even television advertising is different this year with retailers not usually prone to advertising making large media buys, odd "advertising disguised as a game show" inserts during programs, and that weird radio ad by Overstock.com that was trying to get you to buy from them by making you think their employees' lovelorn hearts would be broken otherwise (Joey Martin's "If Not For You" – removed after a few weeks.)

Then there's the mechanics. The usual insanely-extended hours are gone. The stores I've been in have paltry inventory. And the usual boom in temporary employment you usually see during the holidays is belied by our depression-esque unemployment statistics. And there's the extraordinary holiday-season bankruptcies and store closings by KB Toys, Office Depot, etc.

So, you mall rats and others out there. What are your observations?

[JI7]

1. i have been to the malls since black friday and they seem empty

i went today and thought for a while it was thursday rather than friday. but even for a thursday this time of year would have more people .

[SoCalDem]

2. I have bought only for my two annual raffles & found terrific bargains

not any crowds..close-in parking..