Black Friday Sales Break Records; Is Consumer Spending Sustainable?

Speaking of disgraceful Henry, what's your take on Wall St. analysts who recommend buying stocks even when they're sending private emails to colleagues saying the stock is crap?

I don't believe it's sustainable not with the high unemployment and economic stagnation.

Lets get one thing straight. It's not a record because stores started opening up at midnight on thursday. This is not normal shopping time. As for raw sales breaking records I will wait for the margin reports to come in. Many items were sold at break even and below costs to drive traffic. There is no way that the reports of black friday breaking records is going to hold up with real unemployement at around 18% stagnant job growth and stagnant wages.

the shopping uptick might be termporary and associated with bargin hunting

The reporting system is flawed - sure sales may have increased by 16% - at least partially due to inflation being out of control - prices are way more expensive now on everything than last year - even the sales prices this year are more expensive than sales prices last year! This simply means people bought less with more money. Also, you have the fact that retailers opened doors early - distastefully on Thanksgiving. What a shame - Thanksgiving is for family - not shopping. This appeals to the women shoppers who will go crazy and charge the stores at 10 pm. Thanksgiving night - breaking up the family unit all in the quest for more material #$%$ that isnt needed.

kind of interesting this year. no real "must have" items. all junk. save your money folks.

Stores were pretty empty by me on Saturday afternoon in northern Calif.. Costco looked like a ghost town. Gas and register lines were only one or two customers deep.

Is it sustainable...hmmm Lower incomes, higher unemployment, and people fighting for the doorbuster deals. I didn't join the madness on Black Friday, but did find several items I purchased this year for 40-50% of what I paid. I bought them and will be returning the used ones to the retail stores because some have 100% satisfaction guarantee. I'm sure I can't be the only one.

I hve friends who work in retail, and what they saw makes these numbers mean nothing. From what I am told , most people on Black Friday went and only bought what was the bargain they wanted. Nothing else, this isnt going to help the economy for more than a week or two. People still dont have the money to buy like the old days, when everyone charged it and paid later. There is no later for most buyers anymore, if you dont have cash, you dont buy. simple.

... and they're laughing about it ... oh how the times have changed ...

No kidding, how can anybody pass up a 42 inch tv for $175-$200. The thing to watch is not sales but profitable revenue. Not sure how anybody can make a profit selling electronics at these crazy prices. Am I missing somethings?

OK, so sales went up - how much profit did they make?

as long as they keep giving credit card to people without jobs we'll be ay ok! 100% sustainable.

No, the consumers are spent out. Trying to make what few dollars they have left go as far as it will go buying the black Friday sale items.

Some demands to turn the country around.

1. Immediately stop the production of ethanol from corn. And you wonder why food prices are high?? Farmers lobbyist love Congress.

2. Ban the trading of oil/commodities and go to a simple supply and demand pricing. But no,, you want hedge funds telling you what you are going to pay for a gallon of gas don't you...

3. Term limits, vote all incumbents out. The days of party loyalty are over, as well as career politicians. Serve your term and you are out. But no,, you are so brain washed you actually believe your party will fix everything don't you...

4. One flat tax for all, including corporations. If you are at poverty level income or below, you pay no tax.

5. Immediately stop the wars and bring all troops home. But no,, war is big business to many people will get laid off. Screw who gets killed we need our job....

Copy and paste this and send it on. Lets take the county back from the corporations/politicians.

I have had competitors consistently beat my company in gross sales. It was frustrating to say the least. Always bragging about breaking records. Didn't hear much about margins though. They are now out of business.

I have two reasons to logically explain the 16% increase in sales: INFLATION and an ADDED SALES day (Thanksgiving). How can this be interpreted as good news? Lets have an apples to apples comparison. Those that see good news from this are comparing apples to oranges.

Americans are being perceived as pervese idiots!! Whof the hell with any form of intelligence and cultural values would camp out at a Wal-Mart. Americans keep showing that they're a bunch of obese buffoons! Welcome to the third world America!!

HELL NO! And who are we KIDDING?

Stores should not have been open on Thanksgiving. It's no wonder family chemistry has broken down. I remember when families ate dinner together EVERY night. Now, with parents working different shifts, sometimes working 2 jobs and everyone running in 9 different directions the family dinnertime has almost become extinct. What a shame. I would have thought big business could wait another handful of hours to open their doors but they chose to make their employees cut their holiday short for the almighty dollar.