Shopping more online

This holiday season seems to have altered how a lot of people approach celebrations and gift exchanges.  There was a lot of debate over shopping ON Thanksgiving Day, a day traditionally reserved in the United States for gratitude and sharing meals as a family or community.  I didn't shop on Thanksgiving but I did make some buys on Black Friday.  Did you?

Did you know Black Friday was given that name because it was traditionally the day when retailers FINALLY went into the black on their revenues for the year?  I don't know if it is true, any more.  Retail is very competitive, but there's also a huge profit margin on a lot of the things we buy, when we consider how much it actually costs to produce them and the circumstances of the workers involved in the retail chain.

I found really stunning necklaces and other fashion jewelry this year at EXPRESS.  I hadn't shopped there in a long time but dropped in because I saw a store near one of the men's stores we shopped.  This weekend I see EXPRESS is offering 50 percent off on everything, storewide.  There are some good buys to be had, there.

Here's just one of the pieces at EXPRESS

I have been stunned, this year, at the way retailers are stocking merchandise.  I don't know about you, but I bought a few things in stores, and a lot more of the gift list online.  I also would often find something I needed for myself while shopping online ("one for you, and one for me" has a nice sound!).  I bought a pair of leggings, only to find I need a smaller size, but no store in our region stocks them -- so I will have to pay to return the pair I ordered, wait for the smaller size to arrive, and see whether or not it fits.  That's far from convenient.  I've also found that when I am shopping for toys for the grandchildren, a lot of items are for sale online only, or are available at a very few select local stores.  I wonder how this affects our choices about what in particular we buy?

Are you shopping for gifts this season?  Have you found many appealing gifts, or found it hard to find the "right" gifts?  Do you shop online or in stores, or both?