January 11, 2005
Retailers Unhappy Christmas
So, retailers are complaining that the British public didn't spend enough in December 04 and this meant that their like-for-like sales were down a whopping 0.4% from December 03.
To this, I say "So what? Am I meant to feel sorry for you?"
Am I meant to feel sorry that these companies didn't make quite as much as they were projecting? I've never really understood why people feel the need to compete at Christmas (or at any other time). Why people feel the need to go into debt just to have the latest shiny thing.
Perhaps I'm just not a "Keep up with the Jones'" character? Yes, I have a nice TV. Yes, I have Sky+ (which, BTW, is absolutely fantastic). Yes, I have a multiregion DVD player etc etc etc...
However, do I feel the need to replace them?
No!
They're still absolutely fine. Same with my car, a 4½ year old Ford Focus. It is still absolutely fine and performs its daily duties with little fanfare.
Why should I feel that I am any less worthy as a person just because I don't buy the latest and greatest? I don't need any more stuff. I don't need a new car. I don't need to buy a 42" plasma-screen TV just because my neighbours have one. I don't need to buy £200 custom tailored shirts just because people at work wear them.
I may WANT a dual 2.5GHz G5 Powermac with a 30" TFT monitor but, you know what, I can't afford it and won't put myself into debt to buy it! Some people would just stick it on their credit card and add to their debts. Right now, I'll put up with my (slow) 933MHz P-III PC and my 400MHz G4 Powermac. They do for what they get used for. Sure, I'd like something faster but do I need it? No.
When are we going to step off the consumer treadmill and stop putting ourselves into massive debt just to give an outward appearance to the world that we're happy?
Quite agree with that, although if you look at the sales figures from online retailers the problem seems to be not so much that consumers aren't spending, more that they're spending smarter. If they're like us in a lot of cases they have avoided the queues for the car parks and the crush in the shops and bought online.
Posted by: Richard at January 11, 2005 2:59 PM