NEW YORK — Despite generous discounting and expanded shopping hours earlier in the season, many stores are finding themselves in the same predicament as in recent years: waiting for those last-minute shoppers in the final days before Christmas who seem to be procrastinating even more than a year ago.
Based on early reports from analysts and malls, sales were generally unimpressive this past weekend, as shoppers were held back by a storm that spread a mix of sleet, freezing rain and snow from the Great Lakes states to New England. Also, consumers know bargains will be better the weekend before Christmas.
For online retailers, which likely finished their busiest days last week, their fate appears to be already sealed: Holiday sales didn’t live up to industry hopes as lower-income shoppers cut back spending amid a housing slump.
