US stores attracting holiday shoppers

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US retailers say holiday sales are up over last year, but still well below where they were before the recession.

As Steve Mort reports from Colorado, business owners are still having to offer incentives to consumers - many of whom remain wary of spending.

At this mall in Denver, the holiday shopping season is in full swing.

In many stores, special offers are in place to entice consumers in Americas cut-throat Christmas market.

Many retail chains says theyre expecting better sales figures than previous years, as the US economy shows slow, but steady, signs of improvement.

Wendy Manning, Marketing Director of Denver Pavilions Mall, said, "Things are getting better, people are coming back, they are being a little more loose with the pocket-book, its not all just necessity items right now. Were seeing other things trending - gadgets, theres a big fashion trend with micro-trend and faux fir and a lot of bling, so were seeing more discretionary income coming towards holiday purchases."

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had declined in October, improved in November, just ahead of the holiday shopping season. But its still well below where it was before the recession hit.

At the height of the downturn in 2008, Christmas sales plunged 12 percent in the US, but have been on the rise since.

Wendy Manning, Marketing Director of Denver Pavilions Mall, said, "Its been challenging. So youve seen a lot of adaptation in the market with retailers. Not only are we challenged with the recession piece of it, were also challenged with the online piece of it, because we wa! nt peopl e to shop as opposed to purchasing online."

Americans ARE increasingly turning to the internet for cheap holiday gifts. A 2010 study found 80 percent of people aged between 32 and 44 buy products online.

Steve Mort, Denver, Colorado, said, "While many larger retail outlets in the United States, like WalMart or Target, have their own online stores, the growing trend towards internet shopping is posing a greater difficulty for local stores tussling for a slice of the holiday shopping market."

At the Perfect Petal - a local gift store in Denver - owner Cindy Ollig says shes having to pull out all the stops to keep shoppers interested in her Christmas stock.

Cindy Ollig, Owner, The Perfect Petal, said, "Definitely were having to market harder, were having to build relationships more, were having be on the floor and talk to our clients more ourselves to strengthen those relationships with people."

And as consumers continue to make finding a bargain a priority, local business leaders say they are involved in a concerted effort to attract Christmas shoppers to neighborhood stores.

Peter Rolldan, Outreach Manager, Mile High Business Alliance, said, "It helps keep our money in our community. Its actually been researched that money spent at a local business will actually recirculate within the community at least three more times before leaving the community."

Black Friday this year - the traditional start of the holiday shopping season - saw sales increase more than 6-and-a-half percent over the same day last year, according to ShopperTrak.

Americans spent 11.4 billion dollars onretail purchases, the largest amount ever spent during the day.

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Business leaders hope that trend will continue, but with unemployment remaining stubbornly high in many states, its likely to be some time before holiday sales numbers return to pre-recession levels.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei |Source: CNTV.CN



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