THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2013
1.
ECONOMY
PAGE 3
Black Friday sales offer deals,hurt overall spending
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Did stores shoot themselves in the foot?
Protestors stream past the entrance to a Walmart store in St. Paul, Minn. on Black Friday, Nov. 29. On one of the busiest shopping days of the year, hundreds rallied to draw attention to low wages for retail workers and janitors.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Target, Macy's and other retailers offered holiday discounts in early November and opened stores on Thanksgiving Day. It was an effort to attract shoppers before Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving that traditionally kicks off the holiday shopping season.
Those tactics drew bigger crowds, but failed to motivate Americans to spend.
A record 141 million people are expected to shop in stores and online over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend that ends Sunday, up from last year's 137 million, according to the results of a survey of nearly 4,500 shoppers conducted for The National Retail Federation.
But total spending is expected to fall for the first time ever since the trade group began tracking it in 2006, according to the survey that was released on Sunday. Over the four days, spending fell an estimated 2.9 percent to $57.4 billion.
The survey underscores the challenges stores have faced since the recession began in late 2007. Retailers had to offer deep discounts to get people to shop during the downturn, but Americans still
expect those "70 percent off" signs now during the uneven economic recovery.
Stores may have only exacerbated that expectation this year. By offering bargains earlier in the season, it seems they've created a vicious cycle in which they'll need to constantly offer bigger sales to get people to spend. That's because shoppers who took advantage of "holiday" deals before Thanksgiving may have deal fatigue and are cautious about buying anything else unless it's heavily discounted.
"The economy spoke loud and clear over the past few days," said Brian Sozzi, CEO and chief equities strategist at Belus Capital Advisors. "We are going to see an increase in markdowns."
Matthew Shay, president and CEO of The National Retail Federation, said that the survey results only represent one extended weekend in what is typically the biggest shopping period of the year. The combined months of November and December can account for up to 40 percent of retailers' revenue.
Overall, Shay said the trade group still expects sales for the two months to increase 3.9 percent to $602.1 billion. That's higher than the 3.5 percent in the previous year.
But to achieve that growth, retailers will likely have to offer big sales events. In a stronger economy, people who shopping early would continue to do so throughout the season. But analysts say that's not likely to be the case in this still tough economic climate.
"It's pretty clear that in the current environment, customers promotions," Shay said.
"Absent promotions, they're not really spending."
At least a dozen major retailers — most of them for the first time — opened on Thanksgiving instead of on Black Friday, which is typically the biggest shopping day of the year. Wal-Mart, Toys R Us and other retailers said on Friday that Thankgiving crowds were strong.
But the early start appeared to pull sales forward. Black Friday sales fell 13.2 percent from the previous year to $9.74 billion, according to Chicago-based technology firm ShopperTrak. But combined spending over Thanksgiving and Black Friday rose 2.3 percent to $12.3 billion compared with a year ago.
POLICE REPORTS
Information based on the Douglas County Sheriff's Office booking recap.
- A 21-year-old female was arrested yesterday on Kansas Highway 10 on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. A $250 bond was paid.
- A 30-year-old male was arrested yesterday on the 700 block of Massachusetts Street on suspicion of driving with a suspended, revoked or cancelled license. A $100 bond was paid.
— Emily Donovan
RELIGION FROM PAGE 1
grow in their faith and grow in the community," Beseau said. "When you're at home faith revolves around family and when you're away from family you still need a community to share your faith, this help creates that community."
Besau said becoming a part of this community is an important step for students who need help transitioning their religious beliefs into a college atmosphere. He said that it can help people reaffirm their faith and encourage them to continue practicing.
Dwight Welch, campus minister
with Ecumenical Christian Ministries, shares a similar view. Welch said the language of hospitality within the ECM community is key for students when they are figuring out their faith. He said he hopes the ECM can be the foundation in the religious paths of students.
"It's important for students to remember that our doors are open and anyone is welcome, regardless of sexual orientation or religious background," Welch said. "We want to provide an avenue for religious understanding to everyone."
The Faith Forum is a popular way for the ECM to help students
on their religious journey.
Sean Weston, a senior from Manhattan and director of the Faith Forum, said it is a way to draw a diverse number of students to discuss how the Christian faith can be understood and how it can be used to engage society.
"Queerness is about sexuality, but it is also about living a life
"At Faith Forum, we offer a non-judgmental community for people to come at their most vulnerable," Weston said. "I believe openness to others is openness
Weston notes that Faith Forum is all about having people from several different backgrounds, including those of different faiths.
This semester Faith Forum is focusing on "Queering Christianity," which Weston said is an important topic for ECM.
that questions and challenges social norms, which is what Jesus did," Weston said. "As a queer person, it's been great to have a chance to integrate two parts of my identity that many people see as exclusive."
Weston has seen that many people struggle with their faith when it comes to people who are queer, which is why it is important to him that the Faith Forum is inclusive for every student who is struggling with their faith.
KJHK FROM PAGE 1
what's attractive about it," Kilpatrick said. "Students get to choose what they want to and when they want to do it, and that's really the best thing about it."
Brian Rodgers has performed twice on "Live @ KJHK." Once as a drummer for his band, Forester and again under his DJ moniker, LION. He said the show is a great way for local musicians to gain notoriety and create an online portfolio, which is vital in this day and age.
"Having a live performance is so important, and this gives us the opportunity to do that," Rodgers
said. "All the dance concerts, those guys aren't releasing albums, but they're doing lots of live performances, so it's pretty clear that it's an important thing you need to be doing."
Looking back, Engelken is thrilled with the success the show had, and with his decision to fill out his KJHK application, rather than giving up on his radio career.
"When I was a freshman or sophomore I wouldn't have imagined I would be doing this every week," he said. "I'm just glad I came back because I definitely like being here and want to be here."
Edited by Casey Hutchins
If you are a current or former Jimmy John's driver employed by Bushwood Investments whose vehicle reimbursement pay was insufficient to cover your actual transportation costs, you may be entitled to compensation.
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