Holiday sales spree marks end of austerity

As the Dow shot up 10 percent this year, and November and December sales erupted from the dormant profits of 2009, this holiday season marked the end of austerity. Retail profits are expected to jump 3.3 percent by season’s end, while online sales grew 12 percent over last year, as of Dec. 17.

On Thursday, a Rasmussen poll found that 37 percent of people still had holiday shopping to do — setting the stage for the most frenzied Christmas Eve shopping day in years.

The National Retail Federation originally predicted a 2.3 percent increase in sales, but adjusted its estimate to 3.3 percent after enormous November numbers.

“We’re actually seeing people buy jewelry and apparel once again,” said Kathy Grannis, spokeswoman for the trade group. “The economy has stabilized enough that consumers aren’t fearing job loss, and while there are still concerns, we’re seeing consumers less concerned about the state of their finances.”

At Tysons — one of the largest malls in the country — 27 employees in red shirts scurried around the Apple Store, while the line at Hallmark ran 23 people long, even with four cashiers ringing. A shouting match exploded on the escalator; a woman flew across Brookstone to hand off a credit card to her husband.

Allison Fischer, spokeswoman for Tysons, said retailers were reporting sale increases from 3 to 85 percent. Kiosk managers marveled at the 20-plus-minute commute from the mall entrance to a parking space, even with this year’s additional valet parking and 82 new parking lot attendants.

Men drove the large population of last-minute shoppers, unsure how to handle this unknown territory called “the mall.”

For Marks, high-stakes one-stop shopping did the trick for his wife and kids. But Tom Freeman, who skulked through the ladies’ department of the downtown D.C. Macy’s on Thursday, did not have similar luck.

“Apparently there are lot of sales at this time, and I also procrastinated,” said Freeman, who was shopping for his mother and sister. “Now it’s a mad dash to get everything.”

Women are more likely to pay attention to the specific things their loved ones like, said Daniel Lieberman, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at George Washington University.

“Men are less likely to know, and often have no idea what to get — that can be very stressful for them, and lead to procrastination,” Lieberman said.

At the Downtown Holiday Market, Jay Rybnicek did some last-minute shopping for his mom. “It’s not every year, but it’s not unheard of,” he said with a smile.

The market’s vendors reported sales increases of 20 to 30 percent, and the footpath on the weekends “has been packed to the point of hard to walk through, which is definitely different from last year,” said Danielle Piacente, spokeswoman for the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District.

That was certainly the case at Pulp, a card and gift shop near the U Street corridor: Christmas cards sold out by Thanksgiving, said manager Beverly Jones. “We’re running out of everything, which is really a wonderful problem to have.”

The eclectic shop’s best-sellers have been mugs and T-shirts bearing a World War II slogan that never was released: “Keep Calm and Carry On.”

Happy that her customers were doing just that, Jones said, “It’s a great motto to remember.”

Kristen Byrne and Andrew Harnik contributed to this report.

[email protected]