As they brace for the worst holiday shopping season in decades, major "bricks and mortar" merchants are ramping up their Internet promotions more than ever in hopes their websites will drive people to shop their brands.
"When times are desperate, this is the cheapest way to try to drive sales," said Sucharita Mulpuru, an e-commerce analyst at Forrester Research Inc. "It's the easiest message that you know is going to work, and certainly retailers are going to try it."
In October, retail sales suffered the largest percentage decline since 1992 - 2.8 percent. And forecasts are just as bleak for the holiday shopping season, the roughly month long period between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays when many retailers get as much as a third of their annual sales.
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"When times are desperate, this is the cheapest way to try to drive sales," said Sucharita Mulpuru, an e-commerce analyst at Forrester Research Inc. "It's the easiest message that you know is going to work, and certainly retailers are going to try it."
In October, retail sales suffered the largest percentage decline since 1992 - 2.8 percent. And forecasts are just as bleak for the holiday shopping season, the roughly month long period between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays when many retailers get as much as a third of their annual sales.
(Click to Read the Entire Story From the Boston Globe in a new window)
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