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Is the economy worse this Christmas (2005) than it was last Christmas (2004)

P

PlatinumGold

Lifer
i go to the stores, the malls, the discount places and no where is the traffic was it was last christmas. or what it used to be like in the 90's. shoot at the peak of the 90's during christmas season it would take me over 30 min just to get into a mall parking lot. this year tho, i just breezed in and out. parking is way available.


is it a bad economy or are more people shopping online than ever before.

i'd like to see some retail numbers for this christmas.
 
1) Despite the dot-com bust, online commerce has been increasing yearly

2) You're lucky, because it's a friggin ZOO here this year....MUCH worse than i've seen it in a long time.
 
Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
i go to the stores, the malls, the discount places and no where is the traffic was it was last christmas. or what it used to be like in the 90's. shoot at the peak of the 90's during christmas season it would take me over 30 min just to get into a mall parking lot. this year tho, i just breezed in and out. parking is way available.


is it a bad economy or are more people shopping online than ever before.

i'd like to see some retail numbers for this christmas.

Topic Title: Is the economy worse this Christmas (2005) than it was last Christmas (2004)
Click to expand...

No matter what numbers come out (they will be fudged lies anyway) the Country is Booming, Jobs plentiful and wages highest ever, where have you been??? 😕
 
I just got a high paying job.

My company has hired 10 people in the last year alone, and our office here is only 40 people.

Every one of my friends that have recently graduated had a job in under 6 months.

All are making NICE salaries.

....but hey, that's just us here in the South. Cant speak for the rest of the country.
 
Its cold as hell here, so stores are slow compared to normal. Also I heard last night on the news that sales last weakend was below estimates.
 
Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
i go to the stores, the malls, the discount places and no where is the traffic was it was last christmas. or what it used to be like in the 90's. shoot at the peak of the 90's during christmas season it would take me over 30 min just to get into a mall parking lot. this year tho, i just breezed in and out. parking is way available.


is it a bad economy or are more people shopping online than ever before.

i'd like to see some retail numbers for this christmas.
Click to expand...

I agree with you. The stores are much less crowded in my neck of the woods. I am also reading that the Walmarts, Targets etc. are taking a hit this season. The only retailers that seem to be doing well are the high-enders...big surprise there :frown:
 
problem is, more online less brick and morter means fewer jobs for college kids and senior citizens. sure a segment of the population will always do well, but it seems like jobs for the lower middle class are going away rapidly.

 
well, the market is 250 points shy of 11000.

I think businesses are making profits....now when they decide to reinvest those profits into raises, new people, and capital is another matter.

They can't just sit on the cash and do nothing...the only way they can make more money is by spending.

I heard a few months ago that the fortune 500 is sitting on 1/2 trillion in cash just waiting to see what happens.

Somewhere CEOS will have to realize that pushing all the jobs oversees means a future of low and negative growth due to a lack of domestic GDP.

They will also have to realize that investing in America is not only good for Americans but good for them too.


 
I think the economy is just fine. There were lots of people at the Neiman Marcus store I went yesterday. In fact, I had to wait for 10 minutes before an associate was able to come and help me with the purchase. They were all busy helping other customers.
 
Originally posted by: GoPackGo
well, the market is 250 points shy of 11000.

I think businesses are making profits....now when they decide to reinvest those profits into raises, new people, and capital is another matter.

They can't just sit on the cash and do nothing...the only way they can make more money is by spending.

I heard a few months ago that the fortune 500 is sitting on 1/2 trillion in cash just waiting to see what happens.

Somewhere CEOS will have to realize that pushing all the jobs oversees means a future of low and negative growth due to a lack of domestic GDP.

They will also have to realize that investing in America is not only good for Americans but good for them too.
Click to expand...

i have been doing computer consulting for the last 3 yrs. a friend of mine has a PC repair shop and not surprisingly business is better than ever. more than 50% of the pc's we fix are Dells (not surprising).

here is the point, in PC repairs, you will see a resurgence in local mom and pop stores. the idea that all tech support and customer service can be handled over the phone/Internet is LUDICROUS. 70% of the people don't car to know the difference between malware, virus, antivirus and OS. they just want stuff to work. phone support will not be able to deliver that.

 
Incidentally Platinum, Dell is relocating much of it's telephone tech support back to the US do to the overwhelming complaints from consumers.

 
Originally posted by: Centinel
Incidentally Platinum, Dell is relocating much of it's telephone tech support back to the US do to the overwhelming complaints from consumers.
Click to expand...


I could be wrong, but I thought that they were only bringing back the Business tech support, not the home PC help support. I do know that Dell is building a new facility in North Carolina and will employ 1,500 people there.
 
retail is way down where i live (central valley of california) &
people definitely are NOT shopping online.
 
Originally posted by: Centinel
Incidentally Platinum, Dell is relocating much of it's telephone tech support back to the US do to the overwhelming complaints from consumers.
Click to expand...

still isn't sufficient.

i was carrying a dell PC back to a clients office, and i was deluged by people in the halls asking if i fixed dells.

fact is, 70% of people just cannot deal with phone support even if handled by a native english speaker.

 
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
i go to the stores, the malls, the discount places and no where is the traffic was it was last christmas. or what it used to be like in the 90's. shoot at the peak of the 90's during christmas season it would take me over 30 min just to get into a mall parking lot. this year tho, i just breezed in and out. parking is way available.


is it a bad economy or are more people shopping online than ever before.

i'd like to see some retail numbers for this christmas.

Topic Title: Is the economy worse this Christmas (2005) than it was last Christmas (2004)
Click to expand...

No matter what numbers come out (they will be fudged lies anyway) the Country is Booming, Jobs plentiful and wages highest ever, where have you been??? 😕
Click to expand...

Wages are dopwn 1.5%?
 
Originally posted by: GoPackGo
well, the market is 250 points shy of 11000.

I think businesses are making profits....now when they decide to reinvest those profits into raises, new people, and capital is another matter.

They can't just sit on the cash and do nothing...the only way they can make more money is by spending.

I heard a few months ago that the fortune 500 is sitting on 1/2 trillion in cash just waiting to see what happens.

Somewhere CEOS will have to realize that pushing all the jobs oversees means a future of low and negative growth due to a lack of domestic GDP.

They will also have to realize that investing in America is not only good for Americans but good for them too.
Click to expand...

Wow, this "Dreaming Big" syndrome is catching lately. Unfortunately that ain't gonna happen because the same Do Do Birds that have been holding and hoarding all the excess money the last 4 years still have another 4 years at least , to hold and hoard even more.
 
Who's the Do Do birds dmcowen?

The ones that hoard the money, or the american public that consumes their products knowing they are hoarding it and oppressing the working class?....you know like how you are sitting in your house, using the internet on your computer to type on this message board about the evils of corporations?
 
Originally posted by: Centinel
Ya, i'll agree....crappy phone support is crappy phone support LOL
Click to expand...

Even US tech support sucks. The rare time I need help, i'm stuck with a fvcking mexican that speaks broken english taht shouldn't be here in the first place.
 
Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004
Originally posted by: Centinel
Ya, i'll agree....crappy phone support is crappy phone support LOL
Click to expand...

Even US tech support sucks. The rare time I need help, i'm stuck with a fvcking mexican that speaks broken english taht shouldn't be here in the first place.
Click to expand...

exactly, what will happen is, the people they hire in the US to do phone support may speak better english than the people in India did, but most likely will be less qualified in technical knowledge than their indian counterparts.

either way consumer loses.

but it's partly the consumers fault as well because they don't want the pay the prices it would take to get real support. my clients pay me good money to maintain their systems for them.
 
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: GoPackGo
well, the market is 250 points shy of 11000.

I think businesses are making profits....now when they decide to reinvest those profits into raises, new people, and capital is another matter.

They can't just sit on the cash and do nothing...the only way they can make more money is by spending.

I heard a few months ago that the fortune 500 is sitting on 1/2 trillion in cash just waiting to see what happens.

Somewhere CEOS will have to realize that pushing all the jobs oversees means a future of low and negative growth due to a lack of domestic GDP.

They will also have to realize that investing in America is not only good for Americans but good for them too.
Click to expand...

Wow, this "Dreaming Big" syndrome is catching lately. Unfortunately that ain't gonna happen because the same Do Do Birds that have been holding and hoarding all the excess money the last 4 years still have another 4 years at least , to hold and hoard even more.
Click to expand...

The sad part is you are probably right...

I pray that things go better...

Either way, a democrat should probably win in 08

 
I just want a MODERATE to win in 2008....be it democrat or republican.

I'm tired of the extemism in american politics.


.....and by extremism is the whole goal of the parties now are to defeat their opponent, slander them as much as possible, and block any legislation of the opposite party at ALL costs.
 
Originally posted by: ManSnake
I think the economy is just fine. There were lots of people at the Neiman Marcus store I went yesterday. In fact, I had to wait for 10 minutes before an associate was able to come and help me with the purchase. They were all busy helping other customers.
Click to expand...

So what does that prove? That the haves are spending like the money is burning a hole in their pockets? Big surprise there...

 
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