DALLAS, Nov 28, 2008 / FW/ — What recession? The Day After Thanksgiving Sale at North Park Mall here in Dallas attracted the usual number of shoppers as it does every year.
The Big D’s premier mall, North Park is home to high-end department stores like Neiman Marcus, Barney’s New York and Nordstrom. High street fashion designers – Burberry, Kenneth Cole, Salvatore Ferragamo, Bottega Veneta, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Roberto Cavalli among others also call North Park its Dallas home.
And yes, like everywhere in the country, there are deep discounts being offered. Shoppers are taking advantage of that. It looks like Dallasites went the same way as the whole country as they snapped up electronics and luxury apparel.
According to the National Retail Foundation, electronics, toys and apparel seem to be today’s big winners. Flat screen televisions, GPS systems, digital frames and cameras, cashmere sweaters, video game systems and Blu-Ray players were some of the first items to fly off shelves this morning.
“When it comes to offering deals to bring customers into stores this weekend, retailers are holding up their end of the bargain,” said NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin.
“The deep discounts on the hottest holiday items may have been just enough to get the attention of those consumers who were on the fence about braving the crowds and the cold,” Mullin added.
NRF estimates that holiday sales will rise 2.2 percent this year to $470.4 billion the slowest growth since 2002. NRF’s holiday sales forecast is based on an economic model using indicators like housing data, unemployment and previous monthly retail sales reports and includes retail industry sales from November and December.
[MARI DAVIS]
