- MSNBC/AP, Tuesday, December 19, 2006 12:15 PM
Most retailers have stuck to planned discounts throughout the holiday season, not buckling to pressures from shoppers waiting for the best deals. But after pulling in better-than-expected crowds on
Black Friday, the start of the holiday shopping season, shoppers have been returning to stores at a slower-than-expected pace after a post-Thanksgiving lull.
"It has been a bit
sluggish in the month," says Michael P. Niemira, chief economist at the International Council of Shopping Centers. "Everyone is counting on the last days, but I am still optimistic."
Meanwhile, in cyberspace, retailers are making it easier for procrastinators by pushing back deadlines for standard shipping in time for Christmas deliveries.
Read the whole story at MSNBC/AP »