I couldn't resist posting once more on the "Black Friday" phenomenon. It turns out it wasn't the slowest day of the year at the nursery like I predicted in my last post. Some people actually came in and Monica and I looked at each other and we're happy we opened. Let me assure you though that its wasn't busy like the malls. Little things that will pay off down the road did happen. Example, a young couple moving here from Berkley stopped in and bought a couple of kiwis and the fertilizer and planting mix for them. What's neat is they we're in a couple of weeks ago looking for grapes when we started talking about the kiwis. Didn't know if anything would come of it but here they we're. As they left they said they will see us soon! Another connection made!
I came across this report at Yahoo Finance. It looks like every report we get every year. Yes, deep discounts brought in people but it must continue through the holidays to be a success. Some people are doing they're part like Tina Dillow of New Richmond, Ohio who said "'I'm really looking for the bargains this year because I'm losing my job; they're moving our plant to Mexico after the first of the year, so I have to be careful.'" She had "camped out at a Best Buy store near Cincinnati at 3 a.m. because of a great deal on a laptop."
Let me see, she is loosing her job but needs a laptop. I guess I just don't get it. If I was loosing my job I think spending money on a laptop is the last thing I would be doing. You know they have free internet access art the library here. I wonder how many people are in the same situation as this women that shopped at these sales. The consumer has been so throughly brainwashed that they believe that spending money at a sale is somehow smart even when you source of income is about to dry up.
This year the goal we have at the nursery and home is to reduce our debt. I am tired of carrying debt, even though much of it is for the business. I tell my kids the same thing, don't get us anything that involves paying for it with credit. If you can't afford it we don't need it!
P.S. The Golden Gecko gladly accepts Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover, and Paypal.
P.P.S. We don't want you to use your credit card is it means going broke! We want our customers to be around for the long haul.