It’s hard to think about Black Friday and holiday shopping for many, especially when it might be a struggle to put food on the table for the Thanksgiving feast the day before.
However, despite statistics released last week from the Siena Research Institute that show more New York shoppers are planning to spend on holiday gifts this year, Schenectady County business owners remain optimistic about this shopping season.
When asked whether she thinks the country’s financial woes are having much of an effect on Schenectady County’s economy, Leesa Pagan, director of public affairs for the Schenectady County Chamber of Commerce, pointed to the area’s growth.
If three brand new storefronts are any indication, I would say ‘no’ [the economy isn’t affecting us negatively], said Pagan. `I think people are very excited about coming downtown and shopping and supporting downtown.`
Jim Salango, the executive director of the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation, reported that so far business has been good in downtown Schenectady, but he understands that it might take a little more than usual to attract shoppers to the area this season.
`We actually just came off a sort of busy weekend — if you will, an unofficial kickoff to the holiday season,` said Salango. `What we’re really looking to do is leverage this momentum to buy local and to really try to get people to take advantage of a lot of the businesses we have in downtown Schenectady.`
Salango said he hopes that people will shop at some level in downtown Schenectady regardless of the economy or what they may be able to find in malls and big-box stores.
`These are folks that are in their community, and the level of what they have is a really interesting mix,` said Salango, of the shop owners. `I think people will get a different kind of experience here and hopefully enjoy the shops enough to start a relationship and keep coming back in the future.`
But can that kind of optimism help the shops in downtown Schenectady and Schenectady County weather the turbulent economic climate?
`It’s not that people aren’t going to go out and spend money on holiday gifts. They absolutely are going to do that, but half the people Upstate say, ‘My intent is to spend less,` said Donald Levy, director of the Siena Research Institute.
The study showed that there is a ‘less Grinch-like’ approach to holiday shopping among Upstate consumers as opposed to Downstate ` people aren’t shortening their holiday lists this year ` but people aren’t expected to spend as much on each recipient, said Levy.
`Having said all that, we don’t want to forget that last year was not a robust retailing season,` said Levy. `At least in terms of peoples’ intent, they’re telling us that they’re going to spend less for fewer people this year than last.`
On a similar note, last year, according to the study, 12 percent of shoppers had a holiday shopping budget of $300. This year that number has risen to 19 percent. The number of people who plan on spending around $1,000 or more this year has dropped.
`More people are in the ‘spend in the lowest category,’ few people are in the ‘spend in the highest category,’` said Levy.
Retailers said they are prepared to fight the good fight and lure customers into their shops with a variety events and incentives.
`I think individual stores will be offering various holiday specials,` said Salango. `We’re doing a special holiday open house called Holidays and Melodies in conjunction with Proctors. We’ll have events where stores will be open and offering specials from 4-9 p.m., so it’s an opportunity for people to come down and check out the businesses and get involved with downtown for the holiday season in different ways.`
Also, anyone who attends a Melodies of Christmas concert at Proctors will receive a ticket to get 20 percent off a meal or merchandise good in shops and restaurants the downtown Schenectady area. The concerts will be held Thursday, Dec. 18, through Sunday, Dec. 21. Tickets cost $25. For information call 346-6204.
The Rotterdam Square Mall is offering an incentive to the first 50 shoppers who come to the mall on Black Friday.
`We’re doing a Black Friday pajama lounge,` said Becky Valenti, the marketing manager for Rotterdam Mall. `We’re inviting the first 50 shoppers that come to our food court soft seating area in to receive a gift card for $25 starting at 7 a.m., until supplies last.`
Shoppers must be wearing pajamas to receive the gift card.
On another positive note, according to the Siena Research Institute’s study, Upstate New Yorkers are giving more to charities this season and also volunteering more of their time to causes they deem important.
`Perhaps people are saying, ‘I’m going to take some of that time I was running to the mall, and I’m going to go deliver meals, or I’m going to help bundle up gifts for the troops,’` said Levy. `The bad news is that it’s not going to be a good retailer season, and if I own a store that depends on this season, I have reason to be concerned — but there is an economic tsunami going on, and unfortunately there will be some casualties.“