It amazes me that retailers are baffled when sales are low, which is often. In their infinite brilliance, did anyone in their marketing departments ever stop to consider that, in rushing the seasons, they are sabotaging, rather than serving to enhance and grow, their own sales? The temperature today is 5 degrees, and with wind chills, it feels like -25. Yet, when I walk into Target, the first thing I see is racks upon racks of bikinis. Hello!?!?!? Did it ever occur to anyone that winter coats would be more likely to sell at this time of year, considering the current conditions? That is-winter weather!?!?!? The stores could probably sell fifty winter coats for every single bikini that they sell in January or February. It seems like fairly simple logic to me. I would buy a new winter coat right now-if I could find one. But no, the stores will be teeming with them in August, when I, and countless others like me, am more apt to be lounging around at the beach than shopping for cold weather apparel. In late spring, I want to buy light weight clothing and spring jackets. In June, July, and August, I want to buy bathing suits, shorts, and beach towels. In September, I think of fall, and the switch to slightly heavier clothing in warm colors. In October, Halloween is imminent, and I wish to buy the appropriate decorations. In November, I am thinking turkey, and all of the trimmings.
When I was a child, the Christmas season began the Friday after Thanksgiving, and that is how it should be. The Christmas lights were lit, and people began their shopping. There was an accompanying air of, not to sound corny, peace and good will. People were kinder, and with the season came joy and comfort. Now, people trample each other, sometimes to death, to purchase the desired sale items that they can't live without. Personally, I don't know of any TV that is worth killing a fellow human being over.
I have no more desire to buy Christmas decorations in August than I do scarves and hats and coats. I don't want to skip over Halloween and Thanksgiving, to get to the highly commercialized Christmas, and on Christmas, I don't want to buy Valentines candy (not that I have a significant other to buy it for, but that's another blog post). The point is, if the stores would promote their merchandise when there is a need for it, it would sell. Isn't that known as supply and demand? Why don't they get it? They resort to mindless marketing, and then wonder why their sales have plummeted. Duh!
By the way-does anyone know where I can but a winter coat?
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