Many, some not admittedly, will be dancing through the malls later this week. On a day that we’ve come to identify as “Black Friday,” credit cards will be swiped, cash will be spent, and gifts stowed and hidden. Getting caught up in a marketing and advertising frenzy isn’t necessarily all that bad; many argue that the best deal has been had, all the while friends and family unite for the festivities. Not to mention all those Thanksgiving Day calories are certainly burnt away in the feverish dashes from store to store.
What amazes me about Black Friday is actually the following Monday. Inexplicably, by the open of business on Monday, Wall Street is anxious to report the heartbeat of retail across America. Some years markets will jump, other years they’ll sag, and sometimes they’ll flat-line. I’m not sure what to expect in 2009, but it won’t keep me from making a prediction: Rebound.
My economic intuitions say people have been holding back, while retailers have been saving the savviest of advertising and promotions to woo the eager spenders. While big purchases like cars and houses have slowed, many are ready to leave their homes and ignore the stress of the past year to savor the eggnog, Christmas music, and shopping.
Will you be shopping November 27, 2009? And, more importantly, will you be spending some of that hard earned cash? I’ll anxiously await the results in Monday’s financial analysis.
Happy Thanksgiving… -bag
Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow at the BAG 