e-Edition Plus
A current events feature for teaching with electronic editions.
By Emilia Pastina
Stores are hoping holidays
will be merrier this year
“Some consumers are still trading
down” in the expense of what they
buy, said Mark Tapper, co-owner of a
jewelry store in the suburbs of Detroit,
Michigan, in a USA Today article. “But
people are feeling tired of being in an
economic rut and are excited about
gift-giving again.”
Sales predictors
October was a decent retail sales
month. Overall, the International
Council of Shopping Centers reported
an increase in sales of 1.6 percent this
October, compared to October 2009.
Stores that did well included the
Macy’s department store chain, whose
sales went up by 2.5 percent, lowercost stores like Costco Wholesale Corp.
and Target Corp. and Limited Brands.
“It was a promotionally driven
month,” said Jharonne Martis, director
Seasonal hope
With optimism about holiday
spending, some stores are hiring more
seasonal workers. This means that
more temporary jobs will be available
this holiday season, unlike the
situation in recent years.
Toys R Us is increasing its number
of seasonal employees by almost
30 percent by hiring 45,000 people.
Kohl’s is bumping up its holiday work
force by 20 percent, and Brookstone by
36 percent. Other stores, like JC Penney
and Macy’s, also are hiring.
This, experts say, is good for the
economy. “It just builds upon itself,”
said Michael Niemira, chief economist
of the International Council of
Shopping Centers, in a Los Angeles
Times article.
More optimism, he said, means
“more staffing, more sales.”
iStock Photo
The holiday season is almost
here, and that’s good news for kids
and families who like to celebrate with
gift-giving.
Groups that follow sales by businesses also are hoping this year’s holiday
season will provide some good news.
At least one business group is
predicting stores will find the holidays
a little more merry than they have
been in recent years.
The National Retail Federation (NRF)
predicts that this year’s holiday spending will be 2.3 percent more than last
year. That’s not a huge jump, but it
would be good news for the nation’s
economy, which has suffered through
slower than normal holiday seasons
since the recession began in December
2007.
The NRF, which represents retail
stores of all types and sizes, bases its
yearly prediction on a model that
analyzes employment, industrial
production of goods, disposable
personal income of families and
monthly sales reports.
Although some consumer groups
predict that holiday spending will be
the same or only slightly higher than
last year, most agree consumers are
ready to get back to giving gifts that
are not pure necessities.
For example, James Russo, vice president of global insights for the Nielsen
research company, told USA Today that
online sales for clothing, consumer
electronics and jewelry all have
increased. At the same time, a nationwide NRF survey of consumers found
that 61.7 percent of the people
responding said the economy would
affect their holiday spending.
of consumer research at the Thomson
Reuters firm, in an Associated Press
story. “… We expect discounting is
going to be necessary to drive holiday
sales.”
To boost sales for the holidays, many stores will be offering special
promotions and discounts to get customers to spend.
Talk About
the News
• Some shopping experts predict that the 2010 holiday season will
be better than 2009. As a class, talk about how the recession has
affected American families. Based on your opinions, discuss
whether you think consumers will buy more this holiday season.
Back up your opinions with facts. Think imaginatively and come up
with ways stores can attract consumers.
Learning Standards: Engaging peers in constructive conversation about matters of public concern by clarifying issues, considering opposing views, applying democratic values, anticipating consequences, and working toward making decisions.
Explore
Your
e-Edition
• Economic experts predict that consumers
will buy more items people “want” as gifts
than items people “need.” Look through all
news, features and ad sections of the e-Edition
to find as many “wants” and “needs” as you can
for your family. On a piece of paper, divide the
“wants” and “needs” in two columns. Circle your
three favorite “wants” and your three most needed
“needs.” Write a paragraph explaining why it is
usually important to buy “needs” before “wants.”
Learning Standards: Describing and demonstrating how the economic forces of scarcity and choice
affect the management of personal financial resources, shape consumer decisions regarding the purchase, use and disposal of goods and services and affect the economic well being of individuals and
society.
• Optimism about holiday sales means more seasonal workers will
be hired this year. Look through today’s employment ads in the
e-Edition. How many retail sales jobs can you find? Choose a job at
a store that interests you. Write a cover letter persuading the store
manager to hire you. Write it in the form of a business letter.
Learning Standards: Writing fluently for multiple purposes to produce compositions, such as personal narratives, persuasive essays, lab reports, and poetry.
• Retail stores are hoping to get holiday shoppers in their doors
this season. Look through the display ads in today’s e-Edition and
choose a product that you think someone your age will have on
their holiday wish list. Create an e-Edition ad that will get the
attention of consumers and show them why they should buy this
product at a specific store.
How Well
Did You
Read?
Understanding what you read is a
skill that will help you all through life.
Review the story about holiday shopping by answering the questions below.
1. According to the story, the National
Retail Federation predicts spending
in the 2010 holiday season will be:
A. More than 2009
B. Less than 2009
C. Same as 2009
D. The story doesn’t say
2. In the story, the word
“predicting” means:
A. Stating a fact
B. Sharing a fiction
C. Making a guess
D. Saying what will happen in advance
3. In the story, the word
“consumer” means:
A. Store owner
B. Store manager
C. Buyer
D. Seller
4. According to the story, October sales
were good for:
A. Macy’s
B. Costco
C. Target
D. All of the above
5. According to the story, the recession
began in:
A. 2006
B. 2007
C. 2008
D. 2009
Learning Standards: Analyzing how purchasers obtain information about goods and services from advertising and other
sources; representing creatively
ANSWERS: 1-A. 2-D. 3-C. 4-D. 5-B.
©By Hollister Kids