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Marshal Cohen, NPD Group chief retail analyst, on the retailers opening up on Thanksgiving in order to get ahead of the Black Friday madness this year...
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-- -- Apple isn't the only retailer gearing up for the -- in the next several days will be crucial to the entire industry's bottom line.
Joining us now with more -- -- stores are best poised for success Marshal Cohen chief retail analyst with NPD group.
Let's talk about this we got target Sears Kmart Wal-Mart GAAP Toys 'R' Us opening on Thursday Thanksgiving Day -- it necessary.
Welcome to the new tradition it isn't it actually is necessary for these retailers they've got to get into the 21 century.
They finally recognize that they're competing with online retail and was stealing their market share.
And we've heard of Christmas -- where they kept set up shop all the time every year earlier and earlier -- -- Christmas crunch.
What this is is about trying to beat the competition.
To start and get early dollars from the consumer to build momentum if you've left if you stay out of this you will be left behind.
See you saying analysts had no choice but to open up -- really had no choice okay but why can't I just go from desert to the couch get -- my iPad and go search for deals you can.
But here's what it's all about it's about driving traffic to the stores.
And it's about the sport of shopping 12% of consumers participate in the Black Friday bonanza throughout the weekend.
Now this is going to offer the opportunity for an even broader sector of consumers not everybody wanted to get up at 3 o'clock in the morning and get -- line.
Now you can start as early as 8 PM.
And start to really get the family together after you've spent how many hours together.
Eating and watching football and besides can you really watched twelve hours of football not everybody wants to right okay so you're saying it's more about getting the people in the stores and it is.
About even taken my.
It's not about really making money it's about building momentum it's about getting the consumer caught up in the frenzy and the spirit of the holiday.
What it's all about is getting you to shop in my store early therefore you'll continue to shop.
Buy things for yourself while you're buying items for others 26%.
Of consumers last year during holiday.
Period bought for themselves while buying for others that's where all the growth came from because then they go back to buy more for -- -- they buy the gifts for others later.
OK so let me ask you this are we going to see.
Door busters and all that is that all that necessary are -- the best prices I'm gonna see all season.
They're great crisis but they're not the best prices if you're willing to be flexible and you're willing to do your homework and you willing to be a little bit of patient.
What you'll be able do is get even better deals.
But you know this is all about the consumer who's loves that discovery the treasure -- shopping so they -- willing to go -- go through all this effort to get a good deal.
And to brag about it the next -- right I got this for it's been all about comparison that in -- social media will be filled with people sharing all the different things and that's it right so who -- dispersal this brick and mortar beat out e-commerce.
Well we've seen e-commerce beat brick and mortar with growth rates for the last five years for holiday.
This year it actually may be brick and mortar that gets the greater level of growth rate.
Because so many people are getting caught up in this new opportunity to shop so you're going to get almost double the amount of consumers that are going be hitting the stores.
From Thanksgiving Day all the way through Monday.
Okay but let's just say I know.
I'd take my family with -- that's what you do on Thanksgiving right and I just check stuff out and then why I come home and try to get better deal online.
Do you really -- -- go through all that effort to find a parking spot to get into the -- to weigh on the line to get into the store.
You know you're hearing Apple's putting stuff on so you wouldn't -- in the -- not come home and you just not gonna come on empty handed.
So you wanna get something and when you drag the family with you it is all about.
Getting the product and sharing what you got.
Breaks it people if you've got at 8 o'clock on Thanksgiving night -- -- coming home with something they're not -- moment and tried so what stores women.
Basically what you have to look at is who is -- -- the toy stores are going to win the early war.
You're gonna also have the full line -- Wal-Mart target are gonna do very well because they've really spent a lot of time and energy.
Putting forward what they're going to do.
And and you have to look at electronics everybody's asking for electronics the real issue this holiday is there's nothing new other than a few items that are -- electronics market.
So this is going to be a very price war driven market so that means those that have spent a lot of time advertising in setting up.
And it extended hours earlier again.
This year will be the winners is that why Apple's.
-- -- -- -- -- worried that you know I can't really speak for management -- but I would sit there and say if I was a retailer and I didn't participate in this -- unless you're in the absolute luxury end of the market.
You may miss out so what they don't want to do is have.
Their product being sold in other locations in that are being taken advantage of -- is no hot.
Anything this year is there other than electronics know how it's cell phones and then some other interesting items like footwear this year -- the top top.
-- -- is this sneakers and even mock a sins and again -- boots then you have fragrance which looks like it's going to be a hot item this year and you have fashion accessories.
Other than that it's really basically the same things were back to electronics being discounted to get some good good deals be reducing weight and the TV purchases -- You know if it's we prove this every year over and over and over again.
Good deals are had during the Black Friday weekend and throughout the holiday season.
The best deals are after holiday and sometimes even after Super Bowl that's when the new models come out and that's when the prices are best on the existing inventory after super ball after super.
If there's a lot and -- men out there who I think Saturday before the game go out by the magnificent TV great and they must get totally wrapped up what I'm wondering about is how many consumers have wall space -- the.
Put up another big screen TV.
And -- -- to you said to wait.
-- is a really good opportunity good deals to be had early but -- really good deals will be towards the very end of the holiday season and beyond we you go out on Thanksgiving night.
I just -- research purpose opt out the starting if the consumers on the line at eight -- there with them at six interviewing them on what it is that they want and I don't stop until Sunday afternoon really.
So you're gonna leave Thanksgiving dinner.
My family -- do Thanksgiving dinner until the weekend.
And then we do -- you're working that's exactly right.
Marshall this is why we lucky you know exactly what you're talking about -- got to do your homework I cat then you keep coming back into us about it Marshall -- -- answer happy Thanksgiving.
You -- even if -- isn't.
