By David Cruz
NJ Today
In the sometimes loopy land of shoppers and shopping malls (also known as North Jersey) the Christmas season got off to a rousing start this year, with weekend retail sales — starting on Black Friday — approaching $60 billion nationwide. Small Business Saturday was also a big hit, ringing cash registers at small specialty shops like Smith & Chang in Jersey City.
“That period, and then the week before Christmas, account for about 40 or 50 percent of our business,” said Smith & Chang owner Sawyer Smith. Smith sells contemporary and vintage household items and artwork, the kind of stuff you don’t generally find in the malls, like black sheep Christmas ornaments. They’ve been selling like crazy says Smith, who says this season feels like it’s going to be a good one. “Hopefully that’ll continue. That’s pretty optimistic but we’re really happy with the way we see things going,” he said.
On Washington Street in nearby Hoboken, many shops, like Karen Nason’s Hoboken Hot House, lost inventory and almost two weeks worth of business because of Hurricane Sandy, which knocked out power and flooded many basements on the avenue.
WATCH VIDEO:
“Everybody wants to get to Christmas faster because we just had such a horrible time here in Hoboken,” says Nason. “Thanksgiving was too close to us getting over and trying to recoup our losses, especially for the businesses in Hoboken. We’re in a lot of trouble.”
On Cyber Monday today, when online sales are expected to reach $1.5 billion, savvy shoppers were using a mix and match strategy, following the deep discounts from brick and mortar stores to online outlets.
“You just have to watch the way you spend your money,” advised shopper Monice Collymore, carrying shopping bags outside the Newport Centre Mall. “If you don’t take your time, you will lose on the sales, so I did a little shopping here and on the Internet. And that’s the end of my shopping. I’m over and done with.”
With 36 shopping days still left until Christmas, that’s got to be a record, but most of us will not be quite that focused. Some retailers are spreading discounts throughout the season, but at independent toy stores like Just Kidding Around in Montclair, the strategy is pretty simple — open the door and let the kids look around. Sales Associate Laura Tennen says there’s not much a parent can do when a child says she likes that toy.
“That’s one of the only things that they know that they can’t live without,” says Tennen. “Keeping their children happy is just as important as putting food on the table.”
If you balked at Black Friday and sat out Small Business Saturday, retailers say they’ve got you covered. Today is, of course, Cyber Monday, but even if you can’t get online to shop today, tomorrow is something called Mobile Tuesday. The point here is shop early, and shop often.