Holiday shoppers thoughtful about spending, gift selection
| Saturday, Dec 18 2010 04:06 PM
Last Updated Saturday, Dec 18 2010 04:06 PM
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Shoppers were busy shopping at Kohl's on Rosedale Highway, Saturday. Even though it was raining that didn't seem to keep shoppers away from shopping with only one week left before Christmas.
After shopping at Kohl's, Ariel Presley carries her bundled up daughter, Kailiza Sanders, left, while her mother, Angelica Presley, takes her son, Nikko Sanders, to their vehicle in the stroller Saturday in Bakersfield.
Crystal Maxwell carries her daughter, Brooke, under the umbrella Saturday as they get ready to do some Christmas shopping in the Rosedale area.
After haircuts for the boys and a little shopping, David McCarthy, and sons, Mason, left, and Alex, right, head back to their vehicle in the rain Saturday.
It was a wet one, Saturday morning in the Rosedale area for Christmas shoppers in Bakersfield. With only one week left before Christmas.
Shoppers share an umbrella on a rainy Saturday in Bakersfield.
Ashley Tomasini, Kohl's floor associate, was in the Christmas mood, wearing her Santa hat Saturday during a big sales day for Kohl's in the Rosedale area.
Bob Brown plans to indulge the kids this Christmas, but when it comes to him and his wife, he's keeping it simple.
"Rather than going crazy with lots of gifts, that's how we're expressing ourselves to each other," Brown said while selecting stocking stuffers.
The 57-year-old perused the displays at Bobbi's Hallmark, he said, because it's one of his wife's shopping "spots."
Brown had stopped at Sweet Surrender too, but then decided it was too early to buy cupcakes for Christmas and he'd take his wife there after the holiday.
Like Brown, many shoppers out in force Saturday were thoughtful -- about spending within their budget and selecting just the right gifts for special people in their lives.
Kathy Thomas, 43, acknowledging she was a "little late this year," looked to buy for co-workers, neighbors and family. She had help from daughter Heather, 11, who pointed out items she liked, such as magnetic necklaces and Webkinz stuffed animals.
"I'm trying to do some little, meaningful things as opposed to going overboard," Thomas said.
This last full weekend of shopping before Christmas is expected to trend fairly nicely for retailers, who are expecting a 2 percent to 3 percent increase in spending over last year's rougher times, said Jackie Fernandez, a partner in the retail practice of the Los Angeles office of Deloitte, an accounting and consulting firm.
"Given the state of the economy, the retailers are happy with what they are seeing," Fernandez said Friday.
Carol Rodgers, owner of Bobbi's Hallmark at Town & Country Village, said this should be a good weekend. "Really, they've been excellent," she said of sales since the start of the holiday season.
Retail analyst Fernandez said retailers continue to be very promotional -- offering everything from the popular free shipping Friday on Dec. 17 for online orders with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve to deals that will continue after Dec. 25.
The National Retail Federation said 32.4 percent of shoppers planned to finish fulfilling their lists before Saturday, according to its 2010 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey.
"With the big day falling on a Saturday this year and a lot of shopping left to be done, retailers will continue to push aggressive promotions in the weekdays leading up to it, hoping to remind shoppers they only have one more weekend to shop," NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said in a news release.
Rain didn't seem to damper shoppers Saturday, although it can. But chilly weather actually spurs shoppers and gets them in the spending mood, Fernandez said.
Rain didn't stop Ariel Presley, 20, and her children Kailiza Sanders, four and a half months, and Nikko Sanders, 19 months. Presley said she found items needed by her growing children at Kohl's at the Northwest Promenade.
"Let's buy these, because they are getting small," Presley said as she pointed to new pants she selected for Nikko and the ones he was wearing. Presley said this Christmas she is focusing on the necessities as she saves up money for her Jan. 14 wedding.
Shopper Janniel Gonzales, 34, agreed with the "back to basics" approach. She said she's steering clear of electronics, opting instead for basics for relatives and some fun stuff for the kids.
Toys, jewelry, a candle and clothes were among Doris Martin's purchases from Kohl's.
"We just knew we had to get more Christmas presents," said Martin, 25. "And a few things for us. Not too much though because it's the holidays and you don't need to buy too much for yourself."
This season retailers are seeing what analyst Fernandez called the tale of two consumers -- high-end shoppers are out buying, but so are consumers who do not have that same income. Many are in the midst of replenishment activity, filling basic needs for themselves and their families.
Fernandez said a lot of procrastinators will be out this weekend and right on up to Christmas. Some of those shoppers may have moved from seeking promotions to desperation shopping.
But not Jason Alexander, 28. He's finished with Christmas shopping. His mission at Kohl's was to find a last-minute gift for his niece's birthday. He thought clothes and a perfume she wanted would fit the bill.
