For Most Retailers, It’s Really About ‘Black December’

Retailers’ performance has little to do with the two days that get all the press and everything to do with December. By now hopefully folks are beginning to accept that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are mostly media events–some would say “media traps”–that actually reveal next to nothing about how the holiday season will ultimately turn out. Moreover, aside from the generally hard to get “door busters”, the best deals are often found over the next several weeks, not on the two days that generate the most hype, er, I mean, attention. As many journalists and analysts continue to point out, as (crafty? greedy? desperate?) retailers chase market share, more and more promotions that were once exclusive to Black Friday now break days, or even weeks, before Americans shift from one form of massive consumption to another. If my in-box is any indication, many sales were not only extended over the weekend but well beyond the rather unfortunately named Cyber Monday. And the hits just keep on coming. Read more at Forbes.