Stores launch final holiday sales push

CHICAGO -- Swirling snow, packed parking lots and massive markdowns greeted many shoppers across the country over the weekend as retailers tried to woo consumers to open their wallets during the final holiday countdown.

From flagship department stores to main street shops, consumers found extended hours -- in some places, around-the-clock shopping -- and even some cheery customer service as merchants hope to salvage one of the worst shopping seasons in decades, brought on by the recession and growing economic uncertainty.

"They're really trying to get you in there," said Raleigh, N.C., resident Kim Rardon, who was surprised by the price cuts she saw while searching for gifts on Saturday at Crabtree Valley Mall in north Raleigh.

For those willing to spend, the deals abounded.

At the flagship Macy's store on 34th Street in New York, shoppers swarmed racks offering 65 percent off women's clothing. Elsewhere, the store was offering 50 percent off handbags by designers such as Dooney & Bourke and Coach and 40 percent off gold earrings.

Thirty-eight-year-old Chris Moscardelli found even deeper discounts when he snagged a cashmere blanket for more than half off.

"It's been a great day," he said.

But not for Ahmad Parpia, the owner of Marquise Jewelers inside Dallas' Valley View Mall, who's seen his most profitable period of the year fizzle out. Few shoppers are coming inside his four stores to buy diamond-encrusted chains, gold watches and jewelry, despite signs advertising: "Financing available up to $10,000. Will beat any competitive price."

"It's almost like 80 percent down over the last two years," he said. "I've never seen before a Christmas like that, and I've been in this business almost 15 years."

The International Council of Shopping Centers expects established stores to post their worst performance for the holidays since at least 1969, when its index began. It predicts same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, will fall as much as 1 percent for the November and December period, and fears the decline could even be steeper.

Still, shoppers were out at Kmart and Sears stores this weekend as customers stocked up on last-minute gifts and electronics like Nintendo's Wii, Blu-ray players, digital cameras and tools. In some cases, shoppers lined up before stores opened for weekend doorbuster deals.

"For the most part, we beat our previous week, which was a great kind of benchmark, because last week was strong for us," said Tom Aiello, a spokesman for the stores owned by Sears Holdings Corp.

But sales were slower in some parts of the Midwest and New England where storms dumped snow and ice, he said.

More than a dozen Macy's Inc. stores were spending the weekend in the midst of a retail marathon, pledging to stay open around the clock until Christmas Eve.