Retailers, shoppers make up snow day
Faye Murman/Courier-Post
By EILEEN SMITH
Courier-Post Staff
An avalanche of shoppers swept into stores Monday, rushing to make up for time lost over the weekend, when most consumers were snowed in by a storm that dumped more than a foot of snow on South Jersey.
"Saturday and Sunday should have been our biggest days -- but the snow killed us," said Bob McCarthy, who operates a kiosk at Moorestown Mall.
On Monday, customers were scurrying to buy Zhu Zhu Pets from McCarthy, who flew a planeload of the automated hamsters direct from the factory in China.
"We had two people who came down from Staten Island," he said. "Another guy bought 256 Zhu Zhus and sent them to Japan."
Vehicles bearing consumers shaking off cabin fever and children enjoying a day off from school jammed Route 38, Route 70 and Route 73 on Monday, many heading to malls and big box centers.
"I still have a few more stops, including Wal-Mart," said Rose Madigan of Marlton after bagging bargains at Boscov's and Sears.
Madigan's plans to shop Saturday were put on ice by the storm. Most stores closed early, in keeping with public safety warnings to stay off the roads.
It was the first major snow to hit the week before Christmas since 1967.
And it could not have come at a worse time for retailers, who were counting on what is traditionally the biggest sale day of the year to heat up lukewarm sales.
"Retailers really can't make up that lost day and a half of sales," said Fred Fox, CEO of Planalytics in suburban Philadelphia, which analyzes how the weather affects sales. "People will go ahead and buy the gifts on their lists but the retailers will miss out on add-on sales, the items people buy because they are in the store."
The merchants hit hardest by the storm are regional retailers such as Reading, Pa.-based Boscov's, because all its properties are in the snow belt, Fox said. National retailers such as Macy's and Best Buy have stores in other regions that can help to offset sales lost in the storm.
Even pharmacies, grocers and convenience stores, which typically benefit from pre-storm buying sprees, were left out in the cold.
"The storm was so well forecasted there wasn't that last-minute rush," Fox said.
Although statistics weren't available, anecdotal evidence indicates a number of snowbound consumers shopped online.
"Toys R Us would be able to convert a good bit of traffic online with the promise of free shipping and delivery by Christmas," Fox said.
To counteract Mother Nature, retailers are calling on Father Time, adding store hours to give shoppers more chances to spend.
Target is keeping most stores open until midnight, an hour later than last year. Borders also is extending hours until midnight and Toys R Us will stay open until 1 a.m. Macy's at Cherry Hill Mall is operating around the clock until 6 p.m. Christmas Eve. And L.L. Bean at the Promenade at Sagemore in Marlton is open 24 hours a day until 5 p.m. on Dec. 24.
At Moorestown Mall, shoppers stood shoulder to shoulder Monday at Bath & Body Works, where the store was giving away three items from its signature beauty collection with the purchase of three.
Rosemary Rufo of Cherry Hill spied the Zhu Zhu kiosk, snapped open her mobile phone and called a friend who had been looking for the elusive playthings.
"I had never actually seen one before," she said. "But my friend was so excited she asked me to buy two."
McCarthy is charging $19.99 for Zhu Zhus, including the top-selling Mr. Squiggle, who is fetching as much as $39.99 on eBay.
On Monday, Wal-Mart rolled out the first of three Zhu Zhu promotions, selling at least 60 of the pets at each of its stores to customers who line up and get a number before stores open at 7 a.m.
The price tag: $9.
Reach Eileen Smith at (856) 486-2444 or esmith@courierpostonline.com.
Additional Facts
DEADLINES
- A look at shipping deadlines for major online retailers to guarantee delivery by Christmas. All times are Eastern Standard Time.
- Amazon.com: Tuesday for two-day and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday for one-day shipping. Some gifts can be ordered and delivered Christmas Eve with local express shipping in certain cities like New York and Seattle.
- Walmart.com: Wednesday, for one-day shipping before Christmas.
- Target.com: Tuesday for standard shipping, Tuesday for one-day shipping.
- JCpenney.com: 1 p.m. Wednesday with express-delivery service. By Tuesday for half-off express shipping.
- BestBuy.com: 11 a.m. Tuesday for standard shipping, and 11 a.m. Wednesday for express shipping.
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