Sunday, November 30, 2008

Black Friday and Thanksgiving Weekend Sales

Much has been said about the economy's impact on retail sales this weekend. Lots of doom and gloom. But there is one thing, one category, one item that I believe will turn what might have been a decline in consumer spending into a net gain. 

For the past year, TV viewers have been bombarded by a focused media campaign telling them that the digital TV revolution is coming on February 17, 2009. The networks and local broadcasters have been airing commercials that say "on February 17th 2009 TV as we know it will fade to black". 

Most people don't understand what this change will mean to them, and virtually everyone is confused. No wonder we're confused, the government is behind this campaign . There are millions of people that think that their current TVs will no longer work after February 17th. 
So, here's what will make the difference in Black Friday sales this year... TV sales will push retail sales numbers over the top, exceeding last year's numbers. 

I was in Costo yesterday and I couldn't believe the number of people with 2 or 3 TVs in their carts! I wandered through the TV aisles and listened to the buzz. An amazing number of shoppers were under the impression that unless they replaced all the TVs in the house, that they wouldn't be able to watch TV. 

Maybe it's confusion. Maybe they are looking for the right gift to put under the tree. Maybe they're just looking for an excuse to buy that great new plasma set they've been eyeing for months. But one thing is for sure, they're spending thousands of dollars on high-tech, and that will make the difference in retail sales this weekend.

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